VALENTINIAN I (Flavius Valentinianus Augustus), Western Roman Emperor. - Born in Pannonia in 321, died there on 17 November 375. He entered the army, passed through all its ranks, and distinguished himself in the wars in Gaul and Persia.

On account of his Catholic faith he fell into disfavour under Constantius II and was even removed from the army by Julian. Reinstated by Jovian, he was promoted tribune and, on the latter's death (Febr. 364), was elected emperor; in the following March he associated with himself his brother Valens (v.), to whom he entrusted the eastern part of the Empire, keeping the West for himself. Desirous of improving the social conditions of his subjects, he issued several laws which, however, remained ineffective. He fought against the barbarians who were pressing from every part in the frontiers of the Empire; he himself defeated the Alemanni and the Quadi; Flavius Theodosius, the father of the future Emperor, conquered the Saxons and the Franks. In Africa the inept policy of Count Romanus had brought about the rebellion of the Moor Firmus; Theodosius defeated him and shortly afterwards, accused of plotting against the Empire, V. had him killed.

VALENTINIAN I, ROMAN EMPEROR - Bust, ancient sculpture - Rome, Capitoline Museums.(phot. Alinari)

In religious policy, although he was a Catholic, V. showed himself tolerant toward pagans and heretics, leaving everyone freedom of conscience, though he issued laws that were at times inconsistent. For while he assigned the property of the temples to the treasury, and forbade that Christians be employed in their custody (Cod. Theod., XVI, 1, 1), he tolerated the altar of Victory remaining in the hall of the Senate; in 372 he issued a decree against the Manichaeans and the Donatists, prohibiting their assemblies, confiscating their property and punishing their leaders (Cod. Theod., XVI, 5, 3), but he allowed the Arian bishops to retain their sees. He repealed the restrictive laws on teaching issued by Julian and strictly prohibited the practices of magic and sorcery (ibid., IX, 16, 7-10). He died during the campaign against the Quadi, struck down by syncope.

Bibliography5 works

BIBL.: W. Heering, Kaiser V. I, Jena 1927; R. Andreotti, Incoerenza della legislazione di V. I, in Nuov. riv. stor., 15 (1931), pp. 456-516; I. R. Palanque, St Ambroise et l'Empire romain, Paris 1933, pp. 27-38; A. Solari, La crisi dell'Impero rom., I: La success. di Giuliano, Rome 1933; R. Paribeni, Da Dioclez. alla caduta dell'Imp. d'Occid., Bologna [1941], pp. 155-63 and passim.

Agostino Amore

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Valentinian I, Western Roman Emperor

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