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Our Family
Genealogy Pages
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 384 - 423 (38 years)
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| Name |
Flavius Honorius (Emperor Of The Western Roman Empire - 395-423) |
| Born |
9 Sep 384 |
| Gender |
Male |
| FamilySearch ID |
L8TV-BYN |
| _UID |
52A49EE472A14BB2ADE8DCF917C7D8D67E63 |
| Died |
423 |
| Person ID |
I8721 |
Carney Wehofer Feb 2024 Genealogy |
| Last Modified |
12 Dec 2022 |
| Father |
Flavius Theodosius I ('The Great') (Emperor Of The Roman Empire - 379-395), b. 11 Jan 346-347, Cauca (Coca), Gallaecia, Spain  , d. 17 Jan 394-395, Mediolanum (Milan), Italy (Age 48 years) |
| Mother |
?lia Flavia Flaccilla Of Spain, b. 355, Spain , d. 386 (Age 31 years) |
| Married |
376 |
| Family ID |
F11812 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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| Notes |
- From Ralph W. Mathisen, University of South Carolina:
Honorius' Early Life - Flavius Honorius was born in the east in 384, theyounger son of the emperor Theodosius I (379-395) and Aelia FlaviaFlaccilla. In his youth he was named Most Noble Child (nobilissimuspuer), and in 386 he held the consulate. He was summoned by his father toRome when he was five, but in 391 he returned with him to Constantinople,where in 393 he was proclaimed emperor. In 394, he was called to Milan,and in 395, when Theodosius died, Honorius and his brother Arcadiusjointly succeeded to the throne, with Arcadius ruling the east andHonorius the west. This year marked the beginning of the true de factodivision of the empire into eastern and western halves, each under therule of its own emperor even though, in theory, the empire remained asingle entity. Both boys spent their reigns under the influence ofpowerful advisers. The first such power behind the throne in the west wasthe Vandal general Stilicho, both of whose daughters Honorius married --Maria circa 398 and Thermantia in 408.
Honorius' Reign - After the Visigothic invasion of Italy in 402, Honoriusand the imperial court retired from Milan to the inaccessible and heavilydefended city of Ravenna. Only rarely did later emperors reside for anylength of time elsewhere. Meanwhile, palace intrigues resulted inStilicho's assassination in 408, and Honorius was left to deal withAlaric and the Visigoths. The indecisive emperor, influenced first by oneadviser and then by another, vacillated between resistance andconciliation. The end result was the sack of Rome in 410.
Nor were the Visigoths the only barbarian invaders of the western empireduring Honorius' reign. In 405, the barbarian adventurer Radagaisusassembled a huge army in the Danubian region, invaded Italy, and ruinedmany Italian cities. Not until August of 406 were he and his armydestroyed by Stilicho. On the last day of the same year, hordes ofBurgundians, Alans, Suevi, and Vandals crossed the frozen Rhine into Gauland slowly made their way south. In 409 all but the Burgundians crossedinto Spain. In northeastern Gaul, the Franks extended their influence,and in 418 the Visigoths were granted a treaty which assigned to themmuch of southwestern Gaul. Gradually, therefore, more and more of thewestern empire was slipping from Roman hands.
Honorius' reign also was afflicted by several revolts and usurpations. In397, the Master of Soldiers Gildo revolted in North Africa, only to besuppressed in 398. In Britain, a succession of rebellions by thediscontented and isolated soldiery included those of Marcus (406-407),Gratian (407), and Constantine III (407-411). In 407, Constantine crossedto Gaul, and successfully advanced all the way to Arles. Meanwhile, in409, the senator Priscus Attalus was proclaimed emperor, although he wasdeposed when Alaric and Honorius made a short-lived peace in the nextyear. At the same time, Constantine's general Gerontius rebelled inSpain, and in 409 elevated a certain Maximus to the purple. Honorius, forhis part, sent his general Constantius to deal with the situation in Gaulin 411. The resultant falls of Constantine and Maximus, however, werefollowed by a revolt in northern Gaul by Jovinus, which was notsuppressed until 413. The powerful general Constantius then marriedHonorius' sister Galla Placidia in 417, and was promoted to co-emperorwith Honorius in 421, only to die of illness later in the year.Meanwhile, in 420, the "tyrant" Maximus -- perhaps the same man -- seizedpower in Spain, and he was not subdued until 422.
Honorius' Death - As for the feckless and timid Honorius, he generallytook little part in public affairs. He was generally passive in nature,except when he was motivated to act by fear. He left military operationsto his generals, but he did become involved in a controversy over thechoice of a bishop of Rome in 418. He eventually died of "dropsy" --perhaps edema of the lungs -- in 423. He left no issue, which resulted inthe proclamation of Johannes, the Chief Secretary, after his death. Notuntil 425 did his nephew Valentinian III, the son of Galla Placidia andConstantius, restore the legitimate dynasty. Even though the unity of thewestern empire was shakily maintained during Honorius' reign -- onlyBritain was lost for good (Honorius wrote to the Britons advising them todefend themselves) -- he left a legacy of fragmentation and feeble,lackluster leadership which eventually would result in the dissolution ofthe western empire.
Bibliography -
Editions - For legislation issued by Honorius, see the relevant entriesin the Codex Theodosianus and Codex Justinianus; for Honorius' extantcorrespondence, see Otto Guenther ed., Epistulae imperatorum pontificumaliorum inde ab a. CCCLXVII usque ad a. DLIII datae avellana quae diciturcollectio, C.S.E.L. vol 35 pt.1 (Vienna, 1895) nos.14-38 pp.59-88.
Critical Studies -
Cameron, Alan. Claudian: Poetry and Propaganda at the Court of Honorius.Oxford, 1970.
Cristo, S., "Some Notes on the Bonifacian-Eulalian Schism." Aevum51(1979): 163-167.
Demougeot, ?milienne. "Une lettre de l'empereur Honorius sur l'hospitiumdes soldats." Revue historique de droit fran?ais et etranger 34(1956):25-49.
Martelli, Fabio. "Onorio, Ravenna e la presa di Roma del 410." RivistaStorica dell'Antichita 11(1981): 215-219.
Wes, Marinus A. Das Ende des Kaisertums im westen des r?mischen Reichs.The Hague, 1967.
Copyright (C) 1996, Ralph W. Mathisen. This file may be copied on thecondition that the entire contents,including the header and thiscopyright notice, remain intact.
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| Sources |
- [SAuth] Jim Carney, compiled by James H Carney [(E-ADDRESS), & MAILING ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], Buderim, Queensland 4556 AUSTRALIA.
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