Description
Aelia Eudoxia, AE Nummus, 401-403, Cyzicus
RIC X Arcadius 103.
Obv.: AEL EVDOXIA AVG, Bust of Eudoxia, pearl-diademed, draped, right, wearing necklace and earrings, crowned by Hand of God.
Rev.: SALVS REIPVBLICAE SMKA, Victory, winged, draped, seated right on cuirass, pointing to a shield inscribed with a ☧, supported on a low column.
2.60 g
17 mm
Aelia Eudoxia (395-404 CE) was an imperial noble and a Roman Empress in the first decade of the fifth century. She was the wife of the eastern emperor Arcadius (383-408) and mother of the emperor Theodosius II (402-450). Eudoxia was a strong female presence in the court at Constantinople.
Eudoxia’s date of birth is unknown though she was presumably born in the late 370s. Her fatherwas Flavius Bauto (died circa 385), a Frank by birth who had risen to the rank of magister militvm in the western part of the Empire by the mid-380s. Her mother was presumably Roman by birth. Following the death of Bauto, Eudoxia was sent to Constantinople where she lived in the household of Promotus (died 391), the eastern magister militvm. The senior emperor, Theodosius, died of natural causes on January 17, 395; he was succeeded by his sons; in the west by his younger son Honorius (393-408) and in the east by Arcadius (383-408). Arcadius and Eudoxia were married shortly thereafter, on April 27, 395. Eudoxia proved to be a fertile Empress, giving birth to five children including Theodosius II (402-450) and Aelia Pulcheria (450-457), wife of the future eastern emperor Marcian (450-457).
Eudoxia was known to have intelligent and to possess a strong personality; she involved herself in all matters, legal, military and church, at the imperial court. She was officially given the title of Augusta in 400 and often wore the imperial paludamentum when on court business. Official images and coinage in her name circulated freely with the eastern portion of the Empire.
Aelia Eudoxia was arguably the leading force at the court in Constantinople between 400 and 404. She died in that year following a complicated seventh pregnancy.
______________________________
