17 Jan 395 - The fateful division of the Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was one of the most powerful and largest in European history. It existed from 27 BC until 17 January 395, when it was divided between his two sons after the death of Emperor Theodosius I. The eastern part was ruled by the eighteen-year-old Arcadius and the western by the only ten-year-old Honorius.

Theodosius I was thus the last emperor to rule the great empire as a whole. Like Constantine I, he was called "the Great" because of his positive attitude towards the Church. His reign saw the elevation of Christianity to a state religion, while at the same time several laws were made against paganism and Christian heresies. In fact, he completed the reform that had been started under Emperor Constantine and declared Christianity the only official religion of the Roman Empire. Since 391, all pagan temples and events were banned.

"Theodosius I received baptism during a severe illness, shortly after he took over the government. In 380 he declared that the only true and genuine faith was based on the Catholic Nicene Creed. A year later he proclaimed that every church should be given into the hands of a Catholic bishop, and he himself became the one who who could be considered Catholic and who could not," writes Michael Grant in his book Roman Emperors.

Also, Theodosius I ordered the senators to choose whether Jupiter or Jesus would rule the empire. Of course, most of them leaned toward Christianity. At the same time, he was aware that neither of his sons was capable of leading the empire effectively, so in 395 he decided to divide the empire.

The empire could no longer be united

Theodosius believed that this was the best solution for the society of the time and one that the public would accept without fear. The empire had already been divided. In 284, the emperor Diocletian stabilized the empire for a time and introduced the so-called tetrarchy, the rule of four monarchs, for better administration. Later, however, reunification was again achieved, as Theodosius, who died in Milan on 17 January 395, predicted in the event of further division.

His sons, Honorius and Arcadius, however, did not prove very successful as rulers. Although Theodosius did everything possible to preserve the formality of one state despite the rule of two monarchs, between the EastRoman Empire and the Western Roman Empire, ethnic, cultural, social, economic and political differences deepened. Moreover, the situation was complicated by barbarian attacks. And after the reign of the brothers, no more capable ruler emerged to unite the Roman Empire.

Source: www.shorthistory.org, www.historyhit.com, Michael Grant: Roman Emperors