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Luca Flavius

Luca "the Builder" Flavius (324 AD-406 AD) was the Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire from 401 AD until his death in 406 AD, succeeding Theodosius I and preceding Jovinus the Philosopher. He formerly served as Magister Militum (War Theatre Commander) and Governor of Sirmium (Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia) in Pannonia.

Biography[]

Luca Flavius was the third son of Valens Flavius, and was the husband of Fausta. A superb administrator, Flavius was made Magister Militum (War Theatre Commander or "Strategos") of the Eastern Roman Empire. He governed the city of Sirmium in Pannonia, and guarded against any Marcomani attacks. Under his rule, he destroyed the Temple of Mithras in Sirmium and built a Christian Abbey in its place.

In 375 AD, Lucas Flavius was besieged in Sirmium by Skunxa and Eminos, two Sarmatians that had invaded the empire with large hordes, and he won against all odds. He repelled the Sarmatian invading army with heavy losses, and Pannonia remained under Byzantine control. In 382 AD, he conquered Colonia Dacia from the rebel Ostrogoths, adding present-day Romania to Eastern Empire lands.

In 400 AD, Luca Flavius planned an invasion of Italy in order to restore the rule of the Roman empire over the Western Roman rebels. In 401 AD he captured Ravenna, when he found out that Emperor Theodosius I had died. He was crowned as the Eastern Roman Augustus in Ravenna, and proceeded to capture Rome in 402 AD. Luca united central and southern Italy with his conquest of Tarentum, and he made plans to capture the Kingdom of Narbonensis' cities of Mediolanium and Arles to the north and the Sicilian city of Syracuse. 

In 406 AD, however, Luca died before his plans came to fruition. He left Tarentum's docks with a fleet and a large army, but a fleet of pirates attacked his navy and destroyed it. Luca himself was drowned when his ship was sunk, and it would be over twenty years before the Western Roman rebels were quelled.

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