Editing Gratian (section)

== Early life ==
[[File:Marble head of a Young Gratian. C. late 4th century A.D..png|alt=A marble head of a Young Gratian. C. late 4th century A.D.|thumb|Marble head of a young Gratian.<ref name=W>{{Cite book |last=Weitzmann |first=Kurt |url=https://libmma.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15324coll10/id/155820 |title=Age of Spirituality: Late Antique and Early Christian Ar |publisher=[[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]|date=1977 |pages=25}}</ref>]]
According to the ''[[Chronicon (Jerome)|Chronicle of Jerome]]'' and the ''[[Chronicon Paschale]]'', Valentinian's eldest son Gratian was born on 18 April 359 at [[Sirmium]], now [[Sremska Mitrovica]] in Serbia, the capital of [[Pannonia Secunda]], to Valentinian's first wife [[Marina Severa]].{{sfn|Lenski|2002|p=50}}{{sfn|Vanderspoel|1995|p=183}} Gratian was his parents' only son together.{{sfn|Lenski|2002|p=50}}{{sfn|Vanderspoel|1995|p=183}} At the time of his birth Gratian's father was living in exile.{{sfn|Tomlin|1973|p=14}} Gratian was named after his grandfather [[Gratianus Funarius|Gratianus]], who was a [[Military tribune|tribune]] and later [[Comes Britanniarum|''comes'' of Britannia]] for [[Constantine the Great]].{{sfn|Tomlin|1973|p=1}}

Following the death of the emperor [[Jovian (emperor)|Jovian]], on 26 February 364, Valentinian was proclaimed ''[[Augustus (title)|Augustus]]'' (emperor).{{sfn|Lee|2013|p=21}} Within a month, motivated by senior officers, he proclaimed his brother Valens, Gratian's uncle, ''Augustus'' of the Eastern empire.{{sfn|Lee|2013|p=21}} Gratian was appointed [[Roman consul|consul]] in 366 and was entitled ''[[Nobilissimus|nobilissimus puer]]'' by his father.{{efn|''noblest boy''|name=|group=}}{{sfn|Lenski|2002|p=90}} Gratian was seven when entitled ''nobilissimus puer'', which indicated he was to be proclaimed ''Augustus''.{{sfn|Lenski|2002|p=90}} His tutor was the [[wiktionary:rhetor|rhetor]] [[Ausonius]], who mentioned the relationship in his epigrams and a poem.{{sfn|McEvoy|2013|p=107}}