The Fall of the Usurper John

When the emperor Honorius died, Theodosius, who was now sole ruler, received the news but kept the truth hidden as long as he could, misleading the people first with one report and then with another. In private, however, he sent a military force to Salona, a city of Dalmatia, so that if there were any revolt in the West, the means to check it would be at hand. After making these arrangements in advance, he at last announced his uncle’s death openly. Meanwhile John, the chief of the emperor’s secretaries, not content with the high rank he had already reached, seized the supreme power. He sent an embassy to the emperor Theodosius asking to be recognized as his colleague in the empire. But Theodosius first had the ambassadors arrested, and then sent out Ardaburius, the commander-in-chief of the army, who had won great distinction in the Persian war. Ardaburius came to Salona and set sail from there for Aquileia. He was thought to be fortunate, but as it later appeared, fortune was against him. For a contrary wind arose, and he was driven into the usurper’s hands. Having seized him, the usurper grew more confident that the emperor, under the pressure of events, would be led to choose him and proclaim him emperor in order to save the life of his commander-in-chief. And the emperor was indeed greatly distressed when he heard of it, as was the army that had been sent against the usurper, for fear that Ardaburius would be badly treated by him. [a]

Aspar, the son of Ardaburius, learned that his father was in the usurper’s power. He also knew that the rebels’ side had been strengthened by huge numbers of barbarians who had joined it, and he did not know what to do. Then once again, at this crisis, the prayer of the devout emperor prevailed. For an angel of God, in the form of a shepherd, took charge of Aspar and the troops with him and led him through the lake near Ravenna, for the usurper was then living in that city and was holding the commander there. No one had ever been known to cross that lake on foot before, but God then made passable what had always been impassable. So, having crossed the lake as if over dry ground, they found the city gates open and overpowered the usurper.

This event gave that most devout emperor a chance to show his devotion to God once more. The news that the usurper had been destroyed arrived while he was watching the games in the Hippodrome, and at once he said to the people: “Come now, if you please, let us leave these amusements and go to the church to offer thanks to God, whose hand has overthrown the usurper.” That is what he said to them. At once the shows were abandoned and forgotten, and all the people left the circus singing praises together with him, as with one heart and one voice. When they reached the church, the whole city again became one congregation, and once inside the church they spent the rest of the day in these acts of worship.