Gratian the Elder

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Gratian the Elder was the father of the Roman emperors, Valentinian I and Valens and the grandfather of Gratian.

Gratian began his career as a staff officer, but later became tribune, and then Comes Africae. He was sent to Britannia in the 340s and given the title Comes Britanniarum, in command of a field army (comitatus). The crisis that precipitated this is not known however. After his retirements, Emperor Constantius II confiscated all of Gratian properties, because of a suspected support of Magnentius.