Flavius Promotus was a Roman general who served underTheodosius I until his death in 391 AD. In 386 he had a command in Africa, and wasmagister peditum for Thrace. In 388 he was mademagister equitum, and the following year was consul. He was killed in an ambush organised byRufinus, a rival for Theodosius' favour.
In 386 he had a command inAfrica.[1] Later the same year, he wasmagister peditum perThracias. TheGreuthungi of KingOdotheus gathered on the north bank of theDanube and asked for admission to the Empire, presumably on the same terms as theTervingi ten years previously.[2] Promotus deployed his forces along the south bank and despatched some men to trick them by pretending to want payment to betray the Romans, but they in fact reported the plan to Promotus. When the Greuthungi attempted to cross the river, instead of a sleeping camp they were confronted with a fleet of river-craft which proceeded to sink all the enemy canoes.Claudian says the island ofPeuce was heaped high with bodies and the river mouths ran red with blood.[3] Theodosius, who was nearby, freed the survivingGoths hoping to use them in his coming campaign againstMagnus Maximus.[4]
In 388, Promotus was promoted tomagister equitum in preparation for the campaign against Maximus.[5] He presumably did well in the campaign, for he was rewarded with the consulship in 389. While Theodosius was travelling back to the East throughThessalonica and having various adventures, Promotus saved him from a barbarian attack, and may have been rewarded for this with a higher command.[6]
Soon afterwards, the emperor began to favourRufinus, thenmagister officiorum, which angered Promotus—indeed, they had a fistfight in public. Rufinus then persuaded Theodosius to send Promotus out on exercises with the troops, and sent a company of barbarians who ambushed and killed him.[7]
Promotus had two sons who were raised with the emperor's children, who, in revenge for their father's murder, helpedEutropius thwart Rufinus' plan to marry his daughter to the emperorArcadius.[8]
| Preceded by | Roman consul 389 with FlaviusTimasius | Succeeded by |