Rome, the Greek World, and the East, Vol. 2 - Government, Society, and Culture in the Roman Empire

228 The Imperial Government

riusandArcadius,comingtothethronein395,suddenlyabandonedtherole
ofcommanderinchiefinthefield,theEmpireenteredaperiodofmilitary
crisisfromwhichthewesternpartofitneverrecovered.Mysteriousasitis,
diplomacy,oritsabsence,isnotthemostmysteriousfeatureoftheRoman
Empire.