Bonifacius had been recalled from Africa to…
432 CE
Bonifacius had been recalled from Africa to Italy before the Vandals had seized the province.
His son-in-law Sebastianus, a good soldier and advisor, and an orthodox Catholic, is nominated magister militum praesentalis and patrician by the Empress Galla Placidia in 432.
The elevation of Bonifacius disturbs the magister militum praesentalis Flavius Aetius, who has fought and won several campaigns in Gaul; fearing that the promotion of Bonifacius to such an elevated rank (Aetius is not a patrician) will bring his own dismissal, Aetius takes the initiative and attacks Bonifacius, who wins the Battle of Ravenna (432) but dies from the wounds he receives.
Sebastianus takes the office previously held by his father-in-law; Galla Placidia gives him considerable influence over imperial policy.
In the meantime, Aetius flees first to his country estates, then to Rome and, through Dalmatia and Pannonia, reaches the Huns, who are his friends (Aetius had, as a boy, spent some years at the Hunnic court as a hostage).