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He is believed to be the son of Pharamond (c.370-c.430) and Argotta (b. c.376) and married Basina from the land of the Thuringians, a territory west of the lower Rhine River on the north-east border of what is now France. There are basaically only two sources of information for Clodian's history: the writings of Gregory of Tours and Sidonius Apollinaris.
Clodian lived in Dispargum, a name that is believed to be that of a castle, rather than a village. Around 431, he invaded the territory of Artois, but was defeated near Hesdin by Aetius, the commander of the Roman army in Gaul. However, Clodian regrouped and soon was able to seize the town Cameracum. Eventually, he occupied all the country as far as the Somme River and making Tournai the capital of the Salian Franks.
Clodian's aggressive action to seize more territory led to centuries of expansion by his successors that ultimately created what we know today as the country of France. Clodian died c.448 and power passed on to Meroveus. It is not known if Meroveus was his son or another chieftain of the tribe who ascended into the leadership role.
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