Flavius Arbogastes (d. September 6, AD 394) known as 'Arbogast' was of Frankish origin and the son of Flavius Bauto, Valentinian II's former magister militum and protector before Arbogast. September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). ... Anno Domini Nostri Iesu Christi (In the Year of Our Lord Jesus Christ), commonly shortened to Anno Domini (In the Year of the Lord), abbreviated as AD or A.D., is the designation used to number years in the Christian Era, conventionally used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... Events September 6 - Battle of the Frigidus: The christian Roman Emperor Theodosius I defeats and kills the pagan usurper Eugenius and his Frankish magister militum Arbogast. ... The Franks or the Frankish people were one of several west Germanic federations. ... Magister militum (Master of the Soldiers) was a rank used in the later Roman Empire dating from the reign of Constantine. ...

Life

Little is known of Flavius Arbogastes other than his career as the Western Roman Empire's magister militum following his father's death in 385. He was appointed magister militum of the Western Roman Empire by Theodosius I under the reign of Emperor Valentinian II in 388 following the death of Emperor Magnus Maximus. Arbogast was the de facto ruler of the Western Roman Empire, and Valentinian II, age 20, had little say in any matters. Arbogast is personally credited as the mastermind of pagan senatorial uprising in Rome following the academic debates between Christian and pagan senators for generations regarding abandoning Christianity and returning to paganism. Events February 11 - Oldest Pope elected: Siricius, bishop of Tarragona. ... On the reverse of this coin minted under Valentinian II, both Valentinian and Theodosius are depicted with halos, holding a globus cruciger. ... Valentinian II (371 - 392) was elevated as Western Roman Emperor at the age of four in 375, along with his half-brother Gratianus who was seventeen. ... // Events Bahram IV becomes king of Persia. ... Magnus Maximus. ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... Paganism (from Latin paganus) and Heathenry are catch-all terms which have come to connote a broad set of spiritual/religious beliefs and practices of a natural religion, as opposed to the Abrahamic religions. ...

Rise to Power

Following Valentinian II's death on May 15, 392,a new leader of the Western Roman Empire was needed. Arbogast, a Frank, was not a pure blooded Roman, and could not be an Emperor. On August 22, 392, Arbogast, with the support of the pagan senate in Rome, replaced Valentinian II with Eugenius, a Christian administrator of Rome with pagan sympathies, as his puppet emperor to appeal to Theodosius I. At the same time of Valentinian II's death, Theodosius named his son Flavius Augustus Honorius as emperor of the Western Roman Empire. After numerous efforts by the Western Roman Empire to appease Theodosius I following Eugenius's appointment, Theodosius I begun preparing to retake the West from Aborgast and Eugenius. May 15 is the 135th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (136th in leap years). ... Events August 22 - Arbogast elevates Eugenius as Roman Emperor. ... The Franks or the Frankish people were one of several west Germanic federations. ... The famous statue of Octavian at the Prima Porta Caesar Augustus (Latin:IMP·CAESAR·DIVI·F·AVGVSTVS) ¹ (23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), known to modern historians as Octavian for the period of his life prior to 27 BC, is considered the first and one of the most... August 22 is the 234th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (235th in leap years), with 131 days remaining. ... Events August 22 - Arbogast elevates Eugenius as Roman Emperor. ... Flavius Eugenius claimed to be Western Roman Emperor (392 - 394). ... Bronze coin bearing the profile of Honorius Flavius Augustus Honorius (September 9, 384–August 15, 423) was Emperor of the Western Roman Empire from 395 until his death. ...

The Battle of Frigidus

On September 5, 394, Theodosius attacked Arbogast in the Battle of the Frigidus on the banks of the Frigidus (Wippach) River. The battle lasted two days with heavy losses on both sides. On September 6, Arbogast committed suicide immediately following his defeat in the Julian Alps. Co-Ruler Emperor Eugenius was killed in his camp on the same day. September 5 is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years). ... Events September 6 - Battle of the Frigidus: The christian Roman Emperor Theodosius I defeats and kills the pagan usurper Eugenius and his Frankish magister militum Arbogast. ... Combatants Roman Empire (Theodosius), Visigoths Roman Empire (Eugenius), Franks Commanders Theodosius I, Stilicho, Alaric Eugenius†, Arbogast† Strength Casualties Unknown Eugenius killed, Arbogast commits suicide The Battle of the Frigidus (sometimes called the Battle of the Frigid River), which was fought between September 5-6, 394, was perhaps one of the... September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). ...

This civil war ultimately ended pagan Roman senatorial opposition to the Christianization of the Roman Empire, and is regarded as one of the most important battles in the history of Western Civilization and Christianity.

Rumors

It is widely speculated that Flavius Arbogastes hung Valentinian II in his villa, however, it was deemed a suicide. Both Valentinian II and Arbogastes frequently disputed rulership over the Western Roman Empire. Likely these allegations were propaganda used by Theodosius I to justify a hostile takeover of the Western Roman Empire for treason and heresy. In law, treason is the crime of disloyalty to ones nation. ... Heresy, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a theological or religious opinion or doctrine maintained in opposition, or held to be contrary, to the ‘catholic’ or orthodox doctrine of the Christian Church, or, by extension, to that of any church, creed, or religious system, considered as orthodox. ...

Related Links

• Battle of the Frigidus
• Valentinian II
• Theodosius I
• Eugenius
• Flavius Stilicho
• Magnus Maximus

Combatants Roman Empire (Theodosius), Visigoths Roman Empire (Eugenius), Franks Commanders Theodosius I, Stilicho, Alaric Eugenius†, Arbogast† Strength Casualties Unknown Eugenius killed, Arbogast commits suicide The Battle of the Frigidus (sometimes called the Battle of the Frigid River), which was fought between September 5-6, 394, was perhaps one of the... Valentinian II (371 - 392) was elevated as Western Roman Emperor at the age of four in 375, along with his half-brother Gratianus who was seventeen. ... On the reverse of this coin minted under Valentinian II, both Valentinian and Theodosius are depicted with halos, holding a globus cruciger. ... Flavius Eugenius claimed to be Western Roman Emperor (392 - 394). ... Flavius Stilicho (c. ... Magnus Maximus. ...

External links

• Article on Valentinian II relating to Arbogast
• Arbogaste History from Teodosio's L'ultima sfida
• Walter E. Roberts of Emory University lectures on Aborgast
• Flavius Stilicho