People

Stilicho

Stilicho was a Roman general of mixed Vandal and Roman background who defended the Western Empire during its late crisis.

Born
359 CE
Died
408 CE
Role
Roman general and regent

Roman general and regent (359-408)

Portrait of Stilicho in armour before Roman standards marked SPQR
Quick facts

Profile details

Additional identity and tagging details that are not already covered in the introduction.

Full name
Flavius Stilicho
Facts

Stilicho timeline facts

Selected specifics from this profile's life story.

c. 359
Origins

Stilicho was born into a military world at the edge of Roman and barbarian identities.

380s
Imperial service

He rose through the army under Theodosius I.

400s
Facing invasions

He fought Gothic and other threats while managing a fragile court.

408
Execution and legacy

His execution weakened the West just before Rome's sack.

Life Journey

Why Stilicho matters

Follow the story in a more continuous narrative, with a reading mode that matches how much depth you want.

c. 359

Origins

Stilicho was born into a military world at the edge of Roman and barbarian identities.

380s

Imperial service

He rose through the army under Theodosius I.

395

Guardian of the West

After Theodosius died, Stilicho became the dominant military figure in the Western Empire.

400s

Facing invasions

He fought Gothic and other threats while managing a fragile court.

408

Execution and legacy

His execution weakened the West just before Rome's sack.

Continue in context

Connected stories

Move from the profile into the wider events and settings this figure belongs to.

Tertiary paths

Content note

This profile is written for educational use and connects to related Stories of History pages. Illustrations are original artistic interpretations.

References

Sources & Further Reading

Reliable reference works, archives and reading paths connected to this profile.

Further reading

  1. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Search results for Stilicho,” accessed June 2026.Open source
  2. WorldCat, Books and library holdings for Stilicho,” accessed June 2026.Open source

Primary sources

  1. Library of Congress, Search results for Stilicho,” accessed June 2026.Open source

A weekly route through history

Find out first about the latest published stories, feature notes and occasional Premium offers in one weekly email.