Stilicho

Also known as Flavius Stilicho

Stilicho (; – 22 August 408) was a military commander in the Roman army who, for a time, became the most powerful man in the Western Roman Empire. He was partly of Vandal origins and married to Serena, the niece of emperor Theodosius I. He became guardian for the underage Honorius. After years of struggle against barbarian and Roman enemies, political and military disasters finally allowed his enemies in the court of Honorius to remove him from power. His fall culminated in his arrest and execution in 408.

AI overview

Stilicho was a military commander of partial Vandal descent who rose to become the most powerful figure in the Western Roman Empire, serving as guardian to the young emperor Honorius after marrying into the imperial family. His influence eventually fell victim to court enemies and military setbacks, leading to his arrest and execution in 408.

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Key facts

Person.name: Stilicho
Person.image: Diptych of Stilicho.jpg
Person.image_upright: 1.1
Person.caption: Ivory diptych, possibly of Stilicho (right) with his wife Serena and son Eucherius, (Monza Cathedral). It may instead depict Aetius.
Person.death_date: 22 August 408 (aged )
Person.death_place: Ravenna, Roman Italy, Western Roman Empire
Person.resting_place: Unknown, possibly the Sarcophagus of Stilicho
Person.office: Consul (400, 405)
Person.children: 3
Military person.embed: yes
Military person.allegiance: Western Roman Empire
Military person.serviceyears: 382–408
Military person.rank: Comes et magister utriusque militiae
Military person.battles: Battle of the Frigidus (394) Gothic War (395–398)Gildonic War (398)Pictish War (398)Siege of Asti (402)Battle of Pollentia (402)Battle of Verona (402)War of Radagaisus (405–406)
Military person.battles_label: Battles

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Wikidata facts

Image: Stilicho - detail from diptych.jpg

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Commons category: Stilicho
date of death: 0408-08-22
date of birth: 0359-01-01

Sources (6)

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~19 min read

Article

14 sections

Contents

Origins and rise to power
Serving Honorius
Balkans Campaign
Revolt in Africa
Pictish Campaign
The Gothic War
Campaign in North Italy
Downfall
Aftermath
See also
References
Sources
Primary sources
External links

== Origins and rise to power == Besides the relevant legal records in the Codex Theodosianus, the major primary source for the events of Stilicho's reign, or at least events prior to 404, are the panegyrics addressed to him by the poet Claudian, whom he patronized after the death of Theodosius I. These are likely quite biased and portray Stilicho in a positive light. For events after 404, Zosimus is the main source; he derived his information on Stilicho from two prior historians, whose texts he copies faithfully, although in summary. One of these historians, Eunapius, was hostile to Stilicho, and the other, Olympiodorus, was supportive, resulting in a bit of a garbled, contradictory account. Stilicho also maintained correspondence with his friend, the renowned pagan senator Symmachus.