But now did Britain begin to rear that crop of rival emperors who were the curse of Europe during some of the dying days of the western empire. In 383 a general named Maximus, of whom an unfavourable witness, the ecclesiastic Orosius, testifies that he was “vigorous and honest and would have been worthy of the diadem if he had not, to obtain it, broken his oath of loyalty” was almost against his will declared emperor by the army. He crossed over into Gaul, carrying with him no doubt the bulk of his army. He skilfully played on the disaffection of Gratian’s legions, offended at the partiality which he had showed for his barbarian auxiliaries; a general mutiny was organised; Gratian fled for his life, was pursued and murdered near the city of Vienne. For five years Theodosius had to endure the enforced partnership in the empire of his benefactor’s murderer: then in 388 the smouldering hatred broke out into a flame, and after a hard struggle Maximus was defeated and slain at Aquileia, on the northern shore of the Adriatic (388). According to traditions current two centuries later, this usurpation of Maximus and his consequent withdrawal of the British legions in order to vindicate his claims to the empire, were most important factors in the overthrow of Roman power in Britain. A large army, on paper, still existed in the island. It was probably about the year 402 that the last edition of the _Notitia Imperii_, that edition which has been handed down to posterity, was issued from the imperial chancery. In this most valuable document--an army list and official directory of both the eastern and western portions of the empire--we still find cohorts of infantry and wings of cavalry stationed _per lineam valli_ (along the line of the Wall) as they had been for three centuries. We may, however, doubt whether any Roman soldiers were actually keeping the line of the Wall so late as 402. It is remarkable that very few coins have been found in the ruins of the camps of a later date than the reign of Gratian (375–83). If there were any such military units still there, they were probably but the ghosts of their former selves. To understand the political condition of our island at this time we must have recourse to the pages of the _Notitia_, which elaborately sets forth the various degrees of the civil and military hierarchy of the empire. On one page we find:-- THE ILLUSTRIOUS PRÆTORIAN PREFECT OF THE GAULS. “Under his disposition are the Vicarii of Spain, of the Seven Provinces of Gaul and of Britain.” On a later page:-- “The Spectabilis VICARIUS BRITANNIARUM.” Under his disposition were five (civil) governors:-- The Consularis of Maxima Cæsariensis. „ Valentia. The Præses of Britannia Prima. „ Britannia Secunda. „ Flavia Cæsariensis.