ARCADIUS (Flavius Arcadius)

• Arcadius was the elder son of Theodosius I and Aelia Flaccilla and was raised to the rank of Augustus by his father in 383, as co-emperor in the east.
• When Theodosius died in 395, Arcadius was left as emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire and Theodosius' other son, Honorius as emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
• Arcadius was married to Eudoxia, an intelligent and powerful woman, who wielded much political influence.
• Arcadius was a weak emperor. After Arcadius' Praetorian Prefect Rufinus was murdered on the orders of Flavius Stilicho, Master General of the west, Eutropius, a palace eunuch who had been Arcadius' chamberlain gained power.
• Gainas, leader of the Ostrogoths, revolted, causing much destruction throughout the east. This was probably the result of the corrupt methods of Eutropius.
• Eutropius was removed from power for the crime of harnessing the royal mules to his carriage.
• Gainas forced Arcadius to declare him Magister Militum or Master General and allow him to move his Gothic troops into Constantinople, where they caused mayhem.
• Gainas's troops demanded a church where they could worship their own Arian brand of Christianity. The citizens of Constantinople rioted and managed to trap the troops in their church and burn it down.
• Gainas managed to flee with the remains of his army but they were drowned when they tried to cross the Hellespont, where the Romans sunk their boats.
• Uldin, King of the Huns, captured Gainas and sent his head as a present back to Arcadius in Constantinople.
• Arcadius died at Constantinople from illness on 1st May 408. His son, Theodosius II, succeeded him on the throne.