The Office of "Magister Militum" in the 4th Century CE: A Study Into the Impact of Political and Military Leadership on the Later Roman Empire

This monograph presents a novel investigation of the magistri militum, the highest-ranking officers within the late Roman army. It posits that between 340 and 395 CE, specific magistri seized opportune moments, notably during the political voids following emperors' deaths, to reshape the character of their office and expand its pivotal role in the military-political sphere. This transformation played a decisive role in the eventual dissolution of the Western Roman Empire. Furthermore, the study employs the prosopographical method to reevaluate previous scholarship regarding the proportion of barbarian and Roman generals. Notably, the research posits that the balance between Roman and non-Roman officers was far more equitably distributed than hitherto conjectured. Additionally, prosopography is used to reconstruct the fourth-century cursus honorum. Finally, this work utilizes the analytical framework of social network analysis, predicated upon the application of mathematical equations and formulae to elucidate the intricate dynamics of positive and negative relationships. The findings of this study furnish valuable insights and prospects for further research. Titel 4 Impressum 5 Preface 6 Acknowledgments 8 Table of Contents 10 List of Tables and Figures 12 Introduction 14 State of the Question 19 Sources 25 Chapter One: The Magistri Militum from 341 to 363 CE 29 1.1.Introduction 29 1.2.The First Attested Magistri 33 1.3.Two Magisterial Usurpers 37 1.4.Ammianus’ Account of Some Magistri Militum 54 1.5.Julian’s Western Roman Empire 61 1.6.Julian and Jovian as Sole Emperors, 361 to 364 CE 68 Chapter Two: The Magistri Militum from 364 to 395 CE 77 2.1.Introduction 77 2.2.Valentinian’s Western Empire 79 2.3.Valens’ Eastern Empire 89 2.4.Crisis along the Danube 94 2.5.Civil War 383–388 105 2.6.Civil War 392–394: The Rise and Fall of Arbogast 112 Chapter Three: The Networks of the Magistri Militum 123 3.1.Introduction 123 3.2.Silvanus’ Rebellion: The Strengths and Weaknesses of Complicated Networks 129 3.3.Competitive Cliques and their Leaders 134 3.4.Conclusion 147 Chapter Four: The Prosopography of the Magistri Militum 149 4.1.Introduction 149 4.2.The Fourth-Century Career Path and the Hierarchy of Military Offices 151 4.2.1.Introduction 151 4.2.2.Survey 154 4.2.3.Discussion 165 4.3.The Identity of the Magistri Militum: Barbarian, Roman, or Something in Between? 172 4.3.1.Introduction 172 4.3.2.Survey 190 4.3.3.Discussion 198 Conclusion 202 Bibliography 208 Abbreviations and Ancient Sources 208 Modern Scholarship 214 Register 232