Valentinian II, Western Roman Emperor

VALENTINIAN II (Flavius Valentinianus Augustus), Western Roman Emperor. - Son of the preceding and of Justina, b. in 371, d. in Gaul in 392.

On the death of his father (375), through the intervention of his mother he was proclaimed Augustus and was recognized by his brother Gratian (v.) and by his uncle Valens (v.); Italy, Illyricum and Africa were assigned to him. Given his tender age, one cannot speak of a political activity of V., since the effective government was in the hands of Justina (v.) and of the magister militum, the Frank Bauto. The Empress's pro-Arian policy led in 385-86 to the dramatic clash with St. Ambrose over the cession of a basilica to the sect (St. Ambrose, Ep. 20 to Marcellina: PL 16, 1936), from which the Saint emerged victorious. In 387 the same Ambrose agreed to go to Trier to prevent the imminent invasion of Italy by the usurper Maximus (v.), who had written to the young Emperor a skilful letter urging him to desist from persecuting the Catholics (PL 13, 591-94). The following year Maximus came into Italy; V. took refuge with Theodosius, who brought him back to Milan after defeating Maximus (Aug. 388), and, Justina having died, placed beside him the Frankish general Arbogast. From this moment the young Emperor he also benefited from the counsels of St. Ambrose, who sought to make him worthy of the great Theodosius. Fruit of this friendship are the decree of 391 which proscribed every pagan cult and the refusal to have the altar of Victory, already thrown down by Gratian, restored. But Arbogast's tutelage over the young V. became more oppressive every day; the latter was relieved of his office, but a few days later the Emperor was found dead in his bed. St. Ambrose wept over his untimely death and wove for him a splendid eulogy (Ep. 53 to Theodosius: PL 16, 1215; De obitu Valentiniani, ibid., 1418-43).

Agostino Amore