Merobaudes (general)

Flavius Merobaudes (died 383 or 388) was a Roman general of Frankish origin.

Biography

Merobaudes was an official of Roman Emperor Julian (361-363). He was entrusted with the transportation of the corpse of the Emperor when Julian died during his military campaign against the Sasanids.

Around 375, Emperor Valentinian I appointed Merobaudes magister peditum.^[1] After Valentinian I's death in that same year, Merobaudes stated that he could control the army only if Valentinian's son, Valentinian II, was to be appointed Emperor. Valentinian II ruled together with his brother Gratian, and Merobaudes influenced both of them.

Merobaudes was twice consul, in 377 with Gratian and in 383 with Saturninus. This is a sign of great honour, as multiple consulates have been reserved to members of the imperial family since Constantine I's time. Merobaudes probably supported the corrupt governor Romanus, and Romanus was found not guilty.

In 378 Merobaudes disobeyed Gratian, as he did not send his troops to help Eastern Emperor Valens when he was defending the frontier from the Alemanni attack; Valens then died in the Battle of Adrianople.

According to ancient sources, in 383 Merobaudes supported the usurper Magnus Maximus and was put to death by the Emperor. Modern historians, however, downplay Merobaudes' role in Maximus' usurpation. Even his death in 383 is in doubt, as an inscription mentions a third consulate of his in 388, even if a panegyric by Pacatus records his death, probably suicide. He was probably buried in Treveri.

Bibliography

• Jones, Arnold Hugh Martin, John Robert Martindale, John Morris, Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, volume 1, Cambridge University Press, 1992, ISBN 0-521-07233-6
• Helmut Reimitz, "Merobaudes", Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde, volume 20, 2001, p. 572f.

References