Count Theodosius

Flavius Theodosius or Theodosius the Elder was a senior military officer serving in the Western Roman Empire. He achieved the rank of Comes Britanniarum (Count of the province of Britannia) and as such, he is usually referred to as Comes (Count) Theodosius. There is some evidence that his father was called Honorius.

He married his wife Thermantia, probably sometime in the late 330s or early 340s. With her, he had at least two sons, Honorius and Theodosius, born at Cauca (modern Coca, Segovia) in Spain. The family were orthodox Christians.

In 368, Theodosius was first raised to the Roman military rank of comes (akin to a general) and sent to the province of Britannia, to repel an invasion by various barbarian tribes, which he dealt with successfully. Known to have been with him on this expedition were his younger son Theodosius and, in all likelihood, the future usurper Magnus Maximus. Upon his return, he succeeded Jovinus as the magister equitum praesentalis, at the court of Emperor Valentinian I, in which capacity he prosecuted another successful campaign against the Alemanni in 370.

In 373, Theodosius was made commander of the expedition to suppress the rebellion of Firmus in Mauretania, which proved to be yet another victory for the skilled commander. However, following this latest victory, Theodosius was arrested, taken to Carthage, and executed in early 376. The reasons for his execution are not clear, but it is thought to have resulted from a factional power struggle in Italy after the sudden death of Valentinian I. Shortly before his execution, Theodosius was baptized, a common practice at the time, even for lifelong Christians.

Following the elder Theodosius' execution, his son Theodosius was sent home to the family estates in Gallaecia province. Two years later, however, following the disastrous Roman defeat at the Battle of Adrianople, the younger Theodosius was rehabilitated, placed in charge of the Roman armies in the eastern half of the empire, and quickly elevated to the rank of Emperor on January 19, 379 following his successes in the field.

See also

• Roman Britain

References

A.H.M. Jones, et al. Prosopgraphy of the Later Roman Empire.

• Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: Count Flavius Theodosius the Elder

Persondata
Name	Theodosius, Count
Alternative names
Short description	Roman military officer in Brittania
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death	375
Place of death