Stilicho
FLAVIUS, a Vandal of great genius and bravery, who distinguished_himself at the declining period of the Roman empire, was advanced to the highest dignities of the state by Theodosius the Great, and married Serena, the emperor's adopted daughter, besides being intrusted in 394 with the guardianship of his two sons, Arcadius and Honorius. On the division of the empire, Stilicho became virtual governor of the West, in the character of first minister to Honorius, while the same power in the East was exercised by Rufinus, under Arcadius, the other emperor. The military genius of Stilicho, after this period, was exhibited in the reduction of Africa which had been led into a revolt by Eutropius the successor of Rufinus at the Eastern court, and subsequently in the great contests with Alaric and Radagaisus. In the year 403 he routed the former near Verona, and in 406 put the hosts of the latter to flight and killed their commander. While Stilicho lived he sustained the fortunes of the Roman name, but he was accused of having a secret understanding with Alaric, and was treacherously put to death in 408. The wives and children of 30,000 Germans who were in his service were massacred at the same time.