User:Kansas Bear/Battle of Save

The Battle of Poetovio was fought in 388 between the forces of Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus and the Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius I. Magnus Maximus's army was defeated. Maximus was later captured and executed at Aquileia.

Background
Following the death of Emperor Valentinian I, his son Gratian, already co-emperor assumes the role of Emperor of the Western Roman Empire, while his other son, a child of four, Valentinian II is proclaimed Emperor yet holds no authority. On 19 January 379, following the death of Emperor Valens at the Battle of Adrianople months before, Gratian appoints Theodosius as Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. Theodosius sets about containing the incursions by Goths into the empire.

In 383, Magnus Maximus is proclaimed Emperor in Roman Britain. Gratian, in the midst of campaigning against the Alemanni, hears of the revolt and starts marching his army towards Paris. Maximus quickly transports his army across the channel, landing at the mouth of the Rhine, and by the time Gratian arrives at Paris, Maximus is waiting. After a five day skirmish, Gratian's army deserts him. He flees, and is later murdered.

In 387, the eastern Roman empire experiences a general uprising following Theodosius's edict to raise taxes. Taking advantage of riots in the major cities in the eastern Roman empire, Maximus invades Italy. Valentinian II and his court flee, first to Aquileia, then to Salonica to seek the protection of Theodosius.

The Battle
Theodosius greeted the imperial court of Valentinian at Salonica. Faced with the choice of avoiding a civil war or supporting Valentinian, Theodosius chose Valentinian.(Elton, 142) Theodosius took his time gathering Alans, Goths, Huns, and Armenians into his army.(Elton, 143) He planned to attack Maximus in Sicily, Italy, while marching with the main army into Pannonia.(Elton, 143) Along with his three-prong attack on Maximus's territory, Theodosius also stationed a sizable force in Egypt, due to demonstrations in favour of Maximus.

Maximus, in the meantime, had advanced his army to Siscia, blocking Theodosius's advance into Italy. Theodosius I arrived with a strong force consisting of Goths, Huns and Alans as cavalry.

A brief battle at Siscia occurred between the two armies. Theodosius's barbarian cavalry charged across the Sava river directly at Maximus's forces. Maximus's forces broke and ran, being massacred by Theodosian cavalry.

Theodosius continued his march and met Maximus's army under the command of his brother, Marcellinus, at Poetovio. The following day, the battle

After his decisive victory Theodosius, following in swift pursuit, besieged the tyrant in his refuge of Aquilia, a fortress west of the Julian Alps. The garrison soon surrendered, delivering Maximus in chains to Theodosius. The death of Maximus (July 28th), and of his son Victor (captured and executed by Arbogastes), brought the civil war to a swift conclusion.