Editing Joannes

{{short description|Western Roman emperor from 423 to 425}}
{{redirect|Ioannes|other people with the name|Ioannes (given name)}}
{{for-multi|the American fabric and craft store|Jo-Ann Stores|the American furniture retailer|JoAnne's Bed and Back}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Joannes
| image        = Solidus of Joannes.png
| image_size   = 250px
| alt          = 
| caption      = ''[[Solidus (coin)|Solidus]]'' of Joannes marked:<br/>{{Smallcaps|{{Abbreviation|d·n·|DOMINUS NOSTER}} iohannes {{Abbreviation|p·f·|PIUS FELIX}} {{Abbreviation|aug·|AUGUSTUS}}}}
| succession   = [[Roman emperor]] in the [[Western Roman Empire|West]]
| moretext     = <br/>(unrecognized in the [[Byzantine Empire|East]])
| reign        = 20 November 423 – May 425
| regent       = [[Theodosius II]]
| reg-type     = [[Eastern Roman Empire|Eastern]] emperor
| predecessor  = [[Honorius (emperor)|Honorius]]
| successor    = [[Valentinian III]]
| birth_date   = 
| birth_place  = 
| death_date   = {{circa}} May 425
| death_place  = [[Aquileia]]
| burial_place = 
| issue        = 
| full name    = Iohannes
| regnal name  = 
| occupation   = 
}}
'''Joannes''' or '''John''' ({{langx|la|Iohannes}}; died 425) was [[Western Roman Empire|Western Roman emperor]] from 423 to 425.

On the death of the Western emperor [[Honorius (emperor)|Honorius]], [[Theodosius II]], the last remaining ruler of the [[Theodosian dynasty]], did not immediately announce a successor. In the ''[[interregnum]]'', the [[Patrician (ancient Rome)|patrician]] [[Castinus]] elevated Joannes as emperor. Theodosius refused to accept the decision, and deposed Joannes in a civil war.

== History ==
Joannes was a ''[[primicerius notariorum]]'' or senior civil servant at the time of his elevation. [[Procopius]] praised him as "both gentle and well-endowed with sagacity and thoroughly capable of valorous deeds."<ref>[[Procopius]], [https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/procopius-vandals.asp ''De Bellus'' III.3.6.] Translated by H.B. Dewing, ''Procopius'' (Cambridge: Loeb Classical Library, 1979), vol. 2 p. 25</ref>

From the beginning, his control over the empire was insecure. His [[praetorian prefect]] was slain in [[Gaul]] by an uprising of the soldiery at [[Arles]],<ref name=":0">Oost, Stewart (1968). ''Galla Placidia Augusta: A biographical essay''. Chicago: University Press, pp. 186–189ff.</ref> and [[Bonifacius]], ''[[comes]]'' of the [[Diocese of Africa]], held back the grain fleet destined to [[Rome]].<ref>[[Olympiodorus of Thebes|Olympiodorus]], fragment 40. Translated by C.D. Gordon, ''Age of Attila: Fifth Century Byzantium and the Barbarians'' (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 1966), pp. 44f</ref>

"The events of Johannes' reign are as shadowy as its origins," writes [[John Matthews (historian)|John Matthews]], who then provides a list of the ruler's known actions in a single paragraph. Joannes was proclaimed at Rome and praetorian games were provided at the expense of a member of the [[Anicia gens]]. Johannes then moved his base of operations to [[Ravenna]], knowing full well that the [[Eastern Empire]] would strike from that direction. There is a mention of an expedition against Africa, but its fate, presumed unsuccessful, is unrecorded. In Gaul, he appears to have caused offense by submitting clerics to secular courts.<ref>Matthews, John (1990). ''Western Aristocracies and Imperial Court AD 364–425''. Oxford: Clarendon Press, pp. 379f.</ref>

Joannes had hoped that he could come to an agreement with the Eastern Emperor, but when [[Theodosius II]] elevated the young [[Valentinian III]] to ''[[Caesar (title)|caesar]]'' (undoubtedly influenced by Valentinian's mother [[Galla Placidia]]), he knew he could only expect war. Late in 424, he gave to one of his younger and most promising followers, [[Aetius (general)|Aëtius]], an important mission. Aëtius, governor of the Palace at the time, was sent to the [[Huns]], with whom he had lived as a hostage earlier, to seek military help.<ref>Renatus Frigeridus, cited in [[Gregory of Tours]], ''Decem Libri Historiarum'', II.8; translated by Lewis Thorpe, ''History of the Franks'' (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1974), pp. 118f</ref>

While Aëtius was away, the army of the Eastern Empire left [[Thessalonica]] for [[Italy (Roman Empire)|Italy]], and soon camped in [[Aquileia]]. Although the primary sources state that Ravenna fell to their assault – [[John of Antioch (chronicler)|John of Antioch]] states that a [[shepherd]] led the army of [[Aspar]] safely through the marshes that protected the city.<ref>John of Antioch, fragment 195; translated by C.D. Gordon, ''Age of Attila'', p. 47</ref> Aspar's father, [[Ardabur (consul 427)|Ardaburius]], who had been captured by Joannes' soldiers, may have convinced the garrison of Ravenna to betray the city.<ref name=":0" /> The fallen emperor was brought to Aquileia where first [[Political mutilation in Byzantine culture|his hand was cut off]], then he was paraded on a [[donkey]] in the [[Hippodrome]] to the insults of the populace. After further insults and injuries, Joannes was finally decapitated in mid 425.<ref>Procopius, III.3.9; translated by Dewing, pp. 75ff</ref> His death is sometimes dated to May or June, probably on the basis two laws in the ''[[Codex Theodosianus]]'' issued by Theodosius II on 5 May 425.<ref>[https://www.thelatinlibrary.com/theodosius/theod15.shtml Codex Theodosianus] in [[The Latin Library]].</ref>

Three days after Joannes's death, Aëtius returned at the head of a substantial Hunnic army. After some skirmishing, Placidia, [[regent]] to her son, and Aëtius came to an agreement that established the political landscape of the [[Western Roman Empire]] for the next thirty years. The Huns were paid off and sent home, while Aetius received the position of ''[[magister militum]]'' ([[commander-in-chief]] of the [[Roman army]]).<ref name=":0" /> The historian [[Adrian Goldsworthy]] writes that "it took a hard-fought campaign by strong elements of the [[East Roman]] army and navy, in addition to a fair dose of betrayal," to defeat Joannes.<ref>[[Adrian Goldsworthy|Goldsworthy, Andrian]] (2010). ''The Fall of the West: The Slow Death of the Roman Superpower''. Orion Books Ltd, Paperback Edition. London, pp. 305 and 436.</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== Further reading ==
{{Commons category|Ioannes}}
* Hugh Elton (1999), [https://web.archive.org/web/20220324051622/https://www.roman-emperors.org/westemp5.htm#Note%209 "Ioannes"], ''[[De Imperatoribus Romanis]]''
* {{cite book |last=Martindale |first=J. R. |title=[[Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire]] |date=1980 |isbn=9780521201599 |volume=II |pages=594–595 |chapter=Ioannes |publisher=Cambridge University Press |author-link=John Robert Martindale |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/prosopography-later-roman-empire/PLRE-II/page/594}}

{{s-start}}
{{S-reg}}
{{S-bef
| before = [[Honorius (emperor)|Honorius]]
}}
{{s-ttl
| title = Western [[List of Roman emperors|Roman emperor]]
| years = 423–425
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{{S-aft
| after = [[Valentinian III]]
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{{s-off}}
{{s-bef
| before = [[Castinus]]
| before2 = Victor
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{{s-ttl
| title = [[Roman consul]]
| years = 425
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{{s-aft
| after = [[Theodosius II|Theodosius Augustus]]
| after2 = [[Valentinian III|Valentinian Caesar]]
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{{s-end}}

{{Roman emperors}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:425 deaths]]
[[Category:4th-century Christians]]
[[Category:5th-century Christians]]
[[Category:5th-century Western Roman emperors]]
[[Category:5th-century murdered monarchs]]
[[Category:5th-century western Roman consuls]]
[[Category:Executed Roman emperors]]
[[Category:People executed by decapitation]]
[[Category:People executed by the Roman Empire]]
[[Category:Ancient Romans from unknown gentes]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]