Aegidius (unknown - 464 or 465) was a Gallo-Roman promoted as magister militum in Gaul under Aëtius around 450. He was an ardent supporter of Majorian, whom he helped to gain power. When Majorian lost ground against Ricimer in the chaos of Gaul in the middle of the fifth century Aegidius rebelled and created a Roman rump state that came to be known as the Domain of Soissons.
Career
According to one narrative, Theodoric II King of the Visigoths nominated Avitus, the Roman army commander in Gaul as emperor. When Avitus left for Rome in 455, he appointed Aegidius as his successor. Ricimer soon deposed Avitus and Aegidius refused to recognize the subsequent emperors appointed by Ricimer. A reinforcement of 12,000 fighting men, refugees from Britain, greatly helped Aegidius maintain his position.[1] Aegidius' kingdom was bounded on the north by the Somme River and on the south by the Loire River. On the west it stopped at the border of Brittany and on the east it reached to the Vosges.
Aegidius allied himself with Childeric I, Merovingian king of the Salian Franks of Tournai. According to Gregory of Tours, Aegidius even succeeded the banished Childeric in the latter's kingdom for a while, but Childeric would later return.
The death of Aegidius occurred under unclear circumstances at the Loire in 464 or 465, either by poison or in ambush. One historian says he died of the plague.[2] He was succeeded first by the Comes Paulus, who was killed shortly afterwards by Childeric, and then by his son Syagrius.
There is a tradition, dating from Gildas, that the Britons, having been deprived of Roman military protection after 410, wrote to a "Roman commander Agitus, thrice consul", who may be Aegidius, or, more probably, Aëtius.[3]
References
- ^ Morris, John. The Age of Arthur: A History of the British Isles from 350 to 650. New York: Charles Scribner & Sons, 1973, pp. 88-90
- ^ Morris, John. The Age of Arthur: A History of the British Isles from 350 to 650. New York: Charles Scribner & Sons, 1973, p. 91
- ^ Smith, William (1867), "Aegidius", in Smith, William, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, 1, Boston, pp. 25
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by – |
Ruler of the Domain of Soissons 457 – 464 |
Succeeded by Paulus |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Unknown |
Magister militum of Gaul 450s – 464 |
Succeeded by Syagrius |
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