Valentinian I

Valentinian I was Roman emperor in the West from 364 to 375. He appointed his brother Valens emperor in the East and strengthened frontier defenses against Germanic incursions.

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Valens: Valens was Roman emperor in the East from 364 to 378 and brother of Valentinian I. Valentinian appointed him to govern the eastern half of the empire.
Great Conspiracy: The Great Conspiracy was a late fourth-century assault on Roman Britain by groups crossing the frontier. The crisis exposed the vulnerability of Britain’s defenses during Valentinian’s reign.
Jovian: Jovian was Roman emperor from 363 to 364, succeeding Julian and preceding Valentinian I. Valentinian inherited the throne after Jovian’s brief reign and negotiated settlement with Persia.
Battle of Adrianople (378): The Battle of Adrianople was a Roman defeat by the Goths in 378, during Valens’s reign. It followed Valentinian’s death and revealed the dangers facing the eastern empire he had divided from his own rule.
Gratian: Gratian was Roman emperor from 367 to 383 and Valentinian I’s son and successor in the West. He inherited western authority after Valentinian died in 375.
Roman frontier: The Roman frontier was the shifting military boundary separating Roman territory from neighboring peoples. Defending the Rhine and Danube frontiers dominated much of Valentinian’s military policy.
Battle of Solicinium: The Battle of Solicinium was a Roman victory over the Alamanni in 368. Valentinian personally campaigned against the Alamanni before this costly victory.
Procopius (usurper): Procopius was a Roman usurper who challenged Valens’s rule in the East from 365 to 366. His revolt tested the eastern regime Valentinian had entrusted to his brother.
Julian (emperor): Julian was Roman emperor from 361 to 363 and the last emperor of the Constantinian dynasty. His death left the army to select a successor, opening the path to Valentinian.
Valentinian II: Valentinian II was Roman emperor in the West from 375 to 392 and Valentinian I’s younger son. His elevation after his father’s death extended the dynasty while he was still a child.