THEODOSIUS II & Honorius & Arcadius 406AD Ancient Roman Coin i32121

Item: i32121

 Authentic Ancient

Coin of:

Theodosius II – Roman Emperor: 408-450 A.D. –

Bronze AE4 14mm (1.68 grams) Alexandria mint circa 406-408 A.D.
Reference: Possibly Unpublished
 DN THEODOSIVS PF AVG, pearl diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right, star
behind head
 GLORIA ROMANORVM, the three emperors Arcadius, Honorius and Theodosius
standing facing, all holding spears, the two outermost also resting hand on
shields. ALE in ex.

You are bidding on the exact item pictured,

Authenticity.

Theodosius

II (10

April 401

–

July 28
,

450), called

the

, was a

Eastern Roman Emperor

(408-450). He is mostly known for promulgating the

Theodosian law code

as well for the

Theodosian Walls of Constantinople

. He also presided over the outbreak of

two great christological controversies

.

Setting a record for longest-reigning Roman emperor

at 48 years (equivalent to a dozen U.S. Presidential terms!), Theodosius

II set remarkably few other records in all this time. He was the last

emperor to rule both east and west halves, albeit briefly, after the

death of Honorius and before the puppet emperor Johannes came onto the

scene. As for his own achievements, he wasn’t much more than a

figurehead esconced in his palace. His sister Pulcheria took the active

role in steering the empire. He died a few days after a hunting

accident.

Life

Theodosius was born in 401 as the only son of Emperor

Arcadius

and his Frankish-born wife

Aelia

Eudoxia
. In 408, his father died and the seven-year-old boy became Emperor

of the Eastern parts of the Roman Empire.

Government was at first by the

Praetorian Prefect

Anthemius

, under whose supervision that the

Theodosian land walls

of Constantinople were constructed.

In 414, Theodosius’ older sister

Pulcheria

was proclaimed Augusta and assumed the regency. By 416 Theodosius was capable of

ruling himself, but his sister remained a strong influence on him. She also

assisted her brother in procuring marriage to the Athenian

Aelia

Eudocia
in June 421. The two had a daughter named

Licinia Eudoxia

.

Theodosius’ increasing interest in Christianity, fuelled by

the influence of Pulcheria, had him start a

war against the Sassanids

(421-422), who were persecuting Christians; the

war ended in a draw, when the Romans were forced to accept peace as the Huns

menaced

Constantinople

.^[1]

In 423, the Western Emperor

Honorius

, Theodosius’ uncle, died and the

Joannes
was

proclaimed Emperor. Honorius’ sister

Galla Placidia

and her young son

Valentinian

fled to Constantinople to seek Eastern assistance and after some

deliberation in 424 Theodosius opened the war against Joannes. In May 425,

Valentinian III was installed as Emperor of the West, with his mother acting as

regent. To strengthen the ties between the two parts of the Empire, Theodosius’

daughter

Licinia Eudoxia

was betrothed to Valentinian.

 University

and Law Code

In 425, Theodosius founded the

University of Constantinople

with 31 chairs (15 in Latin and 16 in Greek).

Among subjects were law, philosophy, medicine, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy,

music and rhetoric.

In 429, Theodosius appointed a commission to collect all of

the laws since the reign of

Constantine I

, and create a fully formalized system of law. This plan was

left unfinished, but the work of a second commission that met in Constantinople,

assigned to collect all of the general legislations and bring them up to date

was completed, and their collection published as the

in 438. The law code of Theodosius II, summarizing

edicts promulgated since Constantine, formed a basis for the law code of Emperor

Justinian

I
in the following century.

 Wars

with the Huns, Vandals and Persians

The Eastern Empire was also plagued by short raiding attacks

by the Huns
. The

Huns arrived at

Athyra (Büyükçekmece)

in 447, but an agreement was reached with the

Eastern Roman empire

, negotiated by

Anatolius

. The Emperor chose to pay tribute which amounted to 350 Roman

pounds (ca. 114.5 kg) of gold until 435 and 700 Roman pounds after that.

When Roman Africa fell to the Vandals in 439, both Eastern

and Western Emperors sent forces to

Sicily
, to

launch an attack at the Vandals at Carthage, but this project failed. Seeing the

imperial borders without significant forces, the

Huns and

Sassanid Persia

declared war. During 443 two Roman armies were defeated and

destroyed by the Huns. In the subsequent peace agreement Roman tribute was

tripled to 2,100 Roman pounds (ca. 687 kg) in gold after which the Huns withdrew

into the interior of their empire. The

war with Persia

on the other hand proved indecisive, and a peace was

arranged in 422 without changes to the status quo.

 Theological

disputes

During a visit to Syria, Theodosius met the preacher

Nestorius

and appointed him Patriarch of Constantinople in 428. Nestorius quickly became

involved in the disputes of two theological factions, which differed in their

Christology

. Nestorius tried to find a middle ground between those that,

emphasizing the fact that in Christ God had been born as a man, insisted on

calling

the Virgin Mary

Theotokos (“birth-giver of God”), and those that

rejected that title because God as an eternal being could not have been born.

Nestorius suggested the title Christotokos (“birth-giver to Christ”), but

did not find acceptance by either faction and was accused of detaching Christ’s

divine and human natures from each other, a heresy later called

Nestorianism

. Though initially supported by the Emperor, Nestorius found a

forceful opponent in Patriarch

Cyril of Alexandria

. With the consent of the Emperor and

Pope Celestine I

, an

Ecumenical Council convened in Ephesus

in 431, which affirmed the title

Theotokos and condemned Nestorius, who was then exiled by the Emperor.

Almost twenty years later, the theological dispute broke out

again, this time caused by the Constantinopolitan abbot

Eutyches
,

whose Christology was understood by some to mingle Christ’s divine and human

nature into one. Eutyches was condemned by Patriarch

Flavian of Constantinople

but found a powerful friend in Cyril’s successor

Dioscurus of Alexandria

.

Another council convoked to Ephesus

in 449, deemed “robber synod” because of

its tumultuous circumstances, restored Eutyches and deposed Flavian, who was

mistreated and died shortly afterwards.

Pope Leo I

of Rome and many other bishops protested against the outcome, but the Emperor

supported it. Only after his death in 450 would the decisions be reversed at the

Council of Chalcedon

.

 Death

Theodosius died in 450 as the result of a riding accident. In

the ensuing power struggle, his sister

Pulcheria
,

who had recently returned to court, won out against the

eunuch

Chrysaphius

. She married the general

Marcian
,

thereby making him Emperor.

Flavius

Arcadius (377/378–1 May 408) was

Byzantine Emperor

in the Eastern half of the

Roman

Empire
from 395 until his death.

//

Arcadius was born in

Hispania
,

the elder son of

Theodosius I

and

Aelia Flaccilla

, and brother of

Honorius

, who would become a

Western Roman Emperor

. His father declared him an

Augustus

and co-ruler for the

Eastern half of the Empire

in January, 383. His younger brother was also

declared Augustus in 393, for the Western half.

As emperors, Honorius was under the control of the Romanized

Vandal

Flavius

Stilicho
while Arcadius was dominated by one of his ministers,

Rufinus

. Stilicho is alleged by some to have wanted control of both

emperors, and is supposed to have had Rufinus assassinated by Gothic mercenaries

in 395; though definite proof of Stilicho’s involvement in the assassination is

lacking, the intense competition and political jealousies engendered by the two

figures compose the main thread of the first part of Arcadius’ reign. Arcadius’

new advisor, the eunuch

Eutropius

, simply took Rufinus’ place as the power behind the Eastern

imperial throne.

Arcadius was also dominated by his wife

Aelia

Eudoxia
, who convinced her husband to dismiss Eutropius, who was holding the

consulate, at the height of his power, in 399. That same year, on the 13th July,

Arcadius issued an edict ordering that

all remaining non-Christian temples should be immediately demolished

.

Eudoxia’s influence was strongly opposed by

John Chrysostom

, the

Patriarch of Constantinople

, who felt that she had used her family’s wealth

to gain control over the emperor. Eudoxia used her influence to have Chrysostom

deposed in 404, but she died later that year. Eudoxia gave to Arcadius four

children: three daughters,

Pulcheria
,

Arcadia and Marina, and one son, Theodosius, the future Emperor

Theodosius II

.

Arcadius was dominated for the rest of his rule by

Anthemius

, the

Praetorian Prefect

, who made peace with Stilicho in the West. Arcadius

himself was more concerned with appearing to be a pious

Christian

than he was with political or military matters, and he died, only

nominally in control of his empire, in 408.

Character and works

In this reign of a weak emperor dominated by court politics,

a major theme was the ambivalence felt by prominent individuals and the court

parties that formed and regrouped round them towards

barbarians
,

which in Constantinople at this period meant

Goths
. In the

well-documented episode that revolved around

Gainas
, a

number of Gothic foederati stationed in the capital were massacred, the

survivors fleeing under the command of Gainas to

Thrace
, where

they were tracked down by imperial troops and slaughtered and Gainas dispatched.

The episode has been traditionally interpreted as a paroxysm of anti-barbarian

reaction that served to stabilise the East. The main source for the affair is a

mythology à clef by

Synesius
of

Cyrene, Aegyptus sive de providentia, (400)

an Egyptianising allegory that embodies a covert account of the events, the

exact interpretation of which continues to baffle scholars. Synesius’ De

regno, which claims to be addressed to Arcadius himself, contains a tirade

against Goths.

A new

forum

was built in the name of Arcadius, on the seventh hill of

Constantinople, the Xērolophos, in which a

column

was begun to commemorate his ‘victory’ over Gainas (although the

column was only completed after Arcadius’ death by

Theodosius II

).

The

Pentelic marble

portrait head of Arcadius (illustration) was

discovered in Istanbul close to the Forum Tauri, in June 1949, in excavating

foundations for new buildings of the University at

Beyazit

.

The neck was designed to be inserted in a torso, but no statue, base or

inscription was found. The

diadem
is a

fillet with rows of pearls along its edges and a rectangular stone set about

with pearls over the young emperor’s forehead.

Flavius Honorius ( 9 September 384 – 15 August 423 )

was Roman Emperor

(393–395) and then

Western Roman Emperor

from 395 until his death. He was the younger son of

Theodosius I

and his first wife

Aelia Flaccilla

, and brother of the Eastern Emperor

Arcadius
.

Even by the standards of the rapidly declining Western

Empire, Honorius’ reign was precarious and chaotic. His throne was guarded by

his principal general, Flavius

Stilicho
,

who was successively Honorius’s guardian (during his childhood) and his

father-in-law (after the emperor became an adult). Stilicho’s generalship helped

preserve some level of stability, but with his execution, the Western Roman

Empire moved closer to collapse.

//

Rule

Early reign

After holding the

consulate
at

the age of two, Honorius was declared

Augustus

, and thus co-ruler, on

23 January

393 after the

death of

Valentinian II

and the usurpation of

Eugenius
.

When Theodosius died, in January 395, Honorius and Arcadius divided the Empire,

so that Honorius became Western Roman Emperor at the age of ten.

During the first part of his reign Honorius depended on the

military leadership of the general Stilicho, who was of mixed

Vandal

and Roman ancestry. To strengthen his bonds with the young emperor,

Stilicho married his daughter

Maria

to him. The

epithalamion

written for the occasion by Stilicho’s court poet

Claudian

survives.

At first Honorius based his capital in

Mediolanum
,

but when the Visigoths

entered Italy in 402 he moved his capital to the coastal city of

Ravenna
,

which was protected by a ring of marshes and strong fortifications. While the

new capital was easier to defend, it was poorly situated to allow Roman forces

to protect central Italy from the increasingly regular threat of barbarian

incursions.

Erosion of

the Western Roman Empire

Honorius’ reign was plagued by many threats: from the

barbarians entering within the Empire’s borders to several usurpers.

A

revolt led by Gildo

, comes Africae, in Northern Africa lasted for two

years (397-398). In 405, a barbarian army led by

Radagaisus

invaded

Italy

, bringing devastation to the heart of the Empire, until Stilicho

defeated them in 406.

The situation in

Britannia

was even more problematic. The British provinces were isolated, lacking support

from the Empire, and the soldiers supported the revolts of

Marcus

(406 – 407),

Gratian

(407), and

Constantine “III”

. Constantine invaded Gaul in 407, occupying

Arles
.^[1]

An invasion of

Alans
,

Suevi

and

Vandals

moved from Gaul on

31

December
406, and arrived in

Hispania
in

409. In 408, Stilicho (after forcing the Roman Senate to pay 4,000 pounds of

gold)^[2]

was arrested and executed by the order of Honorius, probably because of a court

conspiracy against the

Arian

general. The Visigoths under their King

Alaric I

invaded Italy in 408, besieged Rome, and extorted from the city a ransom of

5,000 pounds of gold, 30,000 pounds of silver, 4,000 silken tunics, 3,000 hides

dyed scarlet, and 3,000 pounds of pepper)^[3],

while Honorius in Ravenna did nothing.

In 409, Alaric returned, and with the agreement of the Senate

supported the usurpation of

Priscus Attalus

. In 410, the

Eastern Roman Empire

sent six

Legions

(6,000 men; late Roman legions were small units)^[4]

to aid Honorius. To counter Priscus, Honorius tried to negotiate with Alaric.

Alaric withdrew his support for Priscus in 410, but the negotiations with

Honorius broke down. Alaric again entered Italy and

sacked Rome

.

The revolt of Constantine III in the west continued through

this period. In 409,

Gerontius

, Constantine III’s general in Hispania, rebelled against him,

proclaimed

Maximus

Emperor, and besieged Constantine at Arles. Honorius now found

himself an able commander,

Constantius

, who defeated Maximus and Gerontius, and then Constantine, in

411.

Gaul was again a source of troubles for Honorius: just after

Constantius’ troops had returned to Italy,

Jovinus

revolted in northern Gaul, with the support of Alans, Burgundians, and the

Gallic nobility. Jovinus tried to negotiate with the invading

Goths
of Ataulf

(412), but his proclamation of his brother

Sebastianus

as

Augustus

made Ataulf seek alliance with Honorius. Honorius had Ataulf settle

the matter with Jovinus, and the rebel was defeated and executed in 413.

In 414, Constantius attacked Ataulf, who proclaimed Priscus

Attalus emperor again. Constantius drove Ataulf into Hispania, and Attalus,

having again lost Visigoth support, was captured and deposed.

Northeastern Gaul became subject to even greater

Frankish

influence, while a treaty signed in 418 granted to the

Visigoths

the southwestern portion, the former

Gallia Aquitania

.

In 417, Constantius married Honorius’ sister,

Galla Placidia

. In 421, Honorius recognized him as co-emperor Constantius

III, but he died early in 422.

In 420-422, another Maximus (or perhaps the same) gained and

lost power in Hispania.

Death

Honorius died of

dropsy

in 423, leaving no heir. In the subsequent interregnum

Joannes
was

nominated emperor. The following year, however, the Eastern Emperor

Theodosius II

elected emperor his cousin

Valentinian III

, son of

Galla Placidia

and

Constantius III

.

Sack of Rome

The most notable event of his reign was the assault and

Sack of Rome

on

August 24
,

410 by the

Visigoths under Alaric

.

The city had been under Visigothic siege since shortly after

Stilicho’s deposition and execution in the summer of 408. Lacking a strong

general to control the by-now mostly barbarian Roman Army, Honorius could do

little to attack Alaric’s forces directly, and apparently adopted the only

strategy he could in the situation: wait passively for the Visigoths to grow

weary and spend the time marshalling what forces he could. Unfortunately, this

course of action appeared to be the product of Honorius’ indecisive character

and he suffered much criticism for it both from contemporaries and later

historians.

Whether this plan could have worked is perhaps debatable. In

any case it was overtaken by events. Stricken by starvation, somebody opened

Rome’s defenses to Alaric and the Goths poured in. The city had not been under

the control of a foreign force since an invasion of Gauls some eight centuries

before. The sack itself was notably mild as sacks go; Churches and religious

statuary went unharmed for example. The psychological blow to the Romans was

considerably more painful. The shock of this event reverberated from Britain to

Jerusalem, and inspired

Augustine

to write his magnum opus,

.

The year 410 also saw Honorius reply to a

British

plea for assistance against local barbarian incursions. Preoccupied

with the Visigoths, Honorius lacked any military capability to assist the

distant province. According to

Zosimus
, “Honorius

wrote letters to the cities in Britain, bidding them to guard themselves.”^[5]

Judgments on Honorius

In his History of the Wars,

Procopius

mentions a story (which

Gibbon

disbelieved) where, on hearing the news that Rome had “perished”,

Honorius was initially shocked; thinking the news was in reference to a favorite

chicken
he

had named “Roma”, he recalled in disbelief that the bird was just recently

feeding out of his hand. It was then explained to him that the Rome in question

was the city.^[6]

Summarizing his account of Honorius’ reign, the historian

J.B. Bury

wrote, “His name would be forgotten among the obscurest occupants

of the Imperial throne were it not that his reign coincided with the fatal

period in which it was decided that western Europe was to pass from the Roman to

the Teuton.” After listing the disasters of those 28 years, Bury concludes that

Honorius “himself did nothing of note against the enemies who infested his

realm, but personally he was extraordinarily fortunate in occupying the throne

till he died a natural death and witnessing the destruction of the multitude of

tyrants who rose up against him.”^[7]

Honorius issued a decree during his reign, prohibiting men

from wearing trousers in Rome [Codex Theodosianus 14.10.2-3, tr. C. Pharr, “The

Theodosian Code,” p. 415]. The last known gladiatorial fight took place during

the reign of Honorius.