Mellobaudes
or MALLOBAUDES, one of the Frankish kings of the time of the emperor Gratian.
He becomes known to us first as an officer under the emperor Constantius in Gaul. (Ammn. Marc. 14.11, 15.5.)
He was afterwards distinguished by his victory over Macrianus, king of the Alemanni, the date of which is unknown. (
Amm. Marc. 30.3.)
In the campaign of Gratian against the Alemanni, A. D. 377, he was Comes domesticorum, and shared with Nannienus the chief military command, and had a principal part in the victory of Argentaria. [GRATIANUS, No. 2.] Mellobaudes is sometimes identified, it is difficult to say whether correctly or not, with Merobaudes, an active officer of the emperors Valentinian I. and Gratian.
It was by his advice that on the death of Valentinian I. his son of the same name, a child of four years old, was made colleague in the empire with his brother Gratian [GRATIANUS, No. 2], much to the dissatisfaction of the latter. (
Amm. Marc. 30.10.) Merobaudes was twice consul, A. D. 377 and 383.
In the latter year he commanded the army of Gratian against the usurper Maximus, and is commonly charged with betraying his master [GRATIANUS, No. 2], from which charge Tillemont (
Hist. des Emp. vol. v. p. 723) defends him.
At any rate he gained little by his treason, being soon put to death by Maximus. (Pacatus,
Panegyric. ad Theodos.)
[
J.C.M]
