Italy: Gratian (359-383), 67th Roman emperor, from the book Romanorvm imperatorvm effigies: elogijs ex diuersis scriptoribus per Thomam Treteru S. Mariae Transtyberim canonicum collectis, 1583

Gratian (359-383) was the son of Emperor Valentinian I by his first wife Marina Severa. Gratian became Augustus in 367, but when his father died in 375 and the army proclaimed his half-brother Valentinian II emperor, Gratian was forced to comply and shared administration of the western provinces with his infant sibling and his stepmother, though power was still held by him in reality.

When his uncle Emperor Valens died in 378 during the Gothic War (376-382) after refusing to wait for Gratian to arrive and reinforce him, governance of the eastern portion of the Roman Empire fell to Gratian. Unable to fight the barbarian incursions on his own, he declared Theodosius I co-emperor of the east in 379 and together they drove the Alans, Goths and Huns out of the empire.

Gratian devolved from his initial successes and achievements, becoming an easily manipulated tool of his Frankish general Merobaudes and the bishop St. Ambrose of Milan. He also raised the ire and contempt of Roman troops by taking Alan barbarians into his personal service, leading to the revolt of Roman general Magnus Maximus, who invaded Gaul with a large army from Britain. Gratian's troops deserted him, and he fled to Lyon, where he was betrayed by the governor and handed over to the rebel generals, who assassinated him in 383.

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