Theodosius: The Empire at Bay

Rating:
Summary: An excellent work
Review: Given the impact of Theodosius on history, it is surprising that most people probably have no idea who he was: consolidator of the power of the Catholic church, oppressor of "paganism" (which included abolishing the original Olympic Games), chief architect (intentionally or not) of the fall of the Western Empire, by giving power to the Goths and leaving as heir Honorius, one of the most disastrous emperors ever. Theodosius - called "the Great" by a grateful church - is a towering figure in relation to his successors in the Western Empire, bit a mediocre one when compared to his predecessors. The impression is that of a good, but not extraordinary, military chief and administrator, lacking long-term vision, and whose main concerns were to preserve his own power, that of his family, and to save his soul. Still, whatever his personal limitations, Theodosius was a key figure in shaping history, and this book is an excellent way to understand why.

Rating:
Summary: "Concise and Authoritative"
Review: Stephen Williams and Gerard Friell's work on the emperor Theodosius is not essentially a biography, but rather a survey of the empire from the crushing defeat at Adrianople in AD 378 up to the Vandal's occupation of North Africa in AD 430. Just how Theodosius reacted to these conditions and the subsequent affect they later had on the empire is the basis of this work. His diplomatic feats and failures, his military maneuvers and achievements, and his religious swing from tolerance to universal bigotry are fully covered here with clarity and unified scholarly ingenuity. A very clear account of the complex web of power between the East and the West, the emperors and their ministers, during the reigns of the indolent and feeble emperors Honorius and Arcadius, will be found here as well. To find a more substantial and lucid account elsewhere of the principle policies during Theodosius' reign, of the German migrations and relations with Rome, the ambitions and downfall of Stilicho, and the final disintegration of the Western empire, will be a difficult task to say the least. Detailed illustrations and maps add all the more luster to this well-referenced work, which will be rewarding to scholars and relieving to busy students alike.

Rating:
Summary: The Last of the Spanish Emperors
Review: Theodosius the Great was called upon to serve the Empire shortly after the catastrophic Battle of Adrianople, when Emperor Valens (along with a Roman army) was killed by an army of Visigoths. Williams and Friel strategically place the Battle of Valens at the beginning of this narrative, and skilfully proceed to show that, from the outset, the reign of Theodosius was overshadowed by that disaster. His decision to allow barbarian settlement within the Empire's frontiers, for instance, was taken from a position of military weakness and uncertainty. Theodosius is also known as the emperor who, acting under the influence of Saint Ambrose, transformed from the state religion to the universal religion, thus wholly reversing the religious policy of Diocletian. This is a concise and free-flowing biography which also, as something of a coda, has a terrific chapter on the doings of the military leader Stilicho, who (while not being Emperor himself) was able to paper over the cracks left by Theodosius's choices of weak successors.

Rating:
Summary: The Last of the Spanish Emperors
Review: Theodosius the Great was called upon to serve the Empire shortly after the catastrophic Battle of Adrianople, when Emperor Valens (along with a Roman army) was killed by an army of Visigoths. Williams and Friel strategically place the Battle of Valens at the beginning of this narrative, and skilfully proceed to show that, from the outset, the reign of Theodosius was overshadowed by that disaster. His decision to allow barbarian settlement within the Empire's frontiers, for instance, was taken from a position of military weakness and uncertainty. Theodosius is also known as the emperor who, acting under the influence of Saint Ambrose, transformed from the state religion to the universal religion, thus wholly reversing the religious policy of Diocletian. This is a concise and free-flowing biography which also, as something of a coda, has a terrific chapter on the doings of the military leader Stilicho, who (while not being Emperor himself) was able to paper over the cracks left by Theodosius's choices of weak successors.

Rating:
Summary: Theodosius And The Fall Of Rome
Review: Theodosius was the last man to rule over the entire Roman Empire. He was appointed by Gratian, the young Emperor in the West, to rule the eastern half of the empire after the death of Valens at the battle of Adrianople. He became sole ruler the whole Empire after he defeated and executed Maximus, who had deposed and executed Gratian. As the last man to rule the full Empire, an understanding of Theodosius and his reign is crucial in understanding how and why the western Empire collapsed while the eastern Empire was able to survive.

As an undergraduate, I read numerous books and articles, each with their own unique view of why the western Empire failed. Gibbon largely blamed the the advent of Christianity for weakening Rome. Others have blamed everything from depopulation resulting from epidemics of the plague to gradual weakening of the Roman aristocracy due to poisoning from their leaden water pipes. Another theory credits the battle of Adrianople with weakening the Roman military and leading to over-dependence on unreliable Gothic tribesmen to fill the ranks.

Williams and Friell analyse events and the historical evidence, concluding that the military situation after Adrianople was retrievable and that Theodosius and Gratian were able to rebuild the eastern field army and re-establish stability by supporting each other in key situations. After Gratian's death, however, co-operation and mutual support between east and west became increasingly problematical. Theodosius began to pursue policies that weakened the Empire. He prompted internal dis-unity, especially in the west, by abandoning the long-standing policy of toleration towards pagans. Even more damaging, he followed a disastrous dynastic policy, promoting his two inept and untrained sons as his heirs and squandering limited military resources fighting fellow Romans while hordes of barbarians were massing just outside the borders. Further, he allowed unscrupulous ministers in his two capitals to promote the interests of one capital at the expense of the other. Thus, Alaric, instead of being controlled, was repeatedly foisted off on one part of the Empire by the other, causing enormous damage.

The authors make a clear and compelling argument that Theodosius, despite being an able ruler, lacked vision. As his reign wore on, he incresingly put his personal religious concerns and his dynastic interests ahead of the welfare of the Empire as a whole. This was particularly disastrous in the west, where money and manpower were more scarce. After his death, the Empire was left depleted and dis-united, its ablest leaders lacking the power and authority necessary to keep barbarian invaders at bay while his heirs dithered. This is a fascinating and well-reasoned account of the period from 378 to about 430. If you have an interest in the history of the late Roman Empire, or if you're just curious, this short and readable book is well worth the effort.

Rating:
Summary: Good introduction
Review: This book is a good introduction to the topic but fails to address specific church/state interactions. It draws heavily from Matthews' 'Western Aristocracies' but that is a much better work for the scholar.