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Why did Theodosius I proclaim his son Honorius Augustus in 393?
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Theodosius I
Theodosius I, portrait on a gold coin from Mediolanum, Italy 378–383.
Theodosius I elevated his son Honorius to the rank of Augustus in January 393 to demonstrate that he would no longer tolerate any emperor other than himself and his sons.1
This action was a direct response to the political crisis following the death of Valentinian II in 392, after which the general Arbogast proclaimed the rhetoric teacher Eugenius as emperor of the West. By naming Honorius as Augustus, Theodosius signaled his refusal to recognize the legitimacy of the usurper and asserted his dynastic authority over the entire empire.1