Directory

398 CE

Eutropius, Roman general (magister militum), celebrates his victory over the Huns ("the wolves of the North") in a parade through Constantinople (see 395). An imperial edict obliges Roman landowners with plantations to yield 1/3 of their fields to the "barbarians" who have been settled in the Roman Empire. Augustine of Hippo completes his Confessions, an autobiography that recounts his intellectual and spiritual development.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • Revolt of Alaric I: After Stilicho returns to Italy, the Eastern Roman Empire concludes a peace treaty with Alaric. The Visigoths are given a settlement area in Illyricum and their king is appointed magister militum per Illyricum.source
  • An imperial edict obliges Roman landowners with plantations to yield 1/3 of their fields to the "barbarians" who have been settled in the Roman Empire.source

Conflict & Security

  • Gildonic Revolt: Gildo, a Berber serving as a high-ranking official (comes) in Mauretania, rebels against the Western Roman Empire. The Gildonic Revolt is instigated by a powerful official in the Eastern Roman Empire named Eutropius, who wishes to undermine his enemies in the Western Roman Empire by cutting off the grain supply to Rome. After Gildo takes much of North Africa and cuts off the grain supply to Rome, Flavius Stilicho returns to Italy to raise troops against the rebels. After a short campaign in the desert, he defeats Gildo. Gildo flees and commits suicide by hanging himself.source
  • Eutropius, Roman general (magister militum), celebrates his victory over the Huns ("the wolves of the North") in a parade through Constantinople (see 395).source
  • Possible date for the Second Pictish War.source

Religion & Belief

  • John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, receives a delegation of clergy who want to close the pagan temples at Gaza (Palestine) where worshippers are openly defying the law. John works through the eunuch Eutropius, who has great power over emperor Arcadius, and within a week an imperial Constitution is issued closing the Roman temples, but the official appointed to execute this order is bribed.source
  • Augustine of Hippo completes his Confessions, an autobiography that recounts his intellectual and spiritual development.source

Culture & Society

  • Emperor Honorius marries Stilicho's daughter Maria.source

Births

  • Fan Ye, Chinese historian (d. 445)source

Deaths

  • May 27 – Murong Bao, emperor of the Xianbei state Later Yan (b. 355)source
  • August 15 – Lan Han, official of the Xianbei state Lan Yansource
  • Nectarius, archbishop of Constantinoplesource
  • Didymus the Blind, Alexandrian theologiansource
  • Murong Lin, Chinese prince of the Xianbei state Later Yansource
  • Gildo, Moorish prince and comes Africae (governor)source
  • Murong Nong, Chinese prince of the Xianbei state Later Yansource