THEODOSIUS, the'o-do'shi-us. The name of three Roman emperors.—TnEonostus I., sur named THE GREAT, Emperor from 379 to 395, was of Spanish descent, and was born either at Italica, or more probably at Cauca, near Segovia. about A.D. 346. His father, also named Theodosius, was the great general of the Roman Empire, who, after freeing South Britain from the Caledonians, and anni hilating the formidable rebellion of the Moor Firmus, was beheaded at Carthage in 37G. Theo dosius, who had accompanied his father in his British campaigns, and afterwards, by routing the Sarmatians. saved Altesia from devastation, retired from active service after his father's murder, and occupied himself with the care of his patrimonial lands in Spain. But on the de feat and death of Valens (q.v.), his colleague, Gratianus (q.v.), feeling his inability to sustain alone the cares of empire, summoned Theodosius from his retirement, invested Idin with the Im perial purple, and intrusted to him, January 19, 379. the administration of Thrace, Dacia, Mace donia, Egypt, and the East, and especially the protection of the Empire against the Goths. This last charge called for the full exercise of the new Emperor's abilities. for the army at his command dared not face the Goths in the open field. Theodosius found it most prudent to sow jealousy and dissension among them by promises and bribes, and after a four years' so-called cam paign, succeeded in pacifying the Visigoths, the Ostrogoths retreating toward Scythia. The lat
ter returned in 386, their ranks swelled by Scythians, but were totally routed in attempting to pass the Danube, and the survivors were trans ported to Phrygia and Lydia.
In 3S7 Theodosius undertook to restore to the throne of the Western Empire Valentinian (whose sister, Gana, he married), the brother of Gratian, who had been expelled by Maximus; and after a mdformly successful contest, the usurper was captured and put to death at Aquileia (388). In 392 the suspicious death of Valentinian and the elevation of the puppet Eugenius by Arbo gastes, the real ruler of the West, again sum moned Theodosius to interfere; and after two years of preparation his army gained a complete victory over the army of the NN'est, and the two portions of the Roman Empire were again united under one ruler. The union, however, lasted only four months. owing to the death of Theodo sius, January 17, 395. Theodosius, though a professor of the orthodox Christian faith, was not baptized till 3S0. and his behavior after that period stamps him as one of the most cruel and vindictive persecutors who ever wore the purple. His humiliation before Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, for the massacre at Thessalonica, was regarded by the Church as one of its greatest victories over the temporal power. See Am BROSE.