2021-05-15 Sat

Today on 15th May 392, Emperor Valentinian II assassinated while advancing into Gaul against the Frankish usurper Arbogast. He is found hanging in his residence at Vienne.

On November 22, 375, five days after the death of his father, the four-year-old Valentinian was proclaimed emperor at Aquincum. Until 383, Valentinian II remained a junior partner to his older half-brother Gratian in ruling the Western empire, while the East was governed by his uncle Valens until 378 and Theodosius I from 379.

In 384 Valentinian ruled in favor of Ambrose of Milan and against Symmachus, the great pagan orator (and the prefect of the city Rome), in the controversial issue of restoring the Altar of Victory to the Roman Senate House. In 387 Maximus invaded Italy. Valentinian and his mother fled to Thessalonica, Greece, to the dominions of the new Eastern Emperor, Theodosius I. After the overthrow of Maximus by Theodosius in 388, Valentinian was restored to his rule.

In 392 the young emperor was found dead in his palace at Vienna, perhaps murdered by agents of Arbogast, whom he had sought to dismiss from the regency of Gaul. The above-shown gold solidus minted by Valentinian II. On the reverse, both Valentinian and Theodosius I are celebrated as victorious.

Image Source: Wikipedia.org