Jovinus

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Siliqua of Jovinus

Jovinus († 413 in Narbonne ) was a Gallo-Roman senator who claimed the title of Western Roman Emperor from 411 to 413 for himself.

Life

After barbaric groups had crossed the Rhine at Mogontiacum (Mainz) at the turn of the year 406/07 and had advanced into Gaul ( Rhine crossing from 406 ), chaotic conditions prevailed there (see Migration ). The usurper Constantine III. rose in Britain in 407 and crossed over to the mainland, taking with him the remains of the British field army. Constantine, who resided in Arles in southern Gaul , was able to hold out until 411, when he was captured and executed.

A little later in the year 411, Jovinus, who came from a distinguished Gallo-Roman family, was proclaimed emperor in Mundiacum , which may be equated with Mogontiacum. An important source for this is Olympiodorus of Thebes , who wrote an extensive work on contemporary history, of which only a few fragments have survived today:

Jovinus was proclaimed a usurper in Mundiacum in the Germania secunda at the instigation of Alanen Goar and Guntiarius, who appeared as the leader of the Burgundians.

Decimius Rusticus seems to have played an important role in this elevation; this had Constantine III. served as Praetorian prefect and had fled north when Constantine's defeat loomed. The place of Jovinus' elevation is controversial, as this depends on the reading of the Olympiodorus text. In any case, Jovinus was dependent on the military support of the federated Burgundians under Gundahar and the Alan leader Goar .

Jovinus held his position in Gaul for two years. However, his rulership was far less extensive than that of Constantine before. Jovinus demonstrated his claim to power to the Western Roman Emperor Honorius by having coins minted with his name and these also showing him with the imperial diadem . He was supported by a number of Gallo-Roman nobles who had survived Constantine's defeat. It is very likely that certain groups of the Gallo-Roman senatorial nobility in Gaul were generally dissatisfied with the government in Ravenna. The Burgundians formed a foedus with Jovinus , according to which the income of Germania secunda would be transferred to them if, in return, they would monitor the Rhine border. With the help of the imperial authority of Jovinus, the Burgundians subsequently established an empire on the Middle Rhine, the center of which was probably Worms .

After the Visigoths had left Italy under their leader Athaulf , taking the former usurper Priscus Attalus and Galla Placidia , the half-sister of Honorius, with them, Athaulf met Jovinus and recognized him as emperor in 412. The alliance with the Visigoths did not bring the desired result for Jovinus, because both sides pursued their own interests. Athaulf attacked and killed the Western Roman general Sarus who wanted to join Jovinus. For his part, Jovinus did not consider it necessary to bring in Athaulf when he made his brother Sebastianus co-emperor. Snubbed by this act, Athaulf allied with Honorius and defeated Jovinus' troops. Sebastianus was executed, Jovinus fled, but was besieged in Valence , captured by Athaulf and taken to Narbonne , where Claudius Postumus Dardanus , the Praetorian prefect for Gaul, who was loyal to Honorius, had him executed together with Rusticus. His head was sent to the imperial court in Ravenna .

literature

Web links

Commons : Jovinus  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ General Kulikowski (2000), cf. also Drinkwater (1998), pp. 271ff.
  2. ↑ Olympiodoros, Fragment 17 (Edition Müller).
  3. ↑ See the discussion with Reinhold Kaiser: Die Burgunder . Stuttgart u. a. 2004, p. 27ff.
  4. ↑ See Drinkwater, p. 288.
  5. ↑ Drinkwater, S. 289f.
personal data
SURNAME Jovinus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Roman counter-emperor (411–413)
DATE OF BIRTH 4th century
DATE OF DEATH 413
Place of death Narbonne