Stilicho

Lore & Background

After Theodosius' death, Honorius became Western emperor and Arcadius Eastern emperor. Stilicho became de facto commander-in-chief of Western armies, while his rival Rufinus held power in the East. To strengthen his hold, Stilicho married his daughter Maria to Honorius in 398, and after her death, Thermantia in 408; neither marriage produced children. In 395, Stilicho led the army into the Balkans to confront Alaric's Goths, surrounding them in Thessaly, but was ordered by Arcadius to return Eastern forces and leave Illyricum. He obeyed, and upon the Eastern army's arrival at Constantinople, Rufinus was murdered by the troops; many historians suspect Stilicho's involvement. In 396 he campaigned against Franks and other Germanic tribes in Gaul, and in 397 he defeated Alaric's forces in Macedonia, though Alaric escaped. Later that year, Gildo revolted in Africa, threatening Rome's grain supply; Stilicho sent Mascezel, Gildo's brother, who suppressed the rebellion, but Mascezel was later drowned under questionable circumstances, possibly on Stilicho's orders.

Reader's Guide

Stilicho's significance lies in his role as the effective ruler of the Western Roman Empire during a period of intense internal and external pressure. His military campaigns against Alaric and Gildo temporarily stabilized the empire, but his reliance on barbarian troops and his political maneuvers created lasting enmity. The major primary sources—Claudian's panegyrics (biased in his favor) and Zosimus (drawing on hostile Eunapius and supportive Olympiodorus)—offer contradictory accounts, making a balanced assessment difficult. His fall in 408, after political and military disasters, ended his dominance and led to his execution. Stilicho's legacy is that of a capable but controversial general whose actions shaped the final decades of the Western Roman Empire, though his ultimate failure to secure lasting peace or a stable succession contributed to the empire's decline.

Did You Know?

• Stilicho was partly of Vandal origins, but there is little to suggest he considered himself anything other than a Roman.
• He married Serena, the niece of Emperor Theodosius I, after returning from an embassy to the Persian court of Shapur III.
• His daughter Maria married Emperor Honorius in 398; after her death, his other daughter Thermantia married Honorius in 408.
• The poet Claudian, whom Stilicho patronized, wrote panegyrics that portray Stilicho in a positive light, but these are considered biased.