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''For another saint called ''Theodosius the Great'' living in the fifth-sixth centuries, see [[Theodosius the Great (cenobiarchCenobiarch)]].''
The holy and right-believing Emperor '''Theodosius I''', also called '''Theodosius the Great''', was the last emperor who ruled over both the eastern and western portions of the Roman Empire. He ruled from 379 to 395. Theodosius I is also known for making Christianity the official state religion of the Roman Empire. He was a strong defender of the Orthodox Christian faith and is a [[saint]]. His [[feast day]] is celebrated on [[January 17]].
==Life==
Flavius Theodosius was born on [[January 11]], 347, in Cauca (modern Coca) in the Roman province of Spain, the son of Comes Theodosius (the elder) and Thermantia, who both were Orthodox Christians. He married Aelia Flacilla, by whom he had three children: two sons, [[Arcadius ]] and Honorius (his future successors), and a daughter, Pulcheria. Aelia Flacilla (also ''Placilla'' or ''Plakilla'') is commemorated as a saint on [[September 14]]. Both Aelia and Pulcheria died in 385. After Aelia's death, Theodosius married Galla, the daughter of Valentinian I, by whom he had a daughter, Galla Placidia, the mother of Valentinian III.
As the son of a senior Roman military officer, Flavius Theodosius accompanied his father to Britannia to quell the Great Conspiracy in 368. In 374, he became the military commander (Dux) of Moesia on the lower Danube River, where he distinguished himself in battles with the Sarmatians. At about the same time that his father suffered disgrace and was executed in 375, Theodosius retired to his estates in Spain, apparently fearing further persecution because of his family ties. But his reputation was not forgotten.
==Trinitarian Christianity==
While born into a Christian family, Theodosius was not [[baptize]]d until 380, when a serious sickness in [[Thessalonica ]] brought him to make the decision. He was baptized by the Orthodox bishop of Thessalonica, Ascholios, after assuring himself that the [[bishop]] was not an [[Arianism|Arian]]. From the start of his reign, a considerable part of Theodosius’ activities were spent defending the Orthodox faith and suppressing Arianism. In February 380, he joined with Gratian in a edict declaring that all subjects of their domains should profess the Orthodox faith. Upon entering Constantinople, Theodosius began to expel the Arian party from their hold there. St. [[Gregory the Theologian|Gregory of Nazianzus]] was elected patriarch of [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]] by the [[Second Ecumenical Council]], which had been called into session in 381 to deal with a number of issues, including the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed|Creed]], various [[heretic]]s, and the order of honor among the patriarchates.
During his reign Theodosius, while holding strictly to the [[Trinity|Trinitarian]] position of the first two Ecumenical Councils, attempted to be conciliatory with the heretical parties but was not successful. In 388, against the remnants of the pagans, Theodosius took severe measures, sending prefects throughout the Middle East, destroying temples and disrupting pagan associations. In 391, Theodosius refused the restoration of the Altar of Victory in the Roman senate. He also put an end to the Olympic games.
title= Roman Emperor|
years=347-395|
after=[[Arcadius ]] eastern emperor<br>Honorius western emperor}}
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[[Category:Rulers]]
[[Category:Roman Emperors]]
[[Category:4th-century saints]]
[[ro:Teodosie cel Mare (împărat)]]