- oldest son of Theodosius the Great, was only 18 when came to the throne - he took the East, his younger brother Honorius took the West - the halves of the empire were later briefly rejoined, but some consider that from this time on, the division is permanent, and so some see Arcadius as the first Byzantine emperor
- was an enthusiastic Christian, but not believed to be a very forceful personality - others were the “power behind the throne” - Rufinus (apparently killed on orders of Stilicho, the regent in the West), then Eutropius (ran afoul of the empress and was executed), Gainas (a German general who was killed in an anti-German revolt), and then the empress Eudoxia
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