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What caused the massacre of Thessalonica in 390?
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Theodosius I
Theodosius I, portrait on a gold coin from Mediolanum, Italy 378–383.
The massacre of Thessalonica in 390 was triggered by the murder of one of Theodosius I’s generals in the city. In response to this killing, the emperor issued an order for brutal retaliation against the local population.1
Although Theodosius later attempted to rescind the order, the command arrived too late, resulting in a horrific massacre of the city's inhabitants. Following the event, Bishop Ambrose of Milan condemned the emperor's actions and required him to perform public penance before he was readmitted to communion at Christmas 390.1