Theodosius I: Roman emperor from 379 to 395
Theodosius I (11 January 347 – 17 January 395), also called Theodosius the Great, was Roman emperor from 379 to 395.
He was a general in the Roman army and the son of another general, Theodosius the Elder. When the emperor Valens died in battle fighting the Goths, Valens' nephew, the emperor Gratian, made Theodosius emperor. Theodosius married Gratian's sister. While emperor, Theodosius overcame three civil wars in the empire. Gratian and his brother the emperor Valentinian II both died young, and Theodosius made his own sons Arcadius and Honorius emperors. Theodosius made Christianity the official state religion of the Roman Empire and made other religions illegal.
| Theodosius I | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Solidus depicting Theodosius, marked: d n theodosius p f aug ("Our Lord Theodosius, pious, fortunate, august") | |||||
| Roman emperor | |||||
| Augustus | 19 January 379 – 17 January 395 | ||||
| Predecessor | Valens | ||||
| Successor | Arcadius (East) Honorius (West) | ||||
| Co-emperors | Gratian (379–383) Valentinian II (379–392) Magnus Maximus (384–388) Victor (384–388) Eugenius (392–394) Arcadius (383–395) Honorius (393–395) | ||||
| Born | Flavius Theodosius 11 January 347 Cauca (Coca, Spain) | ||||
| Died | 17 January 395 (aged 48) Mediolanum (Milan, Italy) | ||||
| Burial | 8 November 395
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| Dynasty | Theodosian | ||||
| Father | Count Theodosius | ||||
| Mother | Thermantia | ||||
| Religion | Nicene Christianity | ||||
Life
Early life
Where Theodosius (Latin: Flavius Theodosius) was born is unknown. According to Hydatius and Zosimus, Theodosius was born in what is now Coca, Spain. However, Marcellinus Comes writes that he was from Italica, Hispania (now in Spain). His father was a military officer.
Death
Theodosius died in Milan on January 17, 395. When he died he was made into a god. Parts of the Christian Church name Theodosius a saint.
Christianity as religion of Roman Empire
Theodosius made the Nicene Creed the official belief system of the Roman Empire. Prior to that, many different creeds were believed. The Nicene Creed states that that Jesus, the Son, is equal to God the Father. Other people, such as Arius, said that Jesus was inferior to the Father. Theodosius affirmed the faith that the Council of Nicea agreed on.
References
Other websites
- De Imperatoribus Romanis, Theodosius I Archived 2015-03-15 at the Wayback Machine
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