BONIFACIUS (d. the Roman governor of the prov ince of Africa who is believed to have invited the Vandals into that province (429), though that action is by Procopius attributed to his rival Aetius. Whether he really invited the Vandals or not, there is no doubt that he soon turned against them and bravely defended the city of Hippo from their attacks. In 432 he re turned to Italy, was received into favour by Placidia, and ap pointed master of the soldiery. Aetius, however, resented his promotion, the two rivals met, perhaps in single combat, and Bonifacius, though victorious, received a wound from the effects of which he died three months later.
See Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. iu. pp. 5o6, edited by J. B. Bury (London, 1897), and E. A. Freeman's article in Eng. Hist. Rev., July 1887.