Editing Valentinian II (section)

==Death==
[[File:Disc of Theodosius (Valentinian II).png|thumb|upright|Valentinian II on the [[Missorium of Theodosius I]]; AD 388]]

On 15 May 392, Valentinian was found hanged in his residence in Vienne. Arbogast maintained that the emperor's death was [[suicide]].{{Sfn|Williams|Friell|1994|p=127}} Many sources believe, however, that the general had him murdered; ancient authorities were divided in their opinion. Some modern scholars lean toward suicide.{{sfn|Croke|1976|p=244}} McEvoy, Williams and Friell asserted that Arbogast had little reason to change his situation,{{sfn|McEvoy|2013|p=97}}{{Sfn|Williams|Friell|1994|p=127}} while McLynn observed how no one benefitted from the emperor's death.{{sfn|McLynn|1994|p=336}} Ambrose's eulogy is the only contemporary Western source for Valentinian's death.<ref>''De obitu Valentiniani consolatio''</ref> It is ambiguous on the question of the emperor's death, which is not surprising, as Ambrose represents him as a model of Christian virtue. Suicide, not murder, would make the bishop dissemble on this key question.<ref>{{Citation | others = JHWG Liebeschuetz, tr | first = Ambrose | last = of Milan | title = Political Letters and Speeches | publisher = Liverpool University Press | year = 2005 | page = 359}}</ref>

The young man's body was conveyed in ceremony to Milan for burial by Ambrose, mourned by his sisters Justa and Grata.{{Sfn|Williams|Friell|1994|p=127}}{{sfn|Johnson|1991|p=503}} He was laid in a [[Porphyry (geology)|porphyry]] [[sarcophagus]] next to his brother Gratian, most probably in the Chapel of Sant'Aquilino attached to [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Milan#Chapel of Saint Aquilino|San Lorenzo]].{{efn|The bottom of the sarcophagus may be identical to a porphyry tub (''labrum'') now in the Duomo of Milan.{{sfn|Johnson|1991|p=503}}}} He was deified with the {{Langx|la|Divae Memoriae Valentinianus|links=no|lit=Valentinian of Divine Memory|label=''consecratio''}}.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kienast|first=Dietmar|title=Römische Kaisertabelle: Grundzüge einer römischen Kaiserchronologie|publisher=Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft|year=2017|isbn=978-3-534-26724-8|place=Darmstadt|pages=321–322|chapter=Valentinianus II|ref={{sfnref|Kienast}}|orig-year=1990|language=de}}</ref>

At first Arbogast recognized Theodosius's son Arcadius as emperor in the West, seemingly surprised by his charge's death.{{Sfnm | 1a1=Croke | 1y=1976 | 1p = 244 | 2a1=Hebblewhite | 2y=2020 | 2pp = 230–235}}  After three months, during which he had no communication from Theodosius, Arbogast selected an imperial official, [[Eugenius]], as emperor. Theodosius initially tolerated this regime but, in January 393, elevated the eight-year-old Honorius as ''augustus'' to succeed Valentinian II. Civil war ensued and, in 394, Theodosius defeated Eugenius and Arbogast at the [[Battle of the Frigidus]].<ref name="Eugenius"/>