Heraclianus

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Heraclianus (* around 370 ; † March 7, 413 in Carthage ) was a general of the Western Roman Emperor Honorius .

Life

Heraclianus is mentioned for the first time when he beheaded the powerful magister militum Stilicho on behalf of Emperor Honorius in August 408 and received his fortune in return. He was also named comes of Africa by Honorius . In this function, he successfully supported the beleaguered government in Ravenna 409 against the usurper Priscus Attalus by refusing to obey him and stopping the important grain deliveries from Carthage to Italy.

Heraclianus was appointed consul by Honorius for 413 in the spring of 412 . Subsequently, however, there were tensions between Heraclianus and Ravenna, which were apparently related to the rise of the new magister militum Flavius ​​Constantius , who had been a follower of Stilichos. In July 412 Heraclianus was declared hostis publicus . Heraclianus once again stopped the grain deliveries on which Rome was dependent. He believed that this would weaken his opponent decisively, and equipped an important fleet with which he wanted to conquer Rome. After landing in Italy, however, he was defeated at Utricoli by troops under the command of comes Marinus, who fought for Constantius. After fleeing he was captured in Africa and beheaded on March 7, 413 in Carthage on the orders of Constantius as a usurper . Honorius assigned his property to the victorious Constantius, who used it to celebrate the festivities at his consulate in 414. Moreover, Heraclianus succumbed to the damnatio memoriae , and all his measures were declared invalid (Cod. Theod. 15,14,13). It is unclear whether Heraclianus actually strived for empire, as he was accused of.

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