Novelist explores Roman emperor’s reign
Retired Butte College administrator Les Jauron reaches back in history for his debut novel about the last Roman emperor to rule the entire Empire.
“Christ’s Emperor: A Novel Of Theodosius The Great And The Triumph Of Christianity” (self-published for Amazon Kindle), focuses on Theodosius’ rule from 379395 AD, especially his military planning and exploits and his attempt to bring Trinitarian (Nicene) Christianity to the Eastern Empire (which received plenty of pushback from Arian Christians and pagan senators). Jauron, a West Point grad and retired military officer, writes in a notes section that “one of my primary motivations with this novel was to understand why Theodosius made the decisions he did.” Sometimes he has to make alliances with the invading Goths to ward off other invaders; at other times he fights his cousin when he attempts to usurp the throne.
Most notable is Theodosius’ relationship with Bishop Ambrose, whose authority over the Nicene Christians presents a formidable hurdle to any rapprochement with Arians (who believed there was a time “when the Father existed and the Son did not”) and pagans. If Emperor Constantine had made Christianity legal in the Empire, Theodosius’ hand is forced to make all other religions effectively illegal in the Empire.
Though throughout the novel a good number of severed heads of enemies and betrayers are delivered to Theodosius and others, Jauron is more interested in battle strategies; the letters that fly as fast as horses between various co-emperors; and in the excruciating decisions Theodosius must make to preserve his family dynasty and ensure Ambrose’s favor.
Timasius, one of Theodosius’ trusted commanders, confronts the emperor after he defers to Ambrose in not punishing those who destroyed a synagogue. Theodosius replies: “To accomplish my objective to make Christianity the unifying force in the Empire, I need Ambrose and I don’t need the Jews. So, the Jews get screwed, I look weak, and Ambrose looks like a hero. It genuinely sucks … our world is not fair, it is not just, it just is. I have to accept this to be an effective ruler.”
Much to ponder in this long novel about ends and means.