Eugenius
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202215309
2008-03-31T03:19:17Z
Rrostrom
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Obvious typo - Honorius was eight, not two when elevated. See article on Honorius,
{{otheruses|Eugenius (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox Roman emperor
| name =Eugenius
| full name =Flavius Eugenius
| title =[[Roman usurper|Usurper]] of the [[Western Roman Empire]]
| image =[[Image:Siliqua Eugenius- trier RIC 0106d.jpg|300px]]
| caption =Eugenius wearing imperial insigna, on a coin celebrating the <small>[[virtus (virtue)|VIRTVS]] ROMANORVM</small>, the "(military) value of the Romans".
| reign =[[22 August]] [[392]] - <br>[[September 6]], [[394]] <br>(against [[Theodosius I]])
| predecessor =
| successor =
| spouse 1 =
| spouse 2 =
| issue =
| dynasty =
| father =
| mother =
| date of birth =
| place of birth =
| date of death ={{death date|394|9|6|mf=y}}
| place of death =[[Battle of the Frigidus|Frigidus]]
| place of burial =
|}}
'''Flavius Eugenius''' (d. [[September 6]], [[394]]) was a [[Roman usurper]] ([[392]]-394) against [[Roman Emperor|Emperor]] [[Theodosius I]]. Though himself a Christian, he was the last Emperor to support [[Roman polytheism]].<ref>[[Gerard Friell]] (1998). ''Theodosius: The Empire at Bay (Roman Imperial Biographies)''. (Routledge; 1 edition (May 28, 1998)). ISBN-10: 0415170400</ref>
==Life==
A former teacher of grammar and rhetoric, as well as ''magister scrinorum'', Eugenius was an acquaintance of the [[Frankish Empire|Frank]] ''[[magister militum]]'' and ''de facto'' ruler of the Western Roman Empire [[Arbogast (general)|Arbogast]].
===Rise to power ===
Following the death of [[Valentinian II]], [[Arbogast]], who had probably been the cause of Valentinian's murder or suicide, elevated Eugenius to the purple ([[22 August]] [[392]]). The choice of Eugenius over proclaiming himself, offered to Arbogast two strong advantages: Eugenius, a Roman, was more suitable than Arbogast, a Frank, as an emperor; furthermore, the [[Roman Senate]] would have been more likely to have supported Eugenius than Arbogast.
===Civil, religious, and military policies===
After being installed as Emperor, Eugenius changed the imperial administrators. When Theodosius had left the western half of the empire to Valentinian, he had put his own men in the highest civil offices, to keep a strong grasp on the whole empire. Eugenius replaced these administrators with others loyal to himself, coming from the senatorial class. [[Nicomachus Flavianus]] the Elder became [[Praetorian Prefect]] of Italy, his son Nicomachus Flavianus the Younger received the title of Prefect of Rome, while the new ''[[grain supply to the city of Rome|praefectus annonae]]'' was [[Numerius Proiectus]].
Eugenius was nominally a Christian, and therefore was reluctant to accept a program of imperial support to [[Polytheism]]. His men, however, convinced Eugenius to use public money to fund 'Pagan' projects, such as the rededication of the [[Temple of Venus and Rome]] and the restoration of the [[Altar of Victory]] within the [[Curia]] (removed by Emperor [[Gratian]]). This religious policy created tension with Theodosius and the powerful and influential Bishop [[Ambrose]], who left his see in [[Milan]] when the imperial court of Eugenius arrived.
Eugenius was also successful in the military field, notably in the renovation of old alliances with [[Alamanni]] and Franks. Arbogast, who was Frank and had also Alamanni and Frank soldiers in his ranks, marched to the [[Rhine]] frontier, where he impressed and pacified the Germanic tribes by parading his army in front of them.
===Fall of Eugenius===
When he was elected emperor, Eugenius sent ambassadors to Theodosius's court, asking for recognition of his election. Theodosius received them, but started to gather troops to defeat Eugenius. Theodosius also promoted his eight-year-old son [[Honorius (emperor)|Honorius]] to the rank of [[Augustus (honorific)|Augustus]] of the West in January 393.
Theodosius then moved from Constantinople with his army, and met Eugenius and Arbogast in the [[Battle of the Frigidus]] (on the modern Italy-[[Slovenia]] border) on [[September 6]], [[394]]. The bloody battle lasted two days, and was marked by unusual astronomical and meteorological events, but in the end Theodosius won. Arbogast immediately committed suicide after the defeat, while Eugenius was held for execution as a criminal, his head afterward being displayed in Theodosius' camp.
==Importance of Eugenius' reign==
The reign of Eugenius marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. A year later Theodosius died, dividing his empire between his two sons. This had happened many times before in the previous two centuries, but this time it was to be final - the Roman Empire never reunited, and the Western half soon fell.
Eugenius also represented the last opportunity for the Pagans and the senatorial class to oppose the Christianization of the Empire. The Battle of the Frigidus was part of a trend towards using increasing percentages of barbarian troops, especially in the west, where it led to the weakening of the empire itself.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
{{Commons-inline|Eugenius}}
* [http://www.roman-emperors.org/eugene.htm Roberts, Walter, "Flavius Eugenius (392-394)", ''De Imperatoribus Romanis'']
{{Roman Emperors}}
[[Category:4th century births]]
[[Category:394 deaths]]
[[Category:4th century Roman usurpers]]
[[Category:Valentinian Dynasty]]
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