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Abstract
The Roman emperor Theodosius I died in January of AD 395, leaving his two young sons to succeed him. Into the power vacuum created by this situation stepped Flavius Stilicho, claiming that Theodosius, on his deathbed, had appointed him to be the regent for the two young princes and had left him in charge of the combined armies of the Eastern and Western halves of the Empire. To support this assertion, Stilicho claimed the backing of Ambrose, bishop of Milan. This thesis investigates Stilichos claim of Ambroses support, as well as the larger question of what kind of relationship existed between Ambrose and Stilicho in the years from 395 to 397, when Ambrose died. Through an extended analysis of Ambroses De obitu Theodosii, Paulinus of Milans Vita Sancti Ambrosii and other relevant texts, this thesis attempts to flesh out what can be known or reasonably surmised on this question.