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Theodosius I

Theodosius I

0

Near balanceFormula-derived score

Roman emperor 379–395 appointed by Gratian after Adrianople; Cunctos populos 380; Constantinople 381; 382 Gothic foedus; Maximus 388; Thessalonica 390 (source-critical) and Ambrose penance; 391–392 cult laws that do not equal an overnight pagan ban; Frigidus 394; death-and-division 395. Codex Theodosianus is later compilation. Britannica, Fordham Book XVI, Ambrose Letter 51.

Nicene imperial orthodoxy as public law not as a single overnight ban on paganismGothic foederati settlement after Adrianoplecivil-war monarchy culminating at the Frigidus

Impact

Not rated yet: the verified records linked to this person, without a numeric impact.

Editorial assessment (context, not the score)

The page is not a baptism cartoon and not an overnight pagan ban. The heaviest documented costs are creed-and-heresy law, an armed Gothic settlement, two civil wars, a source-critical massacre at Thessalonica, and stepwise cult restrictions in 391–392. The offsets are the 379 command after Adrianople, army reconstitution, limited synagogue protection, Antioch pardon, Ambrose’s penance, and postwar clemency. He did not compile 438. Confidence is high on the named constitutions and dates, medium on 390’s exact order.

Indicators affected

Indicators this person’s verified facts reach. No score contribution is assigned; the observed state is the indicator’s own reading.

Accountability & contradictions

Claims against the record, the type of responsibility, and what is disputed.

Responsibility

What could change this assessment

  • 3 linked facts have no assessed welfare direction yet.
  • Lifetime coverage has not been assessed: the record reflects stored facts only (0379–0395).

Causal path

Person → Fact → Driver → Indicator. Select a path to inspect its factors; the full network opens on demand.

  1. PersonTheodosius I
  2. FactTheodosius dies at Milan on 17 January 395; Arcadius and Honorius take East and West as a lasting division
  3. DriverDemocratic Resilience
  1. PersonTheodosius I
  2. FactAfter the Frigidus, Theodosius is received as offering clemency to surviving partisans of Eugenius
  3. DriverHumanitarian Access
  1. PersonTheodosius I
  2. FactTheodosius defeats Eugenius at the Frigidus on 6 September 394; Eugenius is captured and killed
  3. DriverHumanitarian Access

Timeline

The most relevant dated facts, newest first.

  1. 17 January 395 · Democratic Resilience

    Theodosius dies at Milan on 17 January 395; Arcadius and Honorius take East and West as a lasting division

  2. 10 September 394 · Humanitarian Access

    After the Frigidus, Theodosius is received as offering clemency to surviving partisans of Eugenius

  3. 6 September 394 · Humanitarian Access

    Theodosius defeats Eugenius at the Frigidus on 6 September 394; Eugenius is captured and killed

  4. 29 September 393 · Protection of Minority Rights

    CTh 16.8.9 of 29 September 393 states that the Jewish sect is prohibited by no law and orders restraint of those who destroy synagogues

  5. 8 November 392 · Protection of Minority Rights

    CTh 16.10.12 of 8 November 392 extends cult restrictions to private domestic rites across the empire as later compiled

  6. 15 May 392 · Democratic Resilience

    Valentinian II dies in 392; western succession crisis pulls Theodosius toward sole rule

Evidence & methodology

How the record is sourced and how the score is derived.

30 of 30 linked facts verified, drawing on 8 distinct sources (0379–0395).

Sources include Encyclopaedia Britannica, New Advent, Fordham University / Internet History Sourcebooks, New Advent / Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Université Grenoble Alpes / Droit romain, Loyola University Chicago, earlychurchtexts.com.

Sources

  1. 1.Britannica — Theodosius IEncyclopaedia Britannica
  2. 2.Fordham — Codex Theodosianus, selections from Book XVIFordham University / Internet History Sourcebooks
  3. 3.Roman law texts including Codex Theodosianus extracts — GrenobleUniversité Grenoble Alpes / Droit romain
  4. 4.Ambrose, Letter 51 (to Theodosius) — New AdventNew Advent / Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers
  5. 5.Catholic Encyclopedia — Theodosius INew Advent
  6. 6.De Imperatoribus Romanis — Theodosius ILoyola University Chicago
  7. 7.Early Church Texts — Codex Theodosianus extractsearlychurchtexts.com
  8. 8.Britannica — First Council of Constantinople (381)Encyclopaedia Britannica

The score is formula-derived (Factrail formula v1, version 1.0.0), not an editorial verdict. Read the methodology.

By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed · Sources: 8

Expert analysis

An excerpt; the full analysis opens on request.

The first fact about Theodosius I in a public catalog is a stack of dated constitutions and wars, not a cartoon who switched off paganism on a Monday. Britannica at https://www.britannica.com/biography/Theodosius-I (opens in a new tab) places the 19 January 379 appointment, Thessalonica residence, 28 February 380 edict, 381 council, 382 Gothic foedus, western wars, 390 retaliation and Ambrose, and death at Milan on 17 January 395. DIR at https://roman-emperors.sites.luc.edu/theo1.htm (opens in a new tab) independently narrates the reign including 3 October 382. Fordham’s Book XVI at https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/theodcodeXVI.asp (opens in a new tab) and Early Church Texts at https://earlychurchtexts.com/public/codex_theodosianus.htm (opens in a new tab) print Cunctos populos, church-surrender, and temple laws. Grenoble at https://droitromain.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/ (opens in a new tab) is the Roman-law neighbourhood of the later code. The council article at https://www.britannica.com/event/First-Council-of-Constantinople-381 (opens in a new tab) and Ambrose Letter 51 at https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/340951.htm (opens in a new tab) bound creed and penance. Catholic Encyclopedia at https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14577d.htm (opens in a new tab) retells Frigidus and Milan. Constantine at https://www.britannica.com/biography/Constantine-I-Roman-emperor (opens in a new tab) is prior Christian-imperial influence, not a meeting. 381 is a summoned council plus a church-delivery law. 382 settles an armed people. 388 and 394 are civil wars. 390 is a massacre whose order-versus-chaos remains source-critical; 7,000 is not printed here as established. 391 forbids sacrifice and temple access in a western address; 392 goes after private rites — stepwise, not overnight. What the score must not say: that he authored the 438 book as a lifetime tome; that paganism ended on 24 February 391; that Letter 51 is a modern indictment with a body-count; that 382 caused 476 as a unique coefficient. Offsets: appointment after Adrianople; labour reconstitution of the army; Athanaric; capital-delay 382; Galla; Antioch pardon; Armenia; Valentinian restored; penance; 16.8.9 on synagogues; Forum Tauri; clemency after Frigidus. Complex contribution is the honest type. Confidence is high on 379-01-19, 380-02-28, 382-10-03, 391-02-24, 394-09-06, 395-01-17, medium on 390 orders and 387 Armenia clauses. Related people are Gratian, Ambrose, Arcadius, Honorius, Stilicho, Valentinian II, Magnus Maximus, Eugenius, Aelia Flaccilla, Constantine the Great as prior influence. On source-distance: Fordham Book XVI at https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/theodcodeXVI.asp (opens in a new tab) and Early Church Texts at https://earlychurchtexts.com/public/codex_theodosianus.htm (opens in a new tab) are English extracts of a 438 compilation. Grenoble at https://droitromain.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/ (opens in a new tab) is a law-text neighbourhood, not a 379 chancery roll. DIR at https://roman-emperors.sites.luc.edu/theo1.htm (opens in a new tab) and Britannica at https://www.britannica.com/biography/Theodosius-I (opens in a new tab) independently reconstruct 3 October 382 and 19 January 379. Ambrose Letter 51 at https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/340951.htm (opens in a new tab) is episcopal rhetoric, not a hippodrome register. Constantine at https://www.britannica.com/biography/Constantine-I-Roman-emperor (opens in a new tab) is prior influence; neighbouring article constantine-milan-nicaea-and-civil-war is the right extra slot, not a COP row. Empty news is honest. Twelve improving and twelve worsening paths are possible from dated laws and wars without inventing a museum year. Later Loeb, UNESCO, and encyclopedia pages are evidence, not additional acts.

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