The Historia

Seeking Veracity

baut0@greytrek.com

EAST - WEST DIPLOMACY REGARDING EUGENIUS - 392

"The new Emperor (Eugenius) naturally recognized Theodosius and Arcadius as co-Augusti, but in all the transactions between the western Court and Constantinople the person of Arbogast was discreetly veiled; his name was not suggested for the consulship, and it was no Frankish soldier who headed the embassy to Theodosius: the wisdom of Athens in the person of Rufinus and the purity of Christian bishops attested the king-maker's innocence, but the ambiguous reply of Theodosius hardly disguised his real intentions.  The nomination of Eugenius was, it would seem, disregarded in the East, while in West and East alike diplomacy was but a means for gaining time before the inevitable arbitrament of war." - 18,  p.  246

"Eugenius continued to court Theodosius' sympathy.  He maintained the issues of coinage, certainly acknowledging, if not bearing the names of Theodosius and Arcadius, from the mints of both Trier and Milan.  He sent at least two embassies -- one of them of clerics -- to put his case in the east.  But Theodosius ignored these and other overtures.  He was not even convinced by a victorious campaign conducted by Arbogastes on the northern frontier, the last successful Roman campaign ever to be made on the far bank of the Rhine." - 8,  p.  239

"Towards the end of 392 an embassy from the Emperor Eugenius appeared at the Court of Constantinople.  The chief spokesman was an Athenian name Rufinus -- a different person of course from the minister of Theodosius -- who, no doubt, pleaded eloquently for peace between the different members of the same Republic, while several obsequious Gaulish Bishops -- the same sort of vermin that had applauded the execution of Priscillian and condemned the uncourtliness of Martin -- conveyed to Theodosius their valuable assurances that Arbogast was innocent of the death of his colleague." - 14,  p.  558