More Usurpers
In North Africa the comes Heraclianus (fl.408-413) declared himself emperor. Constantius sent his representative Marinus to Carthage, where he captured and beheaded the usurper as he sought refuge in a church. North Africa was still experiencing the violence brought on by Donatist suppression, and when Marinus moved to purge Heraclianus’ supporters, Augustine of Hippo (75; 354-430) blamed the Donatists for using Marinus’ task as an excuse to kill staunch Catholics.
Augustine was in particular horrified when Marcellinus, who had presided over the Council of Carthage (411), which had found against the Donatists, and to whom he would dedicate the first books of his City of God (426), was arrested and on 13 September 413, beheaded.
While Marinus was dealing with Heraclianus, the troops stationed at Moguntiacum had acclaimed another usurper, Jovinus (3), who immediately moved south to take over the city of Arelate; and Ataulf (c.45; r.411-415), who on the death of his brother-in-law Alaric had been elected to the throne, had crossed the Alps with his Visigoths early in 412.
Priscus Attalus, the former usurper who was travelling with Athaulf, recommended that they support Jovinus. A short-lived treaty was negotiated, which Ataulf broke as soon as Jovinus appointed his own brother Sebastianus (2) as co-emperor, from which Ataulf had probably inferred that there was no place for a Goth in the imperial succession.
Ataulf sent a message to Honorius promising to defeat the two new emperors and this was accepted by Honorius. With his huge army Ataulf stormed the city and captured the two brothers, who were sent to Narbonne and executed there by 46Claudius Postumus Dardanus, the prefect of Gaul (412-413). Their severed heads arrived at Ravenna in August 413.
Burgundian Kingdom (411-436, 443-534)
Burgundians were living in central Poland by the first century AD. In c.260 they settled in present-day eastern Germany. After the crossing of the Rhine in 406-7, the Burgundians under Gundohar (r.407-436) seized the area of land around the cities of Augusta Vangionum (=Worms, Germany), Argentoratum (=Strasbourg, France) and Noviomagus (=Speyer, Germany).In 411 they supported the usurper Jovinus in the West and two years later he recognized the Burgundian Kingdom in Germania Superior, with its capital at Worms. After the fall of Jovinus, the Burgundians achieved good relations with Honorius and secured his friendship as foederati.
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