Battle of the Frigidus
Frigidus River, Slovenia
What happened
The Eastern Roman emperor Theodosius I fought the Western emperor Eugenius and his general Arbogast. After Eugenius was proclaimed emperor in the West, Theodosius marched against him. On the first day, Theodosius's Gothic allies attacked first and suffered heavy losses. On the second day, a strong bora wind blew dust into the Western army's faces, and its lines broke.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It ended the third civil war of Theodosius's reign and reunited the Roman Empire under one ruler. Later church writers said God sent the wind, but historians dispute this.
What came next
Theodosius died about four months later, in January 395, and the empire was divided between his sons Arcadius in the East and Honorius in the West. He was the last emperor to rule the whole Roman Empire.
Did you know?
Because the Goths fighting for Theodosius took most of the losses, one Roman historian said he really won two battles: one against Eugenius and one against the Goths.
Timeline
- 19 January 379Theodosius becomes emperor.
- 28 February 380The Edict of Thessalonica is issued.
- 5-6 September 394Theodosius wins at the Frigidus.
- 17 January 395Theodosius dies, and the empire is divided.