AELIA FLACILLA w SCROLL Theodosius I Wife 383AD Constantinople Roman Coin i53877

Item: i53877

Authentic Ancient 

Coin of:

  Bronze AE2 or Follis 22mm (4.53 grams) Constantinople mint: 383-388 A.D.
Reference: RIC 82
AEL FLACILLA AVG, Diademed and draped bust of Aelia Flacilla to right.
SALVS REI PVBLICAE Exe: CONSЄ,  Aelia Flaccilla standing, facing, 
holding scroll with both hands; cross in field to right.

You are bidding on the exact item pictured, 

Authenticity.

Aelia Flavia Flaccilla (died 385), first wife 

of the

Roman 

Emperor

Theodosius I

. She was of

Hispanian

Roman descent. 

During her marriage to Theodosius, she gave birth to two sons — future Emperors

Arcadius
 

and

Honorius

— and a daughter,

Aelia Pulcheria

. She was given the title of

, as her coinage shows.

Family

According to Laus Serenae (“In Praise of Serena”), a poem by

Claudian
, 

both

Serena

and Flaccilla were from

Hispania
.

A passage of

Themistius
 

(Oratio XVI, De Saturnino) has been interpreted as identifying Flavius 

Claudius Antonius,

Praetorian prefect of Gaul

from 376 to 377 and

Roman consul

in 382, to be her father. However the relation is considered 

doubtful.  

In 1967, John Robert Martindale, later one of several article writers in the

Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire

, suggested that the passage actually 

identifies Antonius as the brother-in-law of Theodosius. However the passage is 

vague enough to allow

Flavius Afranius Syagrius

, co-consul of Antonius in 382, to be the 

brother-in-law in question.

The only kin clearly identified in primary sources was her nephew Nebridius, 

son of an unnamed sister. He married Salvina, a daughter of

Gildo
. Their 

marriage was mentioned by Jerome in his correspondence with Salvina. They had a 

son and a daughter.

Marriage

In about 375-376, Flaccilla married

Theodosius I

, a son of

Count Theodosius

. At the time Theodosius had fallen out of favor with

Valentinian I

and had withdrawn to civilian life in

Cauca
,

Gallaecia
.

Their first son

Arcadius
 

was born prior to the elevation of his parents on the throne. Their secold son

Honorius

was born on 9 September 384. Their daughter

Pulcheria

has been suggested to have been born prior to the elevation of her 

parents to the throne due to another passage of Laus Serenae. She 

predeceased her parents as mentioned in the writings of

Gregory of Nyssa

.

A younger Gratian .mentioned alongside the imperial children by

Ambrose
. has 

at times been suggested as a third son. However, Gregory of Nyssa reports the 

existence of only three imperial children and other sources do not mention 

Gratian. Gratian was possibly a relation of some sort but not an actual member 

of the

Theodosian dynasty

.

Empress

Valens
, 

emperor of the

Eastern Roman Empire

was killed in the

Battle of Adrianople

(9 August 378). He was survived by his wife

Albia Dominica

and his daughters Anastasia and Carosa. He had however 

survived his only son, Valentinianus Galates. His nephew

Gratian
, 

Emperor of the

Western Roman Empire

, was his heir and assumed control of the Eastern Empire 

as well. With his younger half-brother

Valentinian II

as his nominal co-ruler.

On 19 January, Gratian declared Theodosius,

magister militum

per

Illyricum

, to be his new colleague in the Eastern Roman Empire. Theodosius 

seems to have been the senior officer of Roman origins available for promotion 

at the time.

Merobaudes

and

Frigeridus
, 

the two magistri militum in praesenti were probably not considered due to their

Germanic

origins. Several other equivalent positions remained vacant since 

the deaths of their last holders in Adrianople. At this point Flacilla became the Empress consort.

She was a fervent supporter of the

Nicene 

Creed
. Sozomen

reports her preventing a conference between Theodosius and

Eunomius of Cyzicus

who served as figurehead of

Anomoeanism

, a distinct

sect of

Arians
. 

Ambrose and Gregory of Nyssa praise her Christian virtue and comment on her role 

as “a leader of justice” and “pillar of the Church”.

Theodoret
 

reports on her works of

charity

, personally tending to the

disabled
. 

He quotes her saying that “To distribute money belongs to the imperial dignity, 

but I offer up for the imperial dignity itself personal service to the Giver.”

She died in 385 (or 386). Her death is mentioned by (among others)

Claudian
,

Zosimus
,

Philostorgius

and

Joannes Zonaras

. According to the

Chronicon Paschale

, the palatium Flaccillianum of

Constantinople

was named in her honor. A statue of her was placed within the

Byzantine Senate

.

Sainthood

She is commemorated as a saint by the

Eastern Orthodox Church

, her feast day being 14 September.