Aelia Eudoxia
Encyclopedia
Aelia Eudoxia was the Empress consort of the Byzantine Emperor Arcadius
.
, a Romanised Frank
who served as magister militum
in the Western Roman army during the 380s. The identity of her father is mentioned by Philostorgius
. The fragmentary chronicle of John of Antioch, a 7th century monk tentatively identified with John of the Sedre
, Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch from 641 to 648 considers Bauto to have also fathered Arbogast
. The relation is not accepted by modern historians. The History of the Later Roman Empire from the Death of Theodosius I to the Death of Justinian (1923) by J. B. Bury
and the historical study Theodosian Empresses. Women and Imperial Dominion in Late Antiquity (1982) by Kenneth Holum consider her mother to be Roman and Eudoxia to be a "semibarbara", half-barbarian
. However the primary sources are silent on her maternal ancestry.
, Eudoxia started her life in Constantinople
as a household member of Promotus, magister militum
of the Eastern Roman Empire. She is presumed to have been orphaned at the time of her arrival Her entry into the household of Promotus may indicate a friendship of the two magisters or a political alliance.
Promotus died in 391. According to Zosimus, he was survived by his widow Marsa and two sons who were raised alongside the sons and co-emperors of Theodosius I
. Said sons were Arcadius and his younger brother Honorius
. Zosimus asserts that Eudoxia lived alongside one of the surviving sons in Constantinople. She is therefore assumed to have already been acquainted with Arcadius during his years as junior partner to his father. Zosimus reports that Eudoxia was educated by Pansophius. Her former tutor was promoted to bishop of Nicomedia
in 402. Wendy Mayer considers Eudoxia to have been groomed as a vehicle for the ambitions of her foster family.
. Arcadius succeeded him in the Eastern Roman Empire and Honorius in the Western Roman Empire
. Arcadius was effectively placed under the control of Rufinus
, Praetorian prefect
of the East. Rufinus reportedly intended to marry his daughter to Arcadius and establish his own relation to the Theodosian dynasty
. Bury considers that "once the Emperor's father-in‑law he [Rufinus] might hope to become an Emperor himself."
However Rufinus was distracted by a conflict with Stilicho
, magister militum of the West. The wedding of Eudoxia to Arcadius was orchestrated by Eutropius
, one of the eunuch officials serving in the Great Palace of Constantinople
. The marriage took place on 27 April 395, without the knowledge or consent of Rufinus. For Eutropius it was an attempt to increase his own influence over the emperor and hopefully ensure the loyalty of the new empress to himself. Rufinus had been an enemy of Promotus and the surviving household of the magister militum, including Eudoxia, might have been eager to undermine him. Arcadius himself may have been motivated in asserting his own will over that of his regent. Zosimus reports that Arcadius was also influenced by the extraordinary beauty of his bride but this is considered doubtful by later scholars. Arcadius was approximately eighteen years old and Eudoxia may be presumed to be of an equivalent age.
s. The writer is considered to be Cosmas, supporter of John Chrysostom
who attributed both events to punishment for the two exiles of John. Zosimus alleges that her son Theodosius was widely rumored to be the result of her affair with a courtier. Zosimus' account of her life is generally hostile to Eudoxia and the accuracy of his tale is doubtful.
She and Gainas
, the new magister militum, are considered to have played a part in the stripping of all offices and subsequent execution of Eutropius in 399. However the extent and nature of her involvement are disputed. Nevertheless, she seems to have increased her personal influence following his demise. On 9 January 400, Eudoxia was officially given the title of an Augusta
. She was then able to wear the purple paludamentum
representing imperial rank and was depicted in Roman currency
. Official images of her in the manner similar to a male Augustus also went in circulation. Her brother-in-law Honorius would later complain to Arcadius about them reaching his own court.
The extent of her influence at matters of court and state has been a matter of debate among historians. Philostorgius considers her to be more intelligent than her husband but comments on her "barbarian arrogance". Zosimus considers her strong-willed but ultimately manipulated by eunuchs at court and the women of her environment. Barbarians and Bishops: Army, Church, and State in the Age of Arcadius and Chrysostom (1990) by J. W. H. G. Liebeschuetz considers her influence overestimated in primary sources while The Cambridge Ancient History XIII. The Late Empire A.D. 337-425 (1998) reports her dominating the government between 400 and her death in 404.
In 403, Simplicius, Prefect
of Constantinople
, erected a statue dedicated to her on a column of porphyry
and a base of marble
. Arcadius renamed the town of Selymbria (Silivri
) Eudoxiopolis after her, though this name did not survive.
and she is reported by Socrates of Constantinople to be financing nighttime anti-Arian
processions in Constantinople. She also presided in public celebrations over the arrival of new relic
s of Christian martyrs
to the city and joined nightly vigil
s over the remains by herself. She is consistently reported to act alone in religious matters and to appear alone in public. Arcadius remarkably absent from public events.
An interpretation is that Eudoxia had adopted the role of patron of the Church previously belonging to the Augusti from Constantine I
onwards. Her role would bring her into conflict with John Chrysostom
, the Patriarch of Constantinople
. Their initial opposition may have been his protests over the fall from power and execution of Eutropius.
During his time as Archbishop John adamantly refused to host lavish social gatherings, which made him popular with the common people, but unpopular with wealthy citizens and the clergy. His reforms of the clergy were also unpopular with these groups. He told visiting regional preachers to return to the churches they were meant to be serving — without any payout.
At about the same time, Theophilus
, the Patriarch of Alexandria
, wanted to bring Constantinople under his sway and opposed John's appointment to Constantinople. Being an opponent of Origen
's teachings, he accused John of being too partial to the latter's teachings. Theophilus had disciplined four Egypt
ian monk
s (known as "the Tall Brothers") over their support of Origen's teachings. They fled to and were welcomed by John. John made another enemy in Aelia Eudoxia, the wife of the eastern Emperor Arcadius
, who assumed (perhaps with justification) that his denunciations of extravagance in feminine dress were aimed at herself.
Depending on one's outlook, John was either tactless or fearless when denouncing offences in high places. An alliance was soon formed against him by Eudoxia, Theophilus and others of his enemies. They held a synod
in 403 (the Synod of the Oak
) to charge John, in which his connection to Origen was used against him. It resulted in his deposition and banishment. He was called back by Arcadius almost immediately, as the people became "tumultuous" over his departure. There was also an earthquake
the night of his arrest, which Eudoxia took for a sign of God
's anger, prompting her to ask Arcadius for John's reinstatement.
Peace was short-lived. A silver statue of Eudoxia was erected near his cathedral
. John denounced the dedication ceremonies. He spoke against her in harsh terms: "Again Herodias raves; again she is troubled; she dances again; and again desires to receive John’s head in a charger," an allusion to the events surrounding the death of John the Baptist
. Herodias
was a member of the Herodian Dynasty
. In the Gospels of Mark
and Matthew
, Herodias plays a major role in the execution of John the Baptist execution, using the dance of her daughter Salome
before Herod Antipas
and his party guests to ask for the head of the Baptist as a reward.
Once again John was banished, this time to the Caucasus
in Armenia
. Eudoxia would not survive long. Her seventh and last pregnancy ended in either a miscarriage or, according to pseudo-Martyrius, a second stillbirth. She was left bleeding
and died of an infection
shortly after. Pseudo-Martyrius celebrates her death and considers her a second Jezebel
. The reference being to a Queen consort of the Kingdom of Israel whose conflict with Elijah, a prophet, was described in the Books of Kings
.
:
Arcadius
Arcadius was the Byzantine Emperor from 395 to his death. He was the eldest son of Theodosius I and his first wife Aelia Flaccilla, and brother of the Western Emperor Honorius...
.
Family
She was a daughter of Flavius BautoFlavius Bauto
Flavius Bauto was a Romanised Frank who served as a magister militum of the Western Roman Empire.When the usurper Magnus Maximus invaded Italy in an attempt to replace Valentinian II, Bauto led the forces of the Eastern Emperor Theodosius I and defeated the rebel. He died soon after, likely of...
, a Romanised Frank
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
who served as magister militum
Magister militum
Magister militum was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine. Used alone, the term referred to the senior military officer of the Empire...
in the Western Roman army during the 380s. The identity of her father is mentioned by Philostorgius
Philostorgius
Philostorgius was an Anomoean Church historian of the 4th and 5th centuries. Anomoeanism questioned the Trinitarian account of the relationship between God the Father and Christ and was considered a heresy by the Orthodox Church, which adopted the term "homoousia" in the Nicene Creed. Very little...
. The fragmentary chronicle of John of Antioch, a 7th century monk tentatively identified with John of the Sedre
John of the Sedre
Patriarch John of the Sedre was the Patriarch of Antioch, and head of the Syriac Orthodox Church . He was entombed in Amida, in the temple of Lord Zecuro.-References:...
, Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch from 641 to 648 considers Bauto to have also fathered Arbogast
Arbogast (general)
Flavius Arbogastes , or Arbogast was a Frankish general in the Roman Empire. It has been stated by some ancient historians that he was the son of Flavius Bauto, Valentinian II's former magister militum and protector before Arbogast, but modern scholars largely discount this claim...
. The relation is not accepted by modern historians. The History of the Later Roman Empire from the Death of Theodosius I to the Death of Justinian (1923) by J. B. Bury
J. B. Bury
John Bagnell Bury , known as J. B. Bury, was an Irish historian, classical scholar, Byzantinist and philologist.-Biography:...
and the historical study Theodosian Empresses. Women and Imperial Dominion in Late Antiquity (1982) by Kenneth Holum consider her mother to be Roman and Eudoxia to be a "semibarbara", half-barbarian
Barbarian
Barbarian and savage are terms used to refer to a person who is perceived to be uncivilized. The word is often used either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos, typically a tribal society as seen by an urban civilization either viewed as inferior, or admired as a noble savage...
. However the primary sources are silent on her maternal ancestry.
Early life
Her father was last mentioned as Roman Consul with Arcadius in 385. He was already deceased in 388. According to ZosimusZosimus
Zosimus was a Byzantine historian, who lived in Constantinople during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius I . According to Photius, he was a comes, and held the office of "advocate" of the imperial treasury.- Historia Nova :...
, Eudoxia started her life in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
as a household member of Promotus, magister militum
Magister militum
Magister militum was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine. Used alone, the term referred to the senior military officer of the Empire...
of the Eastern Roman Empire. She is presumed to have been orphaned at the time of her arrival Her entry into the household of Promotus may indicate a friendship of the two magisters or a political alliance.
Promotus died in 391. According to Zosimus, he was survived by his widow Marsa and two sons who were raised alongside the sons and co-emperors of Theodosius I
Theodosius I
Theodosius I , also known as Theodosius the Great, was Roman Emperor from 379 to 395. Theodosius was the last emperor to rule over both the eastern and the western halves of the Roman Empire. During his reign, the Goths secured control of Illyricum after the Gothic War, establishing their homeland...
. Said sons were Arcadius and his younger brother Honorius
Honorius (emperor)
Honorius , was Western Roman Emperor from 395 to 423. He was the younger son of emperor Theodosius I and his first wife Aelia Flaccilla, and brother of the eastern emperor Arcadius....
. Zosimus asserts that Eudoxia lived alongside one of the surviving sons in Constantinople. She is therefore assumed to have already been acquainted with Arcadius during his years as junior partner to his father. Zosimus reports that Eudoxia was educated by Pansophius. Her former tutor was promoted to bishop of Nicomedia
Nicomedia
Nicomedia was an ancient city in what is now Turkey, founded in 712/11 BC as a Megarian colony and was originally known as Astacus . After being destroyed by Lysimachus, it was rebuilt by Nicomedes I of Bithynia in 264 BC under the name of Nicomedia, and has ever since been one of the most...
in 402. Wendy Mayer considers Eudoxia to have been groomed as a vehicle for the ambitions of her foster family.
Marriage
On 17 January 395, Theodosius I succumbed to death by oedema in MilanMilan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
. Arcadius succeeded him in the Eastern Roman Empire and Honorius in the Western Roman Empire
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire was the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly referred to today as the Byzantine Empire....
. Arcadius was effectively placed under the control of Rufinus
Rufinus (Byzantine official)
Flavius Rufinus was a 4th century Eastern Roman Empire statesman of Gaulish extraction who served as Praetorian prefect of the East for the emperor Theodosius I, as well as his son Arcadius, under whom Rufinus was the actual power behind the throne.He was the subject of the verse invective In...
, Praetorian prefect
Praetorian prefect
Praetorian prefect was the title of a high office in the Roman Empire. Originating as the commander of the Praetorian Guard, the office gradually acquired extensive legal and administrative functions, with its holders becoming the Emperor's chief aides...
of the East. Rufinus reportedly intended to marry his daughter to Arcadius and establish his own relation to the Theodosian dynasty
Theodosian dynasty
The Theodosian dynasty was a Roman family that rose to eminence in the waning days of the Roman Empire.-History:Its founding father was Flavius Theodosius , a great general who had saved Britannia from the Great Conspiracy...
. Bury considers that "once the Emperor's father-in‑law he [Rufinus] might hope to become an Emperor himself."
However Rufinus was distracted by a conflict with Stilicho
Stilicho
Flavius Stilicho was a high-ranking general , Patrician and Consul of the Western Roman Empire, notably of Vandal birth. Despised by the Roman population for his Germanic ancestry and Arian beliefs, Stilicho was in 408 executed along with his wife and son...
, magister militum of the West. The wedding of Eudoxia to Arcadius was orchestrated by Eutropius
Eutropius (Byzantine official)
Eutropius was a fourth century Eastern Roman official.He began his career as a eunuch in the palace of Theodosius I. After Theodosius' death in 395 he successfully arranged the marriage of the new emperor, Arcadius, to Aelia Eudoxia, having blocked an attempt by Arcadius' chief minister, Rufinus,...
, one of the eunuch officials serving in the Great Palace of Constantinople
Great Palace of Constantinople
The Great Palace of Constantinople — also known as the Sacred Palace — was the large Imperial Byzantine palace complex located in the south-eastern end of the peninsula now known as "Old Istanbul", modern Turkey...
. The marriage took place on 27 April 395, without the knowledge or consent of Rufinus. For Eutropius it was an attempt to increase his own influence over the emperor and hopefully ensure the loyalty of the new empress to himself. Rufinus had been an enemy of Promotus and the surviving household of the magister militum, including Eudoxia, might have been eager to undermine him. Arcadius himself may have been motivated in asserting his own will over that of his regent. Zosimus reports that Arcadius was also influenced by the extraordinary beauty of his bride but this is considered doubtful by later scholars. Arcadius was approximately eighteen years old and Eudoxia may be presumed to be of an equivalent age.
Empress consort
In the decade between her marriage and her death, Eudoxia gave birth to five surviving children. A contemporary source known as pseudo-Martyrius also reports two stillbirthStillbirth
A stillbirth occurs when a fetus has died in the uterus. The Australian definition specifies that fetal death is termed a stillbirth after 20 weeks gestation or the fetus weighs more than . Once the fetus has died the mother still has contractions and remains undelivered. The term is often used in...
s. The writer is considered to be Cosmas, supporter of John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom , Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic...
who attributed both events to punishment for the two exiles of John. Zosimus alleges that her son Theodosius was widely rumored to be the result of her affair with a courtier. Zosimus' account of her life is generally hostile to Eudoxia and the accuracy of his tale is doubtful.
She and Gainas
Gainas
Gainas was an ambitious Gothic leader who served the Eastern Roman Empire as Magister Militum during the reigns of Theodosius I and Arcadius....
, the new magister militum, are considered to have played a part in the stripping of all offices and subsequent execution of Eutropius in 399. However the extent and nature of her involvement are disputed. Nevertheless, she seems to have increased her personal influence following his demise. On 9 January 400, Eudoxia was officially given the title of an Augusta
Augusta (honorific)
Augusta was the imperial honorific title of empresses. It was given to the women of the Roman and Byzantine imperial families. In the third century, Augustae could also receive the titles of Mater castrorum and Mater Patriae .The title implied the greatest prestige, with the Augustae able to...
. She was then able to wear the purple paludamentum
Paludamentum
In Republican and Imperial Rome, the paludamentum was a cloak or cape fastened at one shoulder, worn by military commanders and by their troops. As supreme commander of the whole Roman army, Roman emperors were often portrayed wearing it in their statues and on their coinage...
representing imperial rank and was depicted in Roman currency
Roman currency
The Roman currency during most of the Roman Republic and the western half of the Roman Empire consisted of coins including the aureus , the denarius , the sestertius , the dupondius , and the as...
. Official images of her in the manner similar to a male Augustus also went in circulation. Her brother-in-law Honorius would later complain to Arcadius about them reaching his own court.
The extent of her influence at matters of court and state has been a matter of debate among historians. Philostorgius considers her to be more intelligent than her husband but comments on her "barbarian arrogance". Zosimus considers her strong-willed but ultimately manipulated by eunuchs at court and the women of her environment. Barbarians and Bishops: Army, Church, and State in the Age of Arcadius and Chrysostom (1990) by J. W. H. G. Liebeschuetz considers her influence overestimated in primary sources while The Cambridge Ancient History XIII. The Late Empire A.D. 337-425 (1998) reports her dominating the government between 400 and her death in 404.
In 403, Simplicius, Prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, erected a statue dedicated to her on a column of porphyry
Porphyry (geology)
Porphyry is a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals, such as feldspar or quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix or groundmass. The larger crystals are called phenocrysts...
and a base of marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
. Arcadius renamed the town of Selymbria (Silivri
Silivri
Silivri is a city and a district in Istanbul Province along the Sea of Marmara in Turkey, outside of metropolitan Istanbul, containing many holiday and weekend homes for residents of the city. The largest city in the district is also named Silivri...
) Eudoxiopolis after her, though this name did not survive.
Church policy
Her role in the ecclesiastical affairs of her time is relatively well-recorded. She became a patron to the faction of the Christian Church accepting the Nicene CreedNicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325.The Nicene Creed has been normative to the...
and she is reported by Socrates of Constantinople to be financing nighttime anti-Arian
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
processions in Constantinople. She also presided in public celebrations over the arrival of new relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
s of Christian martyrs
Christian martyrs
A Christian martyr is one who is killed for following Christianity, through stoning, crucifixion, burning at the stake or other forms of torture and capital punishment. The word "martyr" comes from the Greek word μάρτυς, mártys, which means "witness."...
to the city and joined nightly vigil
Vigil
A vigil is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching, or an observance...
s over the remains by herself. She is consistently reported to act alone in religious matters and to appear alone in public. Arcadius remarkably absent from public events.
An interpretation is that Eudoxia had adopted the role of patron of the Church previously belonging to the Augusti from Constantine I
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
onwards. Her role would bring her into conflict with John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom , Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic...
, the Patriarch of Constantinople
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
. Their initial opposition may have been his protests over the fall from power and execution of Eutropius.
During his time as Archbishop John adamantly refused to host lavish social gatherings, which made him popular with the common people, but unpopular with wealthy citizens and the clergy. His reforms of the clergy were also unpopular with these groups. He told visiting regional preachers to return to the churches they were meant to be serving — without any payout.
At about the same time, Theophilus
Theophilus of Alexandria
Theophilus of Alexandria was Patriarch of Alexandria, Egypt, from 385 to 412. He is regarded as a saint by the Coptic Orthodox Church....
, the Patriarch of Alexandria
Patriarch of Alexandria
The Patriarch of Alexandria is the Archbishop of Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt. Historically, this office has included the designation of Pope , and did so earlier than that of the Bishop of Rome...
, wanted to bring Constantinople under his sway and opposed John's appointment to Constantinople. Being an opponent of Origen
Origen
Origen , or Origen Adamantius, 184/5–253/4, was an early Christian Alexandrian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished writers of the early Church. As early as the fourth century, his orthodoxy was suspect, in part because he believed in the pre-existence of souls...
's teachings, he accused John of being too partial to the latter's teachings. Theophilus had disciplined four Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s (known as "the Tall Brothers") over their support of Origen's teachings. They fled to and were welcomed by John. John made another enemy in Aelia Eudoxia, the wife of the eastern Emperor Arcadius
Arcadius
Arcadius was the Byzantine Emperor from 395 to his death. He was the eldest son of Theodosius I and his first wife Aelia Flaccilla, and brother of the Western Emperor Honorius...
, who assumed (perhaps with justification) that his denunciations of extravagance in feminine dress were aimed at herself.
Depending on one's outlook, John was either tactless or fearless when denouncing offences in high places. An alliance was soon formed against him by Eudoxia, Theophilus and others of his enemies. They held a synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
in 403 (the Synod of the Oak
Synod of the Oak
The Synod of the Oak was a provincial synod, held in Constantinople in July of 403, which condemned and deposed John Chrysostom as Patriarch of Constantinople....
) to charge John, in which his connection to Origen was used against him. It resulted in his deposition and banishment. He was called back by Arcadius almost immediately, as the people became "tumultuous" over his departure. There was also an earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
the night of his arrest, which Eudoxia took for a sign of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
's anger, prompting her to ask Arcadius for John's reinstatement.
Peace was short-lived. A silver statue of Eudoxia was erected near his cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
. John denounced the dedication ceremonies. He spoke against her in harsh terms: "Again Herodias raves; again she is troubled; she dances again; and again desires to receive John’s head in a charger," an allusion to the events surrounding the death of John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
. Herodias
Herodias
Herodias was a Jewish princess of the Herodian Dynasty. Asteroid 546 Herodias is named after her.-Family relationships:*Daughter of Aristobulus IV...
was a member of the Herodian Dynasty
Herodian Dynasty
The Herodian Dynasty was a Jewish dynasty of Idumean descent, client Kings of Roman Judaea Province between 37 BCE and 92 CE.- Origin :During the time of the Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus 134-104 BCE, Israel conquered Edom and forced the Edomites to convert to Judaism.The Edomites were integrated...
. In the Gospels of Mark
Gospel of Mark
The Gospel According to Mark , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Mark or simply Mark, is the second book of the New Testament. This canonical account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth is one of the three synoptic gospels. It was thought to be an epitome, which accounts for its place as the second...
and Matthew
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
, Herodias plays a major role in the execution of John the Baptist execution, using the dance of her daughter Salome
Salome
Salome , the Daughter of Herodias , is known from the New Testament...
before Herod Antipas
Herod Antipas
Herod Antipater , known by the nickname Antipas, was a 1st-century AD ruler of Galilee and Perea, who bore the title of tetrarch...
and his party guests to ask for the head of the Baptist as a reward.
Once again John was banished, this time to the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. Eudoxia would not survive long. Her seventh and last pregnancy ended in either a miscarriage or, according to pseudo-Martyrius, a second stillbirth. She was left bleeding
Bleeding
Bleeding, technically known as hemorrhaging or haemorrhaging is the loss of blood or blood escape from the circulatory system...
and died of an infection
Infection
An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...
shortly after. Pseudo-Martyrius celebrates her death and considers her a second Jezebel
Jezebel (Bible)
Jezebel was a princess, identified in the Hebrew Book of Kings as the daughter of Ethbaal, King of Tyre and the wife of Ahab, king of north Israel. According to genealogies given in Josephus and other classical sources, she was the great-aunt of Dido, Queen of Carthage.The Hebrew text portrays...
. The reference being to a Queen consort of the Kingdom of Israel whose conflict with Elijah, a prophet, was described in the Books of Kings
Books of Kings
The Book of Kings presents a narrative history of ancient Israel and Judah from the death of David to the release of his successor Jehoiachin from imprisonment in Babylon, a period of some 400 years...
.
Children
Eudoxia and Arcadius had five known children. The main source about their births and deaths is the chronicle of Ammianus MarcellinusAmmianus Marcellinus
Ammianus Marcellinus was a fourth-century Roman historian. He wrote the penultimate major historical account surviving from Antiquity...
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- Flacilla (born 17 June 397). Her birth was recorded by Ammianus MarcellinusAmmianus MarcellinusAmmianus Marcellinus was a fourth-century Roman historian. He wrote the penultimate major historical account surviving from Antiquity...
. She predeaceased her father. Only sibling not mentioned alive at his death in 408. - PulcheriaPulcheriaAelia Pulcheria was the daughter of Eastern Roman Emperor Arcadius and Empress Aelia Eudoxia. She was the second child born to Arcadius and Eudoxia. Her oldest sister was Flaccilla born in 397, but is assumed she had died young. Her younger siblings were Theodosius II, the future emperor and...
(19 January 399 – 453). Married MarcianMarcianMarcian was Byzantine Emperor from 450 to 457. Marcian's rule marked a recovery of the Eastern Empire, which the Emperor protected from external menaces and reformed economically and financially...
. - Arcadia (3 April 400 – 444).
- Theodosius IITheodosius IITheodosius II , commonly surnamed Theodosius the Younger, or Theodosius the Calligrapher, was Byzantine Emperor from 408 to 450. He is mostly known for promulgating the Theodosian law code, and for the construction of the Theodosian Walls of Constantinople...
(10 April 401 – 28 July 450). - Marina (12 February 403 – 449).