Gratian 378AD Rare Ancient Roman Coin Roma seated with globe & spear i42677

Royal/Imperial
symbols of power

Ruling dynasties often exploit pomp and ceremony with the use of
regalia
:
crowns
,

robes,
orb (globe) and sceptres
, some of which are reflections
of formerly practical objects. The use of language mechanisms also support this
differentiation with subjects talking of “the crown” and/or of “the
throne
” rather than referring directly to
personal names and items.

Monarchies
provide the most explicit
demonstration of tools to strengthen the elevation of leaders. Thrones sit high
on daises
leading to subjects lifting their gaze
(if they have permission) to contemplate the ruler. Architecture in general can
set leaders apart: note the symbolism inherent in the very name of the Chinese
imperial
Forbidden City
.

In

traditional Roman religion

, Roma was a female

deity
who

personified the city of Rome

and more broadly, the Roman state. Her image appears on the base of the

column of Antoninus Pius

. Roma, formerly queen of almost the whole

earth. Horace (L. iv. od. 3) calls her the prince of cities; and according to

Martial (L. xii. epig. 8) she is terrarum dea gentiumque.

Flavius Gratianus (18 April/23 May 359 – 25 August

383), known usually by the

anglicised

name Gratian, was a

Western Roman Emperor

from 375 to 383.

He favoured the Christian religion against

Roman polytheism

, refusing the traditional polytheistic attributes of the

emperors and removing the

Altar of Victory

from the

Roman

Senate
.

//

 Life

Gratian was the son of Emperor

Valentinian I

by Marina Severa

, and was born at

Sirmium

(now

Sremska Mitrovica

,

Serbia
) in

Pannonia
.

He was named after his grandfather

Gratian the Elder

. Gratian was first married to

Flavia Maxima Constantia

, daughter of

Constantius II

. His second wife was

Laeta
. Both

marriages remained childless. His stepmother was Empress

Justina

and his paternal half siblings were Emperor

Valentinian II

,

Galla

and Justa.

On 4 August 367 he received from his father the title of

Augustus

. On the death of Valentinian (17 November 375), the troops in

Pannonia proclaimed his infant son (by a second wife Justina) emperor under the

title of

Valentinian II

.

Gratian acquiesced in their choice; reserving for himself the

administration of the

Gallic

provinces

, he handed over

Italy
,

Illyricum

and

Africa

to Valentinian and his mother, who fixed their residence at

Mediolanum
.

The division, however, was merely nominal, and the real authority remained in

the hands of Gratian.

The

Eastern Roman Empire

was under the rule of his uncle

Valens
. In May,

378 Gratian completely defeated the

Lentienses
,

the southernmost branch of the

Alamanni
,

at the

Battle of Argentovaria

, near the site of the modern

Colmar
. Later

that year, Valens met his death in the

Battle of Adrianopole

on 9 August. Valens refused to wait for Gratian and

his army to arrive and assist in defeating the host of

Goths
,

Alans
and

Huns; as a result,

two-thirds of the eastern Roman army were killed as well.

In the same year, the government of the Eastern Empire

devolved upon Gratian, but feeling himself unable to resist unaided the

incursions of the barbarians, he promoted

Theodosius I

on 19 January 379 to govern that portion of the empire.

Gratianus and Theodosius then cleared the

Balkans
of

barbarians

in the

Gothic War (376-382)

.

For some years Gratian governed the empire with energy and

success but gradually sank into indolence, occupying himself chiefly with the

pleasures of the chase, and became a tool in the hands of the

Frankish

general Merobaudes

and bishop

St. Ambrose

of Milan
.

By taking into his personal service a body of Alans, and

appearing in public in the dress of a

Scythian

warrior, after the disaster of the Battle of Adrianopole, he

aroused the contempt and resentment of his

Roman troops

. A Roman general named

Magnus Maximus

took advantage of this feeling to raise the standard of

revolt in

Britain

and invaded Gaul

with a large army. Gratian, who was then in

Paris
, being

deserted by his troops, fled to

Lyon. There,

through the treachery of the governor, Gratian was delivered over to one of the

rebel generals, Andragathius, and assassinated on 25 August 383.

 Empire

and religion

The reign of Gratian forms an important epoch in

ecclesiastical history, since during that period

Orthodox Christianity

for the first time became dominant throughout the

empire.

Under the influence of Ambrosius, Gratian prohibited

Pagan worship

at Rome
; refused to

wear the insignia of the

pontifex maximus

as unbefitting a

Christian
;

removed the

Altar of Victory

from the

Senate

House
at Rome, despite protests of the pagan members of the Senate, and

confiscated its revenues; forbade legacies of real property to the

Vestals

; and abolished other privileges belonging to them and to the

pontiffs. Nevertheless he was still

deified

after his death.

Gratian also published an edict that all their subjects

should profess the faith of the bishops of Rome and Alexandria (i.e., the Nicene

faith). The move was mainly thrust at the various beliefs that had arisen out of

Arianism
,

but smaller dissident sects, such as the

Macedonians

, were also prohibited.