‪Gratian (pron.: /ˈɡreɪʃən/; Latin: Flavius Gratianus Augustus;[1] 18 April/23 May 359 – 25 August 383) was Roman Emperor from 375 to 383. The eldest son of Valentinian I, during his youth Gratian accompanied his father on several campaigns along the Rhine and Danube frontiers. Upon the death of Valentinian in 375, Gratian's brother Valentinian II was declared emperor by his father's soldiers. In 378, Gratian's generals won a decisive victory over the Lentienses, a branch of the Alamanni, at the Battle of Argentovaria. Gratian subsequently led a campaign across the Rhine, the last emperor to do so, and attacked the Lentienses, forcing the tribe to surrender. That same year, his uncle Valens was killed in the Battle of Adrianople against the Goths – making Gratian essentially ruler of the entire Roman Empire. He favoured Christianity over traditional Roman religion, refusing the divine attributes of the Emperors and removing the Altar of Victory from the Roman Senate.‬



‪Empire and Orthodox Christianity‬

‪The reign of Gratian forms an important epoch in ecclesiastical history, since during that period Orthodox Christianity for the first time became dominant throughout the empire.‬
‪Gratian also published an edict that all their subjects should profess the faith of the bishops of Rome and Alexandria (i.e., the Nicene faith). The move was mainly thrust at the various beliefs that had arisen out of Arianism, but smaller dissident sects, such as the Macedonians, were also prohibited.‬

‪Suppression of Paganism‬

‪Gratian, under the influence of his chief advisor the Bishop of Milan Ambrose,[4][5] took active steps to repress Pagan worship.[6][7] This brought to an end a period of widespread, if unofficial, religious tolerance that had existed since the time of Julian.[8] "In the long truce between the hostile camps", writes historian Samuel Dill "the pagan, the sceptic, even the formal, the lukewarm Christian, may have come to dream of a mutual toleration which would leave the ancient forms undisturbed but such men, living in a world of literary and antiquarian illusions, know little of the inner forces of the new Christian movement."[9][10]‬

‪In 382, Gratian appropriated the income of the Pagan priests and Vestal Virgins, forbade legacies of real property to them and abolished other privileges belonging to the Vestals and to the pontiffs. He confiscated the personal possessions of the colleges of Pagan priests, which also lost all their privileges and immunities. Gratian declared that all of the Pagan temples and shrines were to be confiscated by the government and that their revenues were to be joined to the property of the royal treasury.[11]‬

‪He ordered another removal of the Altar of Victory from the Senate House at Rome, despite protests of the pagan members of the Senate, and confiscated its revenues.[12][13] Pagan Senators responded by sending an appeal to Gratian, reminding him that he was still the Pontifex Maximus and that it was his duty to see that the Pagan rites were properly performed. They appealed to Gratian to restore the Altar of Victory and the rights and privileges of the Vestal Virgins and priestly colleges. Gratian, at the urging of Ambrose, did not grant an audience to the Pagan Senators. In response to being reminded by the Pagans that he was still the head of the ancestral religion, Gratian refused to wear the insignia of the Pontifex Maximus as unbefitting a Christian, renouncing the title and office of Pontifex Maximus under the influence of Ambrose, declaring that it was unsuitable for a Christian to hold this office. Gratian was quickly faced with a revolt from Magnus Maximus to the throne because he was more sympathetic to the Pagan cause.‬

‪Notwithstanding his actions, Gratian was still deified after his death.‬



‪Religion‬

• Tyconius writes a commentary on the Bible's Book of Revelation.‬
• A cathedral is built in Trier (Germany).‬
• The Council of Saragossa is held; Spanish and Aquitanian bishops condemn the teachings of          Priscillianism.‬
• Ambrose introduces popular music into church services.‬
381‬ By place‬

Roman Empire‬

• Emperor Gratian moves the capital to Mediolanum (modern Milan). Because of his Christian beliefs,  he eliminates Pontifex Maximus as Imperial title. Gratian also refuses the robe of office. Insulting the  pagan aristocrats of Rome.‬
• The Gallic city of Cularo is renamed Gratianopolis (later Grenoble). In honor of Gratian to have created a Bishopric.‬