The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History Part 2, Book 1 · Biography 4
THEODOSIVS. 2.
The Life of Theodosius the Second, who dyed Anno Christi. 453.
ARcadius, the Elder Sonne of Theodosius, in the thirteenth yeare of his raigne falling sick at Constantinople, left his Son Theodosius to succeed in the Empire, who being but eight yeares old, Arcadius by his last will and Testament made Hisdigerdus, King of Persia and Parthia, his tutor, who understanding what Arcadius had done, accepted of the charge, and speedily sent one Antiochus an excellent man, and a great souldier to Constantinople: who with the good will and consent of Honorius, Emperour of the West, and uncle to young Theodosius, governed the Easterne Empire with great fidelity and discretion, and so maintained the same in peace and justice, till Theodosius came to age. About which time the Westerne Empire was much infested by the barbarians: but Theodosius being now of sufficient age, was freed from his tutours, and as he was a Godly man, and the inheritour of his grandfathers vertues, his chiefest care was for the service of God and the defence and advancement of his Church; whereupon he fell Piety.out with Barrabanus King of Persia (who succeded Isdigerdus) because he persecuted the Christians that were in his dominions, and when perswasions would not prevaile, he sent Ardaburus an excellent Captaine against him, who fought a battaile with Nasius, Generall of the Persians, overthrew him, and made a great slaughter of his men, and afterwards entred his country, and made great spoile therein. By an other way Theodosius sent Gratianus, another Captaine, against Alamander King of the Saracens, who came to aide the King of Persia, who overthrew him in battaile, and slew a great multitude of his Saracens: And in an other place, another of Theodosius his Captaines overthrew the Persians, so that at last Barrabanus ceased from persecuting of the Christians, and a peace was concluded betweene Theodosius and him: About this time Honorius having raigned in all thirtie yeares, died at Rome without issue: and thereby the whole Romane Empire was devolved upon Theodosius: and some held for him, as reason and duty required; but the greatest potentates in the West began to make themselves Lords of the Empire in severall parts of it. But they falling out amongst themselves, Theodosius, not thinking it safe to leave the East, made his Cosen german Ʋalentinian, Caesar, who was the sonne of Placidia, sister to Arcadius and Honorius, and wife to the Emperour Constantius: and so with sufficient troopes he sent him into Italy with his mother Placidia, whose vertue and wisdome was sufficient to governe all, till her sonne came to yeares fit for governement: in the meane time, one John who had vsurped the Empire at Rome, sent his Ambassadours to Theodosius, requesting him to accept him as his partner in the Empire; but Theodosius caused them to be apprehended as traitours and rebells, and withall he sent command to Ardaburius, an excellent Captaine of his, that with the greatest power he could make, he should passe by sea into Italy before Placidia, and should seeke to defeat the Tyrant Iohn. But in his passage there befell him such a storme at Sea, that his owne ship being severed from the rest, was driven to an haven where hee was taken, and carried prisoner to Ravenna: His sonne Asper (who was in the same fleete) being informed hereof, landed his men after the storme was over, and passing the Lakes and boggs neere to Ravenna (which were alwaies judged Being conducted by an Angell of God, as Socrates saith.impassible, and never knowne to be dry before) entred the City, freed his father, tooke the Tyrant Iohn and cut off his head. This miraculous deliverance of Ardaburius was judged to bee the fruit of the effectuall prayers of the Godly Emp: Theodosius. Presently after came Placidia with her sonne into Italy, & passed to Ravenna, where hearing of another usurper, that was coming with all his forces from Spaine to seise upon Rome, she sent Ardaburius against him, who fought a great battell with him, & overthrew him, after which his owne souldiers, mutining against him, delivered him to Ardaburius: and whereas an other vsurper was risen up in Rome, the souldiers and Citizens apprehended him, and sent him prisoner to Ravenna. Ʋalentinian being thus peaceably possessed of Italy, was by the consent of Theodosius, and with the good will of all men, made Emperour: & not long after, leaving all things in the best order that he could in Italy, he tooke his passage for Greece, and went to Constantinople to see Theodosius, where he married Eudoxa daughter to Theodosius: and so returned into Italy: at which time Gensericus King of the Ʋandalls exercising great cruelties upon the Christians in Africk, Godly Theodosius was so grieved, that he sent two of his Captaines with great forces against him. But whilst they prolonged time in Sicily, Attila a mighty King of the Hunns, with many other barbarous nations, which like swarmes of Bees came to him, intended to invade the Easterne Empire, knowing that the best and greatest part of the men of warr were gone with the two Captaines into Sicilie; and at his first entry, he tooke many Cities in Thrace, and Slavonia, whereupon Theodosius in great hast called back his Army out of Sicily, raised more forces, and fought with Attila many battells, much repressing his furie: but in the middest of his preparations against these Barbarians, it pleased God that he fell sick of the plague, whereof he died: or (as some hold) by a fall from his horse: in the fiftieth yeare of his age, and of his raigne fortie two, Anno Christi 453: Socrates Scholasticus gives this character of him. Theodosius, though borne, and brought Theodosius his Character.up in the Imperiall Palace, yet was he free from all light and vaine behaviour: He was so wise and discreet, that he seemed in his youth to all that conferred him a man of great experience: He was of such hardinesse and sufferance both inwardly in minde, & outwardly in body, that he could endure the pinching cold of winter, and the parching heare of summer: He used to Fast twice every weeke: His palace and Piety.Court seemed noe other then a religious family: at the dawning of the day, he used with his sisters to sing Psalmes and Hymnes of praise to God. He learned much of the holy Scriptures without booke: He Scriptures studied.so reasoned of them with the Bishops, as if himselfe had beene an experienced minister: he gathered together a very great Library of the ancient Fathers works, but especially many books of the sacred scriptures: A great Library.He excelled all men in patience, curtesie, and clemency: He learned to bridle his anger: to beare afflictions patiently: to revenge him of none that did him injury: & whē one of his familiars asked him, why he would not put to death some that had wronged Meekenesse.him; He answered, I would to God it lay in my power to reviue them that are dead: indeed it is noe hard matter to bereaue a man of his life, but when that is done, be a man never so sorry, he cannot revine him againe: when any traitour was condemned, he would not suffer him to goe so farr as the gates of the City towards the place of execution, before he sent him a reprieve. One day, as he set forth some publick shewes to the people at Constantinople, wherein beasts fought together, the people shouting, desired that one of the strongest men, should be set to encounter with one Cruelty hated.of those beasts: His answer was: Doe not you know that wee cannot abide cruell spectacles. He highly honourd Gods ministers, especially such as excelled in Ministers loved.in Godlinesse: Once as he was at the publick shewes to please the people, there fell out an exceeding great tempest: whereupon he commanded his Beadles to speake to the people, telling them, that it was farr better to lay aside those shewes and pastimes, and with one heart and voice to pray unto God to Piety.cease that violent storme; the words where noe sooner spoken, but all jointly fell downe to the ground, and powred out zealous and earnest prayers unto God: so that the whole City was become as one Church: and it pleased God that the weather presently Cleered up and became faire: and whereas Prayers prevalent.there was a great dearth, and scarsity before, through Gods mercy, they had afterwards great store and plenty: At an other time as this most Godly Emperour was celebrating those showes in the same place, he had newes brought him of Aspers successe, and of the death of the Tyrant Iohn, whereupon he thus spake to the people: Let us give over this vaine pastime, and let us repaire unto Church and serue God devoutly, powring out our zealous prayers to him, and praise him for his wonderfull mercy, who by his owne hand and outstretched arme, hath deprived the Tyrant of his life; noe sooner had he made an end of speaking, but all the people gave over their spectacles, and passing through the Theater, sang praises together with the Emperour unto God: and so going directly to Church, spent the whole day in those holy exercises: When warrs were at any time proclaimed, after the examples of David and Iehosaphat, he made God his refuge, and by prayer, he alwaies obtained prosperous successe.
Nestorius denying Christ to be God, Theodosius A Councell. Zeale.summoned a Councell at Ephesus to suppresse that Heresie, by which Nestorius was deposed from his Bishoprick. He greatly detested all Hereticks: His wife was Eudoxia a very Godly and discreet woman. His vsuall saying was, that Emperours of all other men were most miserable, because commonly the truth of businesses is concealed from them. In his time there was such a Famine.famine in Rome, that the poore sort were faigne to make bread of the bark of trees, and the richer sort of Chesnuts: a Pound of flesh was worth fiftie pence, and dead mens flesh was sold and eaten. In one battell that his Generall fought against Attila, there A cruell Battell.were slaine 162000 men, whose blood made a neighbour brooke to overflow its banke. This Attila was called the terrour of the world, and the whip wherewith God scourged many nations: Theodosius in godlinesse was like unto his Grandfather: In collecting a great library of good books nothing inferiour to Ptolemaeus Philadelphus. In gathering into one short sum the Lawes of his predecessors, he trode a path wherein Iustinian followed him to the great benefit of learned men. His house was like unto a Sanctuary for exercises of reading the holy Scriptures, and devout prayers: His facility in subscribing unread letters was corrected by the prudent advice of his sister Pulcheria: In his time Attila, entred into Italy, took, sacked and ruined Aquileia, Ticinum, and Millaine, and intended the same cruelty against Rome: but Leo Bishop hereof went forth to him, and with gentle words so mitigated his minde that he forbore to doe it.
He had a man whose name was Palladius, one that had rare gifts both outwardly in body, and inwardly in minde, and of that strength, and agilitie of body, that he was able in three daies to ride Post into the furthest bounds of the Romane & Persian dominions, and back againe in the same space to Constantinople: So that by his celerity he made the Romane Empire which was vast and wide, to be but narrow and straight.
When Theodosius sent his Army under Ardaburius against the Persians, and for the reliefe of the persecuted Christians there: the Citizens of Constantinople were very sad and heavy, fearing the variable event of the warrs: but a company of Angells appeared to certaine in Bithynia, that were travelling to Constantinople, and willed them to bid the Citizens to be of good cheere, and to pray and put their trust in God: and that they should be confident of Ardaburius victory, for God had sent them as governours, and Soveraigne Captaines of the warrs.
The Heresie of Nestorius was so hatefull to him, that he made this Law concerning the followers of it: Wee decree, that whosoever doth imbrace the wicked opinion of Nestorius, and shall give eare to his lewd doctrine, if he be a Bishop, that he shall be banished, if a Lay person, that he shall be accursed. [In the time of Theodosius his raigne, the Brittaines sent for the Saxons out of Germany, to assist them against the Scots and Picts: and when they came; Ʋortiger the Brittish King entertained them, conferred with them of their faith, and found them Pagans that worshipped Mercury, whom they called Woden, and in honour of him Wodensday [wednesday] they worshipped also Ʋenus, whom they called Frea, whence came Friday: these Saxons, when together with the Brittaines, they had foiled the Scots and Picts, traiterously fell upon their owne masters the Brittaines, slew many, and draue the rest into the mountaines, whom they called after their country language, Welshmen, i: e: strangers.
Collected out of Socrates Scholasticus; Evagrius: the booke of Martyrs, Speeds Chronicle, and the Imperiall History.