Valentinian dynasty

Valentinian dynasty
Dynasty of the Roman Empire
364–455
Solidus of Valens[a] of Valentinianic
Solidus of Valens[a]
Western and Eastern Roman Empires 395
Western and Eastern Roman Empires 395
StatusImperial dynasty
CapitalRoma
Constantinopolis
Ravenna
GovernmentAbsolute monarchy
Western Roman emperors 
• 364–375
Valentinian I
• 375–383
Gratian
• 383–392
Valentinian II, in competition with
• 383–388
Magnus Maximus the Usurper
• 392–425
Interregnum
• 392–394
Eugenius the Usurper
• 393–423
Honorius (Theodosian) with
• 409–411
Constantine III and
• 421
Constantius III & Galla Placidia
• 423–425
Joannes the Usurper
• 425–455
Valentinian III
Eastern Roman emperors 
• 364–378
Valens
• 379–457
Theodosians
• 379–395
Theodosius I
• 383–408
Arcadius
• 402–450
Theodosius II
• 450–457
Marcian
• 457–518
Leonids
• 457–474
Leo I
• 474
Leo II
• 475–476
Basiliscus the Usurper
• 474–491
Zeno
Historical eraLate antiquity
• Death of Jovian, Ascent of Valentinian I, Division of Empire
364
• Battle of Adrianople, Death of Valens
9 August 378
• Death of Theodosius I, Division of Empire
395
410
• Death of Valentinian III
455
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Constantinian dynasty (306–363)
Jovian (363–364)
Petronius Maximus
and Licinia Eudoxia (455)
Palladius and Eudocia (455)
Olybrius and Placidia (472)
and non-dynastic "shadow" emperors, to Fall of the Western Roman Empire (480)
Eastern empire: Theodosian dynasty (379–457)
Leonid dynasty (457–518)
Byzantine empire[b]
Map of Roman empire, showing provinces
Provinces and regions of the Empire
Map of Roman empire 100-500AD
Roman Empire 100–500, with invading tribes and the Battle of Adrianople
Diagram of the command structure of the Roman army
Command structure of Late Roman army
High command structure of the West Roman army c. 410–425

The Valentinian dynasty was a ruling house of five generations of dynasts, including five Roman emperors during late antiquity, lasting nearly a hundred years from the mid fourth to the mid fifth century. They succeeded the Constantinian dynasty (r. 306–363) and reigned over the Roman Empire from 364 to 392 and from 425 to 455, with an interregnum (392–423), during which the Theodosian dynasty ruled and eventually succeeded them. The Theodosians, who intermarried into the Valentinian house, ruled concurrently in the east after 379.

The Valentinian dynasty's patriarch was Gratianus Funarius, whose sons Valentinian I and Valens were both made Roman emperors in 364. Valentinian I's two sons, Gratian and Valentinian II both became emperors. Valentinian I's daughter Galla married Theodosius the Great, the emperor of the eastern empire, who with his descendants formed the Theodosian dynasty (r. 379–457). In turn, their daughter, Galla Placidia married a later emperor, Constantius III (r. 421–421). Their son, Valentinian III (r. 425–455), who ruled in the west, was the last emperor of the dynasty, whose death marked the end of dynasties in the western empire. During the interregnum, Theodosius' son Honorius ruled in the west, and concurrently with Galla Placidia from 421. The dynasty has been labelled as Pannonian, based on the family origin in Pannonia Secunda in the western Balkans.

Under the Valentinians, dynastic rule was consolidated and the division of the empire into west and east became increasingly entrenched. The empire was subject to repeated incursions along its borders, with the Danube frontier eventually collapsing in the northeast and barbarian invasions in the west eventually reaching Italy, and culminating with the sack of Rome in 410, which foreshadowed the eventual dissolution of the western empire in the late fifth century.


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