Sebastianus (Roman general)

Sebastianus (d 378) was a Roman general who perished at the Battle of Adrianople alongside the emperor Valens during the Gothic War.

Sebastianus is first mentioned as the Dux Aegypti, serving around 356-358. He supported George of Cappadocia in the bishop's quarrel against Athanasius of Alexandria, in the process expelling the supporters of Athanasius from the churches of Alexandria on 24 December, 358. While in Egypt, he also received a visit from Libanius.

From 363-378, Sebastianus served as Comes rei militaris, initially under the emperor Julian. Accompanying the emperor on his campaign against the Sasanian Empire, Julian gave Sebastianus a joint command with Procopius, with 30,000 to initially hold the Tigris before, if possible, joining King Arsaces II of Armenia and march southward, to reach Julian's army in Assyria.

Returning with the defeated army after the death of Julian, he probably accompanied Valentinian I to the western provinces in 364. In 368, while commanding the Illyrian and Italian armies, he was summoned by Valentinian to assist in the campaign against the Alemanni. Then in 375, Sebastianus was sent by Valentinian to aid the Magister peditum Merobaudes in conducting some raids against the Quadi. When news of the emperor's death reached Merobaudes, he sent Sebastianus, who was unaware of Valentinian's death, to a distant posting to ensure that Sebastianus could not use his popularity with the troops to interfere with Merobaudes' plans for the succession, mitigating the risk that Sebastianus might possibly be raised by the troops to the rank of Augustus.

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