CHAPTER IV

TRUCE WITH PERSIA. HONORIUS AND STILICHO. TRANSACTIONS IN ROME AND DALMATIA

ALTHOUGH the Persians had prepared to take up arms, they were induced to conclude a truce with the Romans for a hundred years.

Stilicho, the general of the troops of Honorius, was suspected of having conspired to raise his son Eucherius to the throne of the Eastern empire, and was, in consequence, slain by the army at Ravenna. He had, at a former period, conceived bitter feelings of enmity against the chiefs of the troops of Arcadius, and was hence impelled to sow the seeds of division between the two empires. He caused Alaric, the leader of the Goths, to be invested with the command of the troops of Honorius, and advised him to seize Illyria; and, at the same time, he appointed Jovian prefect of that province, and sent him thither; promising to join him shortly with some Roman legions, and to take possession of Illyria in the name of Honorius. Alaric quitted the barbarous region bordering on Dalmatia and Pannonia where he had been dwelling, and marched at the head of his soldiery to Epirus: after remaining for some time in that country, he retreated to Italy, without having accomplished anything. After the death of Arcadius, Honorius projected a journey to Constantinople, for the purpose of appointing ministers in whose fidelity confidence might be placed, and who might be trusted to watch over the security, and maintain the power, of his nephew: but, when Honorius was on the very point of setting out on this journey, Stilicho dissuaded him from his design, by proving to him that his presence was requisite in Italy, to repress the schemes of Constantine, who sought to possess himself of the sovereign power at Arles. Stilicho then took one of the Roman standards, obtained some letters from the emperor, with which he set out, at the head of four legions, to carry on war in the East: but, a report having been spread that he had conspired against the emperor, and had formed a scheme, in conjunction with those in power, to raise his son to the throne, the troops rose up in sedition, and slew the prætorian prefect of Italy and of Gaul, the military commanders, and the chief officers of the court. Stilicho himself was slain by the soldiers at Ravenna. He had attained almost absolute power; and all men, so to speak, whether Romans or Barbarians, were under his control. Thus perished Stilicho, on a suspicion of having conspired against the emperors. Eucherius, his son, was slain with him.