Gerontius (general)
Encyclopedia
Gerontius was a general of the Western Roman Empire
, who first supported the usurper Constantine III
and later opposed him in favour of another usurper, Maximus of Hispania
.
Gerontius probably was of Breton origin. He was one of the supporters of Constantine III
, a Roman general who revolted against the Western Roman Emperor Honorius
in 407, conquering Britain
, Gaul
, Germania
and Hispania
.
In 408 he followed the son of Constantine, the newly-appointed caesar
Constans II
, to Spain. This province was under Constantine's rule, but here some members of the House of Theodosius, the cousins of Honorius Didymus
and Verenianus, had rebelled. Gerontius, who was the actual commander-in-chief of the troops, fought the rebels in two battles. In the first he was defeated, but in the second he won an important victory in Lusitania
, where he had recalled some troops from Gaul, and captured the rebel chiefs.
While Constantine returned to Gaul with the prisoners, Gerontius remained in Spain, controlling the local troops.
, one of his relatives of collaborators. He moved to Tarraco
, but he had to leave the city to counter Constans' invasion. Constantine had just appointed Constans augustus and sent him in Hispania with loyal troops to suppress Gerontius' rebellion. The reasons for Gerontius' rebellion are unclear. It is possible that Constans' elevation to the throne was a result of Gerontius' rebellion, but it is also possible that the general rebelled just because of Constans' appointment.
In order to contrast Constantine, Gerontius allied with the Franks
who had occupied Gaul in 407. The Frankish revolt occupied Constantine, who had to lower his pression over Gerontius; but alter the Franks and their allies entered Hispania, and become a problem of Gerontius'.
He spent the year 410 defending himself against Constans, in 411 Gerontius succeeded besieging the young augustus in Vienne, defeating, capturing and killing him. He then moved on Arelate, where he put under siege Constantine. Before Constantine surrendered, however, Honorius' general Constantius
arrived from Italy with an army. Being at the same time besiegers and besieged, the greatest part of Gerontius' soldiers deserted him and went to Constantius, so that Gerontius had to flee with few loyal supporters in Hispania.
When the Spanish troops knew of Gerontius' defeat, they decided to get rid of him. According to Sozomen
, the Spanish troops blocked Gerontius and his collaborators in a house. Gerontius kept the aggressors away hitting them with arrows from the roof of the house, but when the arrows ended, the soldiers put the house to fire. Even if he could have fled, he refused to do so in order to die with his wife. He first killed his wife had his loyal Alan collaborator and then killed himself.
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire was the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly referred to today as the Byzantine Empire....
, who first supported the usurper Constantine III
Constantine III (usurper)
Flavius Claudius Constantinus, known in English as Constantine III was a Roman general who declared himself Western Roman Emperor in Britannia in 407 and established himself in Gaul. Recognised by the Emperor Honorius in 409, collapsing support and military setbacks saw him abdicate in 411...
and later opposed him in favour of another usurper, Maximus of Hispania
Maximus of Hispania
Maximus, also called Maximus Tiranus, was Roman usurper in Hispania . He had been elected by general Gerontius, who might have been his father....
.
Usurpation of Constantine III
Constantine III (usurper)
Flavius Claudius Constantinus, known in English as Constantine III was a Roman general who declared himself Western Roman Emperor in Britannia in 407 and established himself in Gaul. Recognised by the Emperor Honorius in 409, collapsing support and military setbacks saw him abdicate in 411...
, a Roman general who revolted against the Western Roman Emperor Honorius
Honorius (emperor)
Honorius , was Western Roman Emperor from 395 to 423. He was the younger son of emperor Theodosius I and his first wife Aelia Flaccilla, and brother of the eastern emperor Arcadius....
in 407, conquering Britain
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
, Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
, Germania
Germania
Germania was the Greek and Roman geographical term for the geographical regions inhabited by mainly by peoples considered to be Germani. It was most often used to refer especially to the east of the Rhine and north of the Danube...
and Hispania
Hispania
Another theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
.
In 408 he followed the son of Constantine, the newly-appointed caesar
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
Constans II
Constans II (usurper)
Constans II was the eldest son of the Roman usurper Constantine III and was appointed co-emperor by him from 409 to 411. He was killed during the revolts and fighting that ended his father’s reign.- Career :...
, to Spain. This province was under Constantine's rule, but here some members of the House of Theodosius, the cousins of Honorius Didymus
Didymus
Didymus may refer to:* Thomas the Apostle or "Didymus", both names meaning "twin" in Aramaic and Greek respectively, is the most well-known Didymus due to his role in early Christian history* Didymus Chalcenterus Didymus may refer to:* Thomas the Apostle or "Didymus", both names meaning "twin" in...
and Verenianus, had rebelled. Gerontius, who was the actual commander-in-chief of the troops, fought the rebels in two battles. In the first he was defeated, but in the second he won an important victory in Lusitania
Lusitania
Lusitania or Hispania Lusitania was an ancient Roman province including approximately all of modern Portugal south of the Douro river and part of modern Spain . It was named after the Lusitani or Lusitanian people...
, where he had recalled some troops from Gaul, and captured the rebel chiefs.
While Constantine returned to Gaul with the prisoners, Gerontius remained in Spain, controlling the local troops.
Usurpation of Maximus
In late spring 409, Gerontius rebelled against Constantine III, appointing emperor MaximusMaximus of Hispania
Maximus, also called Maximus Tiranus, was Roman usurper in Hispania . He had been elected by general Gerontius, who might have been his father....
, one of his relatives of collaborators. He moved to Tarraco
Tarraco
Tarraco is the ancient name of the current city of Tarragona . During the Roman Empire was one of the major cities of the Iberian Peninsula and capital of the Roman province called Hispania Citerior or Hispania Tarraconensis. The full name of the city at the time of the Roman Republic was Colonia...
, but he had to leave the city to counter Constans' invasion. Constantine had just appointed Constans augustus and sent him in Hispania with loyal troops to suppress Gerontius' rebellion. The reasons for Gerontius' rebellion are unclear. It is possible that Constans' elevation to the throne was a result of Gerontius' rebellion, but it is also possible that the general rebelled just because of Constans' appointment.
In order to contrast Constantine, Gerontius allied with the Franks
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
who had occupied Gaul in 407. The Frankish revolt occupied Constantine, who had to lower his pression over Gerontius; but alter the Franks and their allies entered Hispania, and become a problem of Gerontius'.
He spent the year 410 defending himself against Constans, in 411 Gerontius succeeded besieging the young augustus in Vienne, defeating, capturing and killing him. He then moved on Arelate, where he put under siege Constantine. Before Constantine surrendered, however, Honorius' general Constantius
Constantius III
Flavius Constantius , commonly known as Constantius III, was Western Roman Emperor for seven months in 421. A prominent general and politician, he was the power behind the throne for much of the 410s, and in 421 briefly became co-emperor of the Western Empire with Honorius.- Early life and rise to...
arrived from Italy with an army. Being at the same time besiegers and besieged, the greatest part of Gerontius' soldiers deserted him and went to Constantius, so that Gerontius had to flee with few loyal supporters in Hispania.
When the Spanish troops knew of Gerontius' defeat, they decided to get rid of him. According to Sozomen
Sozomen
Salminius Hermias Sozomenus was a historian of the Christian church.-Family and Home:He was born around 400 in Bethelia, a small town near Gaza, into a wealthy Christian family of Palestine....
, the Spanish troops blocked Gerontius and his collaborators in a house. Gerontius kept the aggressors away hitting them with arrows from the roof of the house, but when the arrows ended, the soldiers put the house to fire. Even if he could have fled, he refused to do so in order to die with his wife. He first killed his wife had his loyal Alan collaborator and then killed himself.
Sources
- Kulikowski, Michael, Late Roman Spain and Its Cities, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004, ISBN 0801879787, p. 157-160.