Arcadius
Arcadius
(ärkā`dēəs), c.377–408, Roman emperor of the East (395–408), son and successor of Theodosius I. His brother, HonoriusHonorius,384–423, Roman emperor of the West (395–423). On the death (395) of Theodosius I, the Roman Empire was divided; Arcadius, the elder son, received the East, and Honorius, the younger son, received the West. This division proved to be a permanent one.
..... Click the link for more information. , inherited (395) the West. Henceforth the division between the Eastern and Western empires became permanent. A weak ruler, Arcadius entrusted the government successively to RufinusRufinus
, d. 395, Roman statesman, minister of Theodosius I and Arcadius. After Theodosius' death (395) he virtually ruled the Eastern Empire for Arcadius, but his attempt to marry his daughter to the young emperor was thwarted by Eutropius (d. 399).
..... Click the link for more information. , EutropiusEutropius,
d. 399, consul of East Roman Emperor Arcadius. A eunuch of the palace, he brought about the marriage (395) of Arcadius and Eudoxia and succeeded Rufinus as chief minister. He repelled (398) an invasion of Huns and was the first eunuch to be appointed (399) consul.
..... Click the link for more information. (d.399), and other ministers and was later greatly influenced by his Frankish wife, EudoxiaEudoxia
, d. 404, Roman empress of the East (395–404), daughter of a Frankish general and wife of Arcadius. She had a great influence upon her weak husband. She helped bring about the downfall of Eutropius, to whose intrigues she owed her marriage, and the exile of St.
..... Click the link for more information. . During his reign, Greece was invaded (395) by Alaric IAlaric I
, c.370–410, Visigothic king. He headed the Visigothic troops serving Emperor Theodosius I. After the emperor's death (395) the troops rebelled and chose Alaric as their leader (see Visigoths). Alaric devastated Thrace, Macedonia, and Greece.
..... Click the link for more information. who was induced to leave in 397 by StilichoStilicho, Flavius
, d. 408, Roman general, a Vandal. He was the chief general of Theodosius I, whose niece he married. By order of Theodosius, he served after Theodosius' death (395) as the regent for Honorius in the West.
..... Click the link for more information. . Arcadius put down a temporarily successful revolt (399–400) of the Gothic officials and mercenaries in Constantinople. He exiled (404) the patriarch St. John ChrysostomJohn Chrysostom, Saint
[Gr.,=golden-mouth], c.347–407, Doctor of the Church, one of the greatest of the Greek Fathers. He was born in Antioch and studied Greek classics there. As a young man he became an anchorite monk (374), a deacon (c.381) and a priest (386).
..... Click the link for more information. . His son, Theodosius II, succeeded him.