Thread by @StilichoReads

Julian was the last pagan Roman Emperor, but he was not the last pagan to hold power in Rome. Decades after his death, the pagan general Arbogast seized power after an Epstein-style imperial "suicide," leading a pagan revival while using the new emperor as a figurehead. THREAD:

Arbogast, a Frank from Asia Minor, began his career under the Western Emperor Gratian. He distinguished himself and quickly rose though the ranks. In 380, he was sent into the Eastern empire at the head of an army along with another general, Bauto (who may have been his father).

In 376, the Goths had been invited into the Eastern Empire as refugees. After revolting due to poor treatment, they wiped out the core of the Eastern army at Adrianople in 378, killing the Eastern Emperor Valens in the process.

After the new Eastern Emperor, Theodosius I, began to rebuild the eastern army and won some victories against the Goths, the West sent troops under Arbogast and Bauto to support him. The combined army drove the Goths back up into Thrace, where they had first crossed the Danube.

This enabled Theodosius to sign a peace treaty with the Goths in 382. Arbogast, his reputation burnished by military success, became one of Gratian's top generals. However, Gratian would soon face the most deadly threat a to a Roman Emperor - a military usurper.

Gratian was unpopular with some elites due to his perceived favoritism towards Alans. Because of this, Magnus Maximus, an Army officer in Britain, revolted and crossed into Gaul in 383. He defeated Gratian near Paris, before capturing and executing him at Lyon.

He continued his thrust into Italy, to depose Gratian's 12 year old brother, Valentinian II, but was stopped by a large army commanded by Bauto. The two men came to deal, allowing Magnus to rule Gaul while Valentinian remained in charge of Italy.

Arbogast, out of personal loyalty to the deceased Gratian, refused to serve Magnus, deserting to the Eastern Army of Theodosius instead. The peace between Magnus and Valentinian had always been tenuous, and in 387 Magnus led his army into Italy once again.

Theodosius took an army into the west with Arbogast as one of its generals. They quickly defeated Magnus and he was captured and executed in 388. Arbogast led a detachment to capture and strangle Magnus' son, Victor, before returning to Italy in triumph.

Theodosius ruled both halves of the empire for a short period, owing to Valentinian II's youth, but returned to the East in 391, leaving Arbogast behind as commander of the western military. Arbogast quickly set about making himself the absolute power behind the throne.

He packed the western government with officials loyal to him personally and was openly contemptuous of the 17 year old emperor. After accusing one of Valentinian's favorite officials of taking bribes, Arbogast personally executed him in front of the emperor.

Unlike his father and older brother, Valentinian was no soldier, and Arbogast led the western armies in the field. He campaigned along the Rhine successfully, restoring the security of the Empire's borders and solidifying his support amongst the army.

Eventually, it became to much for Valentinian to bear, and he drew up an order dismissing Arbogast from his offices in early 492. When Arbogast received it, he tore it up, declaring that "You have neither given me my command nor will you be able to take it away!"

When the two men met in person, they began to argue, and the young emperor grabbed a nearby soldier's sword and attacked Arbogast, but was wrestled down by the soldier. On May 12, 392, Valentinian was discovered hanging in his room. Arbogast declared it a suicide.

Almost every contemporary source believes Valentinian was murdered, and he probably was. Still, it's possible that Arbogast was telling the truth - he had repeatedly humiliated the young ruler, and he wouldn't be the first Roman to see taking his own life as the honorable way out

Four months later, Eugenius, a Roman teacher of rhetoric, was installed as emperor by Arbogast. Shortly afterwards, Arbogast campaigned beyond the Rhine, winning great victories against the Franks and retaking Cologne.

Arbogast was a pagan and Eugenius, while publicly a Christian, was deeply sympathetic to the old religion. They began a pagan revival, refunding many temples, including the Temple of Venus and Rome, and restoring the Alter of Victory in the Curia.

This created deep tension with the church, and ultimately the passionately Christian Eastern Emperor Theodosius. Theodosius, who had never truly recognized Eugenius, proclaimed his son as Western Emperor. Arbogast and Eugenius prepared for Theodosius to invade.

They were optimistic about their prospects - the entrails predicted a victory for the pagan cause, and Arbogast knew that Theodosius' army would be canalized as it marched through the narrow passes of the Julian Alps, where it would be easy for his men to ambush them.

However, Theodosius' army didn't come, and Arbogast feared he was instead planning a amphibious assault across the Adriatic. He made the fateful decision to split his army and send part of it south to defend the coast.

Theodosius had no plans for an attack across the Adriatic, however, and on 5 September 394, Arbogast's army, encamped along the River Frigidus, awoke to see Theodosius' men marching through the mountains towards them. The Eastern army attacked almost immediately.

Arbogast had split his army, but he had a strong defensive position. Backed by a statue of Jupiter and with Hercules on their banners, the western troops held the line all day and killed 10,000 of Theodosius' Gothic auxiliaries, who he used as cannon fodder.

That night, Theodosius prayed to God while Arbogast celebrated. Arbogast sent a detachment to outflank Theodosius, but he convinced them to defect and join him. The next morning, after a sleepless night, Theodosius renewed his assault.

This time, he had a powerful new ally - the Bora, a powerful wind that blew dust into the eyes of the western soldiers and may have even blown their arrows back at them. With its help, Theodosius pushed through their lines and crushed them, capturing their camp.

Eugenius was captured and executed, while Arbogast escaped into the mountains alone and he killed himself. Theodosius had won, but he had set the stage for a new problem - his Gothic soldiers, resentful of how they had been used, would go on to sack Rome in 410.