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Why did Augustine travel to Milan in 384?

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St. Ambrose Image of St. Ambrose, detail from a stained-glass window in a Roman Catholic church in Antwerp, Belgium.

Augustine traveled to Milan in 384 to serve as the imperial professor of rhetoric.1

At that time, Milan served as the de facto capital of the Western Roman Empire and was the customary residence of the emperor, making it a prime location for professional advancement. Augustine, who had previously taught in Rome, sought this prestigious appointment with the expectation that it would lead to a lucrative career, potentially including a provincial governorship.1