Valentinian I - Life

Roman emperor (364–75), born in Pannonia (C Europe), the son of an army officer. He rose rapidly in rank under Constantius and Julian, and on the death of the Emperor Jovian was chosen as his successor (364). He resigned the East to his brother Valens (ruled 364–78), and himself governed the West, based in Paris, Trier, and other centres, successfully defending it against Germanic invasions.

Valentinian I
Emperor of the Western Roman Empire
Solidus minted by Valens in ca.
Reign	26 February - 28 March 364 (alone); 26 March 364 - 17 November 375 (emperor of the west, with his brother emperor in the east)
Full name	Flavius Valentinianus
Born	321
	Cibalis
Died	17 November 375
	Brigetio on the Danube (near Komárom)
Predecessor	Jovian
Successor	Valens, Gratian and Valentinian II
Wife/wives	1) Marina Severa
	2) Justina
Issue	By 1) Gratian; By 2) Valentinian II
Dynasty	Valentinian
Father	Gratian the Elder

Flavius Valentinianus, known in English as Valentinian I, (321 - November 17, 375) was a Roman Emperor (364 - 375).

Life

He had been an officer of the Praetorian guard under Julian and Jovian, and had risen high in the imperial service. After the death of Jovian, he was chosen emperor in his forty-third year by the officers of the army at Nicaea in Bithynia on February 26, 364, and shortly afterwards named his brother Valens colleague with him in the empire.

The two brothers, after passing through the chief cities of the neighbouring district, arranged the partition of the empire at Naissus (Nissa) in Upper Moesia. As Western Roman Emperor, Valentinian took Italia, Illyricum, Hispania, the Gauls, Britain and Africa, leaving to Eastern Roman Emperor Valens the eastern half of the Balkan peninsula, Greece, Aegyptus, Syria and Asia Minor as far as Persia.

During the short reign of Valentinian there were wars in Africa, in Germany and in Britain, and Rome came into collision with barbarian peoples never of heard before, specifically the Burgundians, and the Saxons.

Valentinian's chief work was guarding the frontiers and establishing military positions.

Later, in 374, Valentinian made peace with their king, Macrianus, who from that time remained a true friend of the Romans.

In Africa, Firmus, raised the standard of revolt, being joined by the provincials, who had been rendered desperate by the cruelty and extortions of Comes Romanus, the military governor.

In 374, the Quadi, a Germanic tribe in what is now Moravia and Slovakia, resenting the erection of Roman forts to the north of the Danube in what they considered to be their own territory, and further exasperated by the treacherous murder of their king, Gabinius, crossed the river and laid waste the province of Pannonia.

Valentinian was a Christian but permitted liberal religious freedom to all his subjects, proscribing only some forms of rituals such as particular types of sacrifices, and banning the practice of magic.