Galla Placidia

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Galla Placidia

Aelia Galla Placidia (392 – November 27, 450) was the Empress consort of Constantius III

Constantius III

Western Roman Empire

Roman Emperor

The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman Empire during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office: Latin language titles such as imperator , Augustus , Caesar and princeps were all associated with it....
Theodosius I

Theodosius I

Flavius Theodosius , also called Theodosius I and Theodosius the Great , was Roman Emperor from 379 to 395. Reuniting the eastern and western portions of the empire, Theodosius was the last emperor of both the Eastern Roman Empire and Western Roman Empire....
and his second wife Galla

Galla, wife of Theodosius I

Flavia Galla was a Princess of the Western Roman Empire and an Empress of the Roman Empire. She was the second Empress consort of Theodosius I....
. Her older brother Gratian died young. Her mother died in childbirth in 394, giving birth to John, who died with their mother.

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Aelia Galla Placidia (392 – November 27, 450) was the Empress consort of Constantius III

Constantius III

Western Roman Empire

Family

Placidia was the daughter of Roman Emperor

Roman Emperor

Theodosius I

Galla, wife of Theodosius I

Arcadius

Flavius Arcadius was Roman Emperors in the Eastern half of the Roman Empire from 395 until his death.Arcadius was born in Spain, the elder son of Theodosius I and Aelia Flaccilla, and brother of Flavius Augustus Honorius, who would become a Western Roman Emperor....
and Honorius

Honorius (emperor)

Flavius Honorius was Roman Emperor and then Western Roman Empire 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....
. Her older half-sister Pulcheria

Pulcheria (daughter of Theodosius I)

Aelia Pulcheria was the daughter of Roman Emperor Theodosius I and Roman Empress Aelia Flaccilla. This Pulcheria apparently died in childhood and is not to be confused with her more famous Pulcheria....
predeceased her parents as mentioned in the writings of Gregory of Nyssa

Gregory of Nyssa

Gregory of Nyssa was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity....
, placing the death of Pulcheria prior to the death of Aelia Flaccilla

Aelia Flaccilla

Aelia Flavia Flaccilla , first wife of the Roman Emperor Theodosius I. She was of Hispania Rome descent. During her marriage to Theodosius, she gave birth to two sons — future Emperors Arcadius and Honorius — and a daughter, Pulcheria ....
, first wife of Theodosius I, in 385. Her paternal grandparents were Count Theodosius

Count Theodosius

Flavius Theodosius or Theodosius the Elder was a senior military officer serving in the Western Roman Empire. He achieved the rank of Comes Britanniarum and as such, he is usually referred to as Comes Theodosius....
and his wife Thermantia, as mentioned in the "Historia Romana" by Paul the Deacon

Paul the Deacon

Paul the Deacon , also known as Paulus Diaconus, Warnefred and Cassinensis, , was a Benedictine monk and historian of the Lombards....
. Her maternal grandparents were Valentinian I

Valentinian I

Flavius Valentinianus, known in English as Valentinian I, was Roman Emperor from 364 until his death. Valentinian is often referred to as the "last great western emperor"....
and his second wife Justina, as mentioned by Jordanes

Jordanes

Jordanes , was a 6th century Roman bureaucrat , who turned his hand to history later in life.Though he also wrote Romana , a book about the history of Rome, his most known work is his Getica, written in Constantinople about AD 551 ....
.

Early life

Placidia was granted her own household by her father in the early 390s and was thus financially independent while underage. She was summoned to the court of her father in Mediolanum

Mediolanum

Mediolanum, the ancient Milan, was an important Celts and then Ancient Rome centre of northern Italy. This article charts the history of the city from its settlement by the Insubres around 600 BC, through its conquest by the Ancient Rome and its development into a key centre of Western Christianity and capital of the Western Roman Empire, un...
during 394. She was present at Theodosius' death on January 17, 395. She was granted the title of "Nobilissima Puella" ("Most Noble Girl") during her childhood.

Placidia spent most of her early years in the household of Stilicho

Stilicho

Flavius Stilicho was a high-ranking general , Patrician and Consul of the Western Roman Empire, notably of barbarian birth....
the Vandal

Vandals

The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire during the 5th century. The Goths Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths and regent of the Visigoths, was allied by marriage with the Vandals as well as with the Burgundians and the Franks under Clovis I....
and his wife Serena

Serena (Roman)

Serena was a noblewoman of the late Western Roman Empire.Her parents were Honorius, brother of the Roman emperors Theodosius I, and his wife Maria....
. She is presumed to have learned weaving

Weaving

Weaving is the textile arts in which two distinct sets of yarn, called the Warp and the filling or weft , are interlaced with each other to form a textile....
and embroidery

Embroidery

File:Kazakh rug chain stitch embroidery.jpgEmbroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating Textile or other materials with sewing needle and yarn....
. She might have also been given a classical education

Education in Ancient Rome

Education as we know it today has deep roots in the late Roman Republic and Roman Empire. In the span of a few centuries, Rome went from an informal system of education that passed knowledge from parents to infants to a specialized, tiered system of schools inspired by Greek educational practices....
though no details are known. Serena was a first cousin of Arcadius, Honorius and Placidia. The poem "In Praise of Serena" by Claudian

Claudian

Claudian was a Roman poet, who worked for Emperor Flavius Augustus Honorius and the latter's general Stilicho.A Greek language citizen of Alexandria, Claudian arrived in Rome before 395, and made his mark with a eulogy of his two young patrons, Probinus and Olybrius, thereby becoming court poet....
and the "Historia Nova" by Zosimus

Zosimus

Zosimus was a Byzantine Empire historian, who lived in Constantinople during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius I . According to Photios I of Constantinople, he was a comes, and held the office of "advocate" of the imperial treasury....
clarify that Serena's father was an elder Honorius, a brother to Theodosius I. According to "De Consulatu Stilichonis" by Claudian, Placidia was betrothed to Eucherius, only known son of Stilicho and Serena. Her scheduled marriage is mentioned in the text as the third union between Stilicho's family and the Theodosian dynasty

Theodosian dynasty

The Theodosian dynasty was a Roman family that rose to eminence in the waning days of the Roman Empire....
, following those of Stilicho to Serena and Maria

Maria, daughter of Stilicho

Maria was the first Empress consort of Honorius , Western Roman Empire....
, their daughter, to Honorius.

Stilicho was the magister militum

Magister militum

Magister militum was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine I . Used alone, the term referred to the senior military officer of the Empire....
of the Western Roman Empire

Western Roman Empire

The Western Roman Empire refers to the western half of the Roman Empire, from its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, today widely known as the Byzantine Empire....
. He was the only known person to hold the rank of "magister militum in praesenti" from 394 to 408 in both the Western and the Eastern Roman Empire. He was also titled "magister equitum et peditum" ("Master of the Horse and of Foot"), placing him in charge of both the cavalry

Cavalry

The Cavalry is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat, it represents the mobility and offensive power of the armed forces....
and infantry

Infantry

Infantry are soldiers who are primarily trained for the role of fighting on foot. A soldier in the infantry is known as an infantryman. Infantry units have more physically demanding training than other branches of armies, and place a greater emphasis on fitness, physical strength and aggression....
forces of the Western Roman Empire. In 408, Arcadius died and was succeeded by his son Theodosius II

Theodosius II

Flavius Theodosius , called the Calligrapher, known in English as Theodosius II, was an Eastern Roman Empire , mostly known for the law code bearing his name, the Codex Theodosianus, and the Walls of Constantinople#The Theodosian Walls of Constantinople built during his reign....
, only seven years old. Stilicho planned to proceed to Constantinople

Constantinople

Constantinople was the empire capital of the Roman Empire , the Byzantine Empire , the Latin Empire , and the Ottoman Empire . Strategically located between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara at the point where Europe meets Asia, Byzantine Constantinople had been the capital of a Christendom empire, successor to ancient ancient Greece...
and "undertake the management of the affairs of Theodosius", convincing Honorius not to travel to the East himself. Shortly after, Olympius, "an officer of rank in the court-guards" attempted to convince Honorius that Stilicho was in fact conspiring to depose Theodosius II, to replace him with Eucherius. Olympius proceeded to lead a military coup d'état

Coup d'état

A coup d??tat , often simply called a coup, is the sudden unconstitutional overthrow of a government by a part of the state establishment – usually the military – to replace the branch of the stricken government, either with another civil government or with a military government....
which left him in control of Honorius and his court. Stilicho was arrested and executed on August 22, 408. Eucherius sought refuge in Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....
but was arrested there by Arsacius and Tarentius, two eunuchs following imperial command. They executed him not long after. Honorius appointed Tarentius imperial chamberlain, and gave the next post under him to Arsacius. Their deaths left Placidia effectively unattached.

First marriage

In the disturbances that followed the fall of Stilicho, throughout the Italian Peninsula

Italian Peninsula

The Italian Peninsula or Apennine Peninsula is one of the three peninsulas of Southern Europe , spanning 1,000 km from the Po Valley in the north to the central Mediterranean Sea in the south....
the wives and children of the foederati

Foederati

Foederatus is a Latin term whose definition and usage drifted in the time between the early Roman Republic and the end of the Western Roman Empire....
were slain. The foederati were considered loyalists of Stilicho and treated accordingly. The natural consequence of all this was that these men, to the number of 30,000, flocked to the camp of Alaric I

Alaric I

Alaric I , was likely born about 370 on an Peuce Island at the mouth of the Danube. He was king of the Visigoths from 395–410 and the first Germanic peoples leader to take the city of Rome....
, King of the Visigoths, clamouring to be led against their cowardly enemies. Alaric accordingly led them across the Julian Alps

Julian Alps

The Julian Alps are a mountain range of the Southern Limestone Alps that stretches from north-eastern Italy to Slovenia, where they rise to 2,864 metres at the Triglav mountain....
and, in September 408, stood before the Aurelian Walls

Aurelian Walls

The Aurelian Walls were city walls built between 271 and 275 in Rome during the reign of the Roman Emperors Aurelian and Probus. They enclosed all seven hills of Rome plus the Campus Martius and, on the right bank of the Tiber, the Trastevere district....
and began a strict blockade. Rome was under siege

Sack of Rome (410)

The Sack of Rome occurred on August 24, 410. The city was attacked by the Visigoths, led by Alaric I. The Roman capital had been moved to the Italian city of Ravenna by the young emperor Honorius , after the Visigoths entered Italy....
, with minor interruptions, from 408 to August 24, 410. Zosimus

Zosimus

Roman Senate

The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic. According to the Greek historian Polybius, our principal source on the Constitution of the Roman Republic, the Roman Senate was the predominant branch of government....
therefore, with Placidia, uterine sister to the emperor, thought it proper that she should suffer death". Her reasons for concurring to the execution of her cousin are not stated in the account.

Prior to the fall of Rome, Placidia was captured by Alaric. Her captivity was recorded by both Jordanes

Jordanes

Marcellinus Comes

Marcellinus Comes was a Byzantine Empire chronicler....
, though the exact circumstances are not mentioned. She followed the Visigoths in their move from the Italian Peninsula to Gaul

Gaul

Gaul is the name used for the region of Western Europe comprising part of present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the River Rhine....
in 412. Their ruler Ataulf

Ataulf

Ataulf was king of the Visigoths from 410 to 415....
, having succeeded Alaric, entered an alliance with Honorius against Jovinus

Jovinus

Jovinus was a GaulRoman Roman Senate and claimed to be Roman Emperor .Following the defeat of the Roman usurper known with the name of Constantine III , Jovinus was proclaimed emperor at Mainz in 411, a puppet supported by Gunther, king of the Burgundians, and Goar, king of the Alans....
and Sebastianus

Sebastianus

Sebastianus , a brother of Jovinus, was an aristocrat of southern Gaul. After Jovinus usurped in Gaul the throne of the western Roman Empire Honorius in 411, he named Sebastianus as Augustus in 412....
, rival Western Roman emperors located in Gaul. He managed to defeat and execute both Gallo-Roman

Gallo-Roman culture

The term Galo-Roman describes the Romanized culture of Gaul under the rule of the Roman Empire. This was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman mores and way of life in a uniquely Gaulish context....
emperors in 413.

After the heads of Sebastianus and Jovinus arrived at Honorius' court in Ravenna

Ravenna

Carthage

Carthage refers both to an ancient city in present-day Tunisia, and a modern-day suburb of Tunis. The civilization that developed within the city's sphere of influence is referred to as Punic or Carthaginian....
, relations between Ataulf and Honorius improved sufficiently for Ataulf to cement them by marrying Galla Placidia at Narbonne

Narbonne

Narbonne is a commune in France in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon r?gion in France. It lies from Paris in the Aude d?partement in France, of which it is a sous-pr?fecture....
on January 1, 414. The nuptials were celebrated with high Roman festivities and magnificent gifts from the Gothic booty. Priscus Attalus

Priscus Attalus

Priscus Attalus was twice Roman usurper , against Roman Emperor Honorius , with Visigoths support.Priscus Attalus was a Greek from Asia whose father had moved to Italy under Valentinian I....
gave the wedding speech, a classical epithalamium

Epithalamium

Epithalamium specifically refers to a form of poem that is written for the bride. Or, specifically, written for the bride on the way to her marital chamber....
. The marriage was recorded by Hydatius

Hydatius

Hydatius or Idacius , bishop of Aquae Flaviae in the Roman province of Gallaecia was the author of a chronicle of his own times that provides us with our best evidence for the history of Hispania in the 5th century....
. The historian Jordanes states that they married earlier, in 411 at Forum Livii (Forlì

Forlì

Forl? is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, famed as the birthplace of the great painter Melozzo da Forl?, of the Renaissance humanism historian Flavio Biondo, of the famous physicians Geronimo Mercuriali and Giovanni Battista Morgagni....
). Jordanes's date may actually be when she and the Gothic king first became more than captor and captive.

Placidia and Ataulf had a single known son, Theodosius. He was born in Barcelona

Barcelona

Barcelona is the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous communities of Spain of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,615,908 in 2008, while the population of the Metropolitan Area was 3,161,081....
by the end of 414. Theodosius died early in the following year, thus eliminating an opportunity for a Romano-Visigothic line. Years later the corpse was exhumed and reburied in the imperial mausoleum in St. Peter's Basilica

St. Peter's Basilica

The Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian language as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St. Peter's Basilica, is located within the Vatican City....
, Rome. In Hispania

Hispania

Hispania was the name given by the Ancient Rome to the whole of the Iberian Peninsula . When Rome was a Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into Roman provinces: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior....
, Ataulf imprudently accepted into his service a man identified as "Dubius" or "Eberwolf", a former follower of Sarus. Sarus was a Germanic chieftain

Germanic chieftain

In pre-Christian times tribal chiefs were both political and religious leaders, tasked to use their luck to secure the people fred . Arminius was a famous example....
who was killed while fighting under Jovinus and Sebastianus. His follower harbored a secret desire to avenge the death of his beloved patron. And so, in the palace at Barcelona, the man brought Ataulf's reign to a sudden end by killing him while he bathed in August/September, 415.

The Amali

Amali

The Amali were one of the leading dynasties of the Goths, a Germanic tribes who confronted the Roman Empire in its declining years in the west. They were also called the Amals, Amaler, or Amalings and were at one point considered highest in rank among Gothic fighters and royal dignity....
faction proceeded to proclaim Sigeric

Sigeric

Sigeric was a Visigoth king for seven days in 415 CE. His predecessor, Ataulf, had been mortally wounded in his bath at the palace of Barcelona by an assassin....
, a brother of Sarus, as the next king of the Visigoths. According to the The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire was written by England historian Edward Gibbon and published in six volumes. Volume I was published in 1776, and went through six printings....
by Edward Gibbon

Edward Gibbon

Edward Gibbon was an English historian and Member of Parliament. His most important work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1788....
, the first act of Sigeric's reign "was the inhuman murder" of Ataulf's six children from a former marriage "whom he tore, without pity, from the feeble arms of a venerable bishop." (the later being Sigesar, Bishop of the Goths). As for Galla Placidia

Galla Placidia

File:Aelia Galla Placidia.jpgAelia Galla Placidia was the Empress consort of Constantius III, Western Roman Empire....
, as Ataulf's widow, she was "treated with cruel and wanton insult" by being forced to walk more than twelve miles on foot among the crowd of captives driven ahead of the mounted Sigeric. Seeing the noble widow's sufferings, however, became one of the factors that roused indignant opponents of the usurper, who quickly assassinated Sigeric and replaced him with Wallia

Wallia

Wallia or Valia was king of the Visigoths from 415 to 419, earning a reputation as a great warrior and prudent ruler. He was elected to the throne after Athaulf and then Sigeric were assassinated in 415....
, Ataulf's relative.

Second marriage

According to the Chronicon Albeldense, included in the Roda Codex

Roda Codex

The Roda Codex is a medieval manuscript which represents a unique source for details of the 9th century Kingdom of Navarre and neighboring principalities....
, Wallia was in desperate need of food supplies. He surrendered to Constantius III

Constantius III

Flavius Constantius , whose name is traditionally anglicised as Constantius III, was a late Roman general, politician, and Roman Emperor. He was the power behind the throne for much of the 410s, and in 421 briefly became co-emperor of the Western Roman Empire with Honorius ....
, at the time magister militum of Honorius, negotiating terms giving foederati status for the Visigoths. Placidia was returned to Honorius as part of the peace treaty. Her brother Honorius forced her into marriage to Constantius III on January 1, 417. Their daughter Justa Grata Honoria

Justa Grata Honoria

Justa Grata Honoria was the sister of the Western Roman Empire Roman Emperor Valentinian III. Coins of her attest that she was granted the title of Augusta ....
was probably born in 417 or 418. The history of Paul the Deacon

Paul the Deacon

Paul the Deacon , also known as Paulus Diaconus, Warnefred and Cassinensis, , was a Benedictine monk and historian of the Lombards....
mentions her first when mentioning the children of the marriage, suggesting she was the eldest. Their son Valentinian III

Valentinian III

Flavius Placidus Valentinianus , known in English as Valentinian III, was among the last Western Roman Emperors ....
was born on July 2, 419.

Placidia intervened in the succession crisis following the death of Pope Zosimus

Pope Zosimus

Pope Saint Zosimus was pope from March 18, 417 to December 26, 418 .He succeeded Pope Innocent I, and was followed by Pope Boniface I. Zosimus took a decided part in the protracted dispute in Gaul as to the jurisdiction of the see of Arles over that of Vienne, giving energetic decisions in favour of the former, but without settling the con...
on December 26, 418. Two factions of the Roman clergy had proceeded to elect their own Popes, the first electing Eulalius

Antipope Eulalius

Antipope Eulalius was an antipope who reigned from December 418 to April 419, although elected the day before Pope Boniface I.Flavius Augustus Honorius, the Emperor, called a Synod — the first intervention by the Emperor in a Papal election — to decide upon the matter....
(27 December) and the other one electing Boniface I

Pope Boniface I

Pope Saint Boniface I was pope from December 28, 418 to September 4, 422. He was a contemporary of Saint Augustine of Hippo, who dedicated to him some of his works....
(28 December). They acted as rival Popes while situated in the same city, Rome. Said city was thrown into tumult

TUMULt

tUMULt is a small record label in San Francisco, California run by Andee Connors . It has released music by Acid Mothers Temple, Avarus , Brainbombs, Circle , Eikenskaden, Guapo , Harvey Milk ,...
as both factions clashed. Symmachus, Prefect of Rome, sent his report to the imperial court at Ravenna, requesting an imperial decision on the matter. Placidia and, presumably, Constantius petitioned the emperor in favor of Eulalius. This was arguably the first intervention by an Emperor in the Papal election.

Honorius initially confirmed Eulalius as the legitimate Pope. As this failed to put an end to the controversy, Honorius called a Synod

Synod

A synod is a council of a Ecclesia , usually a Christianity church, convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. An ecumenical council is so named because it is a synod of the whole church ...
of Italian bishops at Ravenna to decide on the matter. The Synod convened from February to March 419 but failed to reach a conclusion. Honorius decided to call a second Synod in May, this time calling Gaulish and African bishops to participate. In the mean time, the two rival Popes were ordered to leave Rome. However as Easter

Easter

Easter is the most important religious feast in the Christianity liturgical year.Christians believe that Jesus was Resurrection of Jesus from the dead three days after his Crucifixion of Jesus, and celebrate this resurrection on Easter Day or Easter Sunday , two days after Good Friday....
approached, Eulalius returned to the city and attempted to seize the Basilica of St. John Lateran

Basilica of St. John Lateran

The Basilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope....
in order to "preside at the paschal ceremonies". Imperial troops managed to repell him and on Easter (March 30, 419) the ceremonies were presided by Achilleus, Bishop of Spoleto. The conflict cost Eulalius' imperial favor and Boniface was proclaimed the legitimate Pope as of April 3, 419, returning to Rome a week later. Placidia had personally written to the African bishops, summoning them to the second synod. Three of her letters are known to have survived.

On February 8, 421, Constantius was proclaimed an Augustus, becoming a co-ruler with the childless Honorius. Placidia was proclaimed an Augusta. She was the only Empress in the West, since Honorius had divorced Thermantia

Thermantia

Thermantia was the second Empress consort of Honorius , Western Roman Empire....
, his second wife, in 408 and never remarried. Both titles were not recognised by Theodosius II, Eastern Roman Emperor. Constantius reportedly complained about the loss of personal freedom and privacy that came with the imperial office. He died of an illness on September 2, 421.

Widow

Galla herself, the former Augusta, was however forced from the Western Empire. Whatever the politics or motivations, the public issue was increasingly scandalous public sexual caresses from her own brother Honorius. This at least was the interpretation given by Olympiodorus of Thebes

Olympiodorus of Thebes

Olympiodorus was an historical writer of classical education, a "poet by profession" as he says of himself, who was born at Thebes in Egypt, and was sent on a mission to the Huns on the Black Sea by Emperor Honorius about 412, and later lived at the court of Theodosius II, to whom his History was dedicated....
, a historian used as a source by Zosimus

Zosimus

Sozomen

Salminius Hermias Sozomenus was a historian of the Christianity church....
and probably Philostorgius

Philostorgius

Philostorgius was a so-called Anomoeanism Church historian of the 4th and 5th centuries. Very little information about his life is available; he was born in Borissus, Cappadocia to Eulampia and Carterius, and later lived in Constantinople....
, as J.F. Matthews has demonstrated. Gibbon had a different opinion. "The power of Placidia; and the indecent familiarity of her brother, which might be no more than the symptoms of a childish affection, were universally attributed to incestuous love." Gibbon compares the public caresses to those of Muhammad

Muhammad

Muhammad Patronymic#Arabic Abd Allah ibn Abd al Muttalib , is the founder of the Major religious groups of Islam and is regarded by Muslims as a Rasul and prophet of , the last and the greatest law-bearer in a series of prophets....
to his daughter Fatimah

Fatimah

Fatimah was a daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad from his first wife Khadija. Sheis regarded by Muslims as an exemplar for men and women....
, as a "sensual indulgence" without actual incest

Incest

Incest refers to any sexual activity between closely related persons that is illegal or socially taboo. The type of sexual activity and the nature of the relationship between persons that constitutes a breach of law or social taboo vary with culture and jurisdiction....
involved.

According to Gibbon, "On a sudden, by some base intrigues of a steward and a nurse, this excessive fondness was converted into an irreconcilable quarrel: the debates of the emperor and his sister were not long confined within the walls of the palace; and as the Gothic soldiers adhered to their queen, the city of Ravenna was agitated with bloody and dangerous tumults, which could only be appeased by the forced or voluntary retreat of Placidia and her children. The royal exiles landed at Constantinople

Constantinople

Constantinople was the empire capital of the Roman Empire , the Byzantine Empire , the Latin Empire , and the Ottoman Empire . Strategically located between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara at the point where Europe meets Asia, Byzantine Constantinople had been the capital of a Christendom empire, successor to ancient ancient Greece...
, soon after the marriage of Theodosius, during the festival of the Persian victories. They were treated with kindness and magnificence; but as the statues of the emperor Constantius had been rejected by the Eastern court, the title of Augusta could not decently be allowed to his widow". The passage places the arrival of Placidia and her children as following the marriage of Theodosius II to Aelia Eudocia

Aelia Eudocia

Aelia Eudocia Augusta , wife of Theodosius II, Byzantine Emperors, was born in Athens.She was the daughter of the sophist Leontius, from whom she received a thorough training in literature and rhetoric....
, known to have occurred on June 7, 421. The "Persian victories" mentioned were probably victory celebrations over a brief Roman-Persian War

Roman-Persian Wars

The Roman–Persian Wars were a series of conflicts between the Greco-Roman world and two successive List of Iranic states and empires. Contact between Parthia and the Roman Republic began in 92 BC; wars began under the late Republic, and continued through the Roman Empire and Sassanid Empires....
, under the respective leaderships of Theodosius II and Bahram V

Bahram V

Bahram V was the fourteenth Sassanid King of Persia . Also called Bahramgur, he was a son of Yazdegerd I , after whose sudden death he gained the crown against the opposition of the grandees by the help of Mundhir, the Arabic dynast of al-Hirah....
of the Sassanid Empire

Sassanid Empire

The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty is the name of the last pre-Islamic Iranian empire. It was one of the two main powers in Western Asia for a period of more than 400 years....
. The conflict took place from c. 420 to 422. "The general Ardaburius

Flavius Ardabur

Flavius Ardabur or Ardaburius served as magister militum in the Byzantine army in the 420s, under Theodosius II.During the Roman?Persian Wars of 421, he invaded Arzanene and Mesopotamia, besieging Nisibis and defeating seven Persian generals....
operated in Arzanene

Aghdznik

Aghdznik , also known as Altzniq or Arzanene, was a region of old Armenia that existed before AD 300, when it was ruled by Bakur . About 330 it was incorporated into Siunik....
and gained a victory, autumn 421, which forced the Persians to retreat to Nisibis, which Ardaburius then besieged. He raised the siege on the arrival of an army under Varahran, who proceeded to attack Resaina

Resaena

Resaena was the ancient name of the city of Ras al-Ayn, Syria.Resaena was close to the frontier between the Roman Empire and the Sassanid Empire, and saw the alternate domination of the two powers between the 2nd and 4th century....
. Meanwhile the Saracens

Arab

An Arab is a person who Identity as such on linguistic or cultural grounds. The plural form, Arabs , refers to the Ethnocultural group at large....
of Hira

Al-Hirah

Al Hira was an ancient city located south of al-Kufah in south-central Iraq. It was a significant city in pre-Islamic Arab history. Originally a military encampment, in the 5th and 6th centuries CE it became the capital of the Lakhmids....
, under Al-Mundhir, were sent to invade Syria

Syria (Roman province)

Syria was a Roman province, annexed in 64 BC by Pompey, as a consequence of his military presence after pursuing victory in the Third Mithridatic War....
, and were defeated by Vitianus. During the peace negotiations the Persians attacked the Romans and were defeated by Procopius, son-in-law of Anthemius

Anthemius (praetorian prefect)

Flavius Anthemius was a high-ranking official of the late Roman Empire. He is notable as a Praetorian prefecture of the East and effective regent of the Eastern Roman Empire during the later reign of Arcadius and the first years of Theodosius II, as well as for the construction of the first set of the famous Walls of Constantinople#The Theodo...
(Socrates, VII.18, 20). The Empress Eudocia celebrated the war in a poem in heroic metre (ib. 21)." The "Saracens of Hira" were the Lakhmids

Lakhmids

The Lakhmids , Banu Lakhm , Muntherids , were a group of Arab Christians who lived in Southern Iraq, and made al-Hirah their capital in ....
of Al-Hirah.

On August 15, 423, Honorius died of dropsy

Edema

File:Oedema.jpgEdema or Oedema , formerly known as dropsy or hydropsy, is an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin, or in one or more cavities of the body....
, perhaps pulmonary edema

Pulmonary edema

Pulmonary edema , or oedema , is swelling and/or fluid accumulation in the lungs. It leads to impaired gas exchange and may cause respiratory failure....
. With no member of the Theodosian dynasty

Theodosian dynasty

The Theodosian dynasty was a Roman family that rose to eminence in the waning days of the Roman Empire....
present at Ravenna to claim the throne, Theodosius II was expected to nominate a Western co-emperor. However Theodosius hesitated and the decision was delayed. Taking advantage of the power vacuum

Power vacuum

A power vacuum is an expression for a politics situation that can occur when a government has no identifiable central authority. The metaphor implies that, like a physical vacuum, other forces will tend to "rush in" to fill the vacuum as soon as it is created, perhaps in the form of an armed militia or insurgents, military Coup d'?tat, warlor...
, Castinus

Castinus

Flavius Castinus held the Patrician#Patrician_position in the court of Roman Emperor Honorius at the time of his death, and most likely for some time before....
the Patrician

Patrician

The term "patrician" originally referred to a group of elitism citizens in ancient Rome, including both their natural and adopted members. In the late Roman empire, the class was broadened to include high council officials, and after the fall of the Western Empire became a term for Byzantine Imperial governors in the West....
proceeded to become a kingmaker

Kingmaker

"Kingmaker" is a term originally applied to the activities of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick during the Wars of the Roses in England. The term has come to be applied more generally to a person or group that has great influence in a monarchy or political succession, without being a viable candidate....
. He declared Joannes

Joannes

Ioannes, known in English as Joannes, was a Roman usurper against Valentinian III.On the death of the Emperor Honorius , Theodosius II, the remaining ruler of the House of Theodosius hesitated in announcing his uncle's death....
, the "primicerius

Primicerius

The term primicerius was applied in the later Roman Empire to the head of any administration — thus primicerius notariorum, primicerius protectorum etc....
notariorum

Notarius

A notarius is a public secretary who is appointed by competent authority to draw up official or authentic documents . In the Roman Catholic Church there have been apostolic notaries and even episcopal notaries....
" ("chief notary", head of the civil service

Civil service

The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* Branch of governmental service in which individuals are hired on the basis of merit which is proven by the use of competitive examinations....
), to be the new Western Roman Emperor. Among their supporters was Flavius Aetius

Flavius Aëtius

Flavius A?tius or simply A?tius, , dux et patricius, was a Roman Empire general of the closing period of the Western Roman Empire. He was an able military commander and the most influential man of the Western Roman Empire for two decades ....
. Aetius was a son of Flavius Gaudentius

Flavius Gaudentius

Flavius Gaudentius or simply Gaudentius was the father of the Roman Empire magister militum Flavius Aetius. It is said that he was of Scythian birth, but more probably of Daco-Roman or other barbarian descent; Jordanes' Getica claims that Gaudentius was of Goths background although it must be noted that Jordanes also assumes t...
, magister militum, and Aurelia. Joannes' rule was accepted in the provinces of Italia, Gaul

Gaul

Hispania

Africa Province

File:Roman Africa.JPGThe Roman province of Africa was established after the Romans defeated Carthage in the Third Punic War. It roughly comprised the territory of present-day northern Tunisia, north-eastern Algeria and the Mediterranean Sea coast of modern-day western Libya along the Syrtis Minor....
.

Theodosius II reacted by starting to prepare Valentinian III for eventual promotion to the imperial office. Within 423/424, Valentinian was named "nobilissimus". In 424, Valentinian was betrothed to Licinia Eudoxia

Licinia Eudoxia

Licinia Eudoxia was a Roman Emperors, daughter of Eastern Emperor Theodosius II and wife of the Western Emperors Valentinian III and Petronius Maximus....
, his first cousin, once removed. She was a daughter of Theodosius II and Aelia Eudocia. The year of their betrothal was recorded by Marcellinus Comes

Marcellinus Comes

Marcellinus Comes was a Byzantine Empire chronicler....
. At the time of their betrothal, Valentinian was approximately four-years-old, Licinia only two. Gibbon attributes the betrothal to "the agreement of the three females who governed the Roman world", meaning Placidia and her nieces Eudocia and Pulcheria

Pulcheria

Aelia Pulcheria was the daughter of the List of Byzantine Emperors Arcadius and Aelia Eudoxia.As the elder sister of Theodosius II, she held much of the power when he came to the throne as a child in 408....
. Within the same year, Valentinian was proclaimed a Caesar

Caesar (title)

Caesar , Latin: Caesar , is a title of emperor character. It derives from the Roman naming convention#Cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator....
in the Eastern court.

The campaign against Joannes also started within the same year. Forces of the Byzantine army

Byzantine army

The Byzantine army was the primary military body of the Byzantine Empire armed forces, serving alongside the Byzantine navy. A direct descendant of the Roman army and older Hellenistic armies armies, the Byzantine army maintained a similar level of discipline, strategic prowess and organization....
gathered at Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki , Thessalonica, or Salonica is the List of largest cities and second largest cities by country in Greece and the capital of Macedonia , the nation's largest Regions of Greece....
, there placed under the general command of Ardaburus, the victorious general of the Roman-Persian War. The invasion force was to cross the Adriatic Sea

Adriatic Sea

The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges....
through two different trails. Aspar

Aspar

Balkans

The Balkans is the historical name of a geographic subregion of southeastern Europe. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains, which run through the centre of Bulgaria into eastern Serbia....
to Northern Italy

Northern Italy

Northern Italy comprises two areas belonging to Italian NUTS level 1 regions:*North-West : Aosta Valley, Piedmont, Lombardy, Liguria;*North-East : Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige/S?dtirol, Emilia-Romagna....
. Placidia and Valentinian joined Aspar's force. Ardaburius and the infantry boarded ships of the Byzantine navy

Byzantine navy

The Byzantine navy comprised the navy of the Byzantine Empire. Like the empire it served, it developed directly from its earlier Roman Navy, but in comparison with its precursor played a far greater role in the defense and survival of the state....
in an attempt to reach Ravenna by sea. Aspar marched his forces to Aquileia

Aquileia

Aquileia is an ancient history Roman Republic city in what is now Italy, at the head of the Adriatic Sea at the edge of the lagoons, about 10 km from the sea, on the river Natiso , the course of which has changed somewhat since Roman times....
, taking the city by surprise and with virtual no resistance. On the other hand, the fleet was dispersed by a storm. Ardaburius and two of his galleys were captured by forces loyal to Joannes, held prisoners in Ravenna.

Ardaburius was treated well by Joannes, who probably intended to negotiate with Theodosius for an end to the hostilities. The prisoner was allowed the "courteous freedom" of walking the court and streets of Ravenna while his captivity lasted. He took advantage of this privilege to come into contact with the forces of Joannes, convince some of them to defect

Defection

In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state or political entity in exchange for allegiance to another. More broadly, it involves abandoning a person, cause or doctrine to whom or to which one is bound by some tie, as of allegiance or duty....
to Theodosius' side. The conspirators contacted Aspar and beckoned him to Ravenna. Aspar had a shepherd lead his cavalry force through the marsh

Marsh

In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland which is subject to frequent or continuous flood . Typically the water is shallow and features Poaceaees, Juncaceaees, Phragmites, typhas, Cyperaless, and other herbaceous plants....
es of Po River

Po River

The Po is a river that flows 652 km eastward across northern Italy, from Monviso to the Adriatic Sea near Venice. It has a drainage area of 71,000 km? and is the longest river in Italy....
to the gates of Ravenna. With the besiegers outside the walls and the defectors within, the city was captured with little further struggle. Joannes was captured with his capital, his right hand cut off. He was then mounted to a donkey

Donkey

The 'donkey' or 'ass', Equus africanus asinus, is a Domestication member of the Equidae or horse family, and an Odd-toed ungulates. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the Wild Ass, E....
, paraded through the streets. He was finally executed by decapitation in the Hippodrome

Hippodrome

A Hippodrome was a Greek stadium for horse racing and chariot racing. Some present-day horse racing tracks are also called hippodromes, for example the Central Moscow Hippodrome....
of Aquileia.

With Joannes dead, Valentinian was officially proclaimed the new Augustus of the Western Roman Empire on October 23, 425. His proclamation took place in the presence of the Roman Senate

Roman Senate

Huns

The Huns were a confederation of Central Asian Eurasian nomads or semi-nomads, who had established an empire in Eurasia. The Huns may have stimulated the Migration Period, a contributing factor in the collapse of the Roman Empire....
from across the Danube

Danube

The Danube is the longest river in the European Union and Europe's second longest river after the Volga.The river originates in the Black Forest in Germany as the much smaller Brigach and Breg River rivers which join at the eponymously named German town Donaueschingen, after which it is known as the Danube and flows eastwards for a distance...
. After some skirmishing, Placidia and Aëtius came to an agreement that established the political landscape of the Western Roman Empire for the next thirty years. The Huns were paid off and sent home, while Aetius received the position of magister militum
Magister militum

Magister militum was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine I . Used alone, the term referred to the senior military officer of the Empire....
per Gallias (commander-in-chief

Commander-in-Chief

A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function....
of the Roman army

Roman army

The Roman Army was employed by the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire, as part of the Roman military. Its most important infantry constituent for much of its history was the Roman legion....
in Gaul).

Regent

Galla was the regent

Regent

A regent, from the Latin regens "reigning", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present or debilitated....
of the Western Roman Empire

Western Roman Empire

The Western Roman Empire refers to the western half of the Roman Empire, from its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, today widely known as the Byzantine Empire....
from 425 to 437, her regency ending when Valentinian reached his eighteenth birthday on July 2, 437. Among her early supporters was Bonifacius

Bonifacius

Comes Bonifacius was a Roman Empire general and governor of the Diocese of Africa. Along with his rival, Flavius A?tius, he is sometimes termed "the last of the Romans."...
, governor of the Diocese of Africa

Diocese of Africa

The Diocese of Africa was a Roman diocese of the later Roman Empire, incorporating the provinces of North Africa, except Mauretania Tingitana. Its seat was at Carthage, and it was subordinate to the Praetorian prefecture of Italy....
. Aetius was arguably his rival for influence, managing to secure Arles

Arles

Arles is a city in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rh?ne Departments of France, of which it is a Subprefectures in France, in the former Provinces of France of Provence....
against Theodoric I

Theodoric I

Theodoric I, sometimes called Theodorid and in Spanish language, Portuguese language and Italian language Teodorico, was the King of the Visigoths from 418–451....
of the Visigoths. The Visigoths concluded a treaty and were given Gallic noblemen as hostages. The later Emperor Avitus

Avitus

Eparchius Avitus was Western Roman Emperor with the designation and name Dominus Noster Eparchius Avitus Augustus .Made magister militum by Emperor Petronius Maximus, Avitus was sent on a diplomatic mission to his old student, Theodoric II King of the Visigoths, and was at Theodoric's court in Toulouse when Gaiseric invaded Rom...
visited Theodoric, lived at his court and taught his sons.

Conflict between Bonifacius and Aetius

Conflict between Placidia and Bonifacius started in 429. According to "History of the Wars" by Procopius

Procopius

Procopius of Caesarea was a prominent Byzantine Empire scholar of the family Procopius . A participant himself in the wars of the Emperor Justinian I, he was the major historian of the 6th century, writing the Wars of Justinian, the Buildings of Justinian and the celebrated Secret History....
:"There were two Roman generals, Aetius and Boniface, especially valiant men and in experience of many wars inferior to none of that time at least. These two came to be at variance in regard to matters of state, but they attained to such a degree of highmindedness and excellence in every respect that if one should call either of them "the last of the Romans

Last of the Romans

The description Last of the Romans has historically been given to any man thought to embody the values of Culture of Ancient Rome - values which, by implication, became extinct on his death....
" he would not err, so true was it that all the excellent qualities of the Romans were summed up in these two men. One of these, Boniface, was appointed by Placidia general of all Libya. Now this was not in accord with the wishes of Aetius, but he by no means disclosed the fact that it did not please him. For their hostility had not as yet come to light, but was concealed behind the countenance of each. But when Boniface had got out of the way, Aetius slandered him to Placidia, saying that he was setting up a tyranny and had robbed her and the emperor of all Libya, and he said that it was very easy for her to find out the truth; for if she should summon Boniface to Rome, he would never come. And when the woman heard this, Aetius seemed to her to speak well and she acted accordingly.

"But Aetius, anticipating her, wrote to Boniface secretly that the mother of the emperor was plotting against him and wished to put him out of the way. And he predicted to him that there would be convincing proof of the plot; for he would be summoned very shortly for no reason at all. Such was the announcement of the letter. And Boniface did not disregard the message, for as soon as those arrived who were summoning him to the emperor, he refused to give heed to the emperor and his mother, disclosing to no one the warning of Aetius. So when Placidia heard this, she thought that Aetius was exceedingly well-disposed towards the emperor's cause and took under consideration the question of Boniface."

"But Boniface, since it did not seem to him that he was able to array himself against the emperor, and since if he returned to Rome there was clearly no safety for him, began to lay plans so that, if possible, he might have a defensive alliance with the Vandals

Vandals

Godigisel

Godigisel was King of the Hasdingi Vandals until his death in 406. He was killed in battle of Mainz late in 406, shortly before his people forced a crossing of the Rhine River into the territory of the Roman Empire....
had died and the royal power had fallen to his sons, Gontharis

Gunderic

Gunderic , King of the Vandals and Alans led the Vandals, a Germanic tribes tribe originally residing near the Oder River, to take part in the barbarian invasions of the western Roman Empire in the fifth century....
, who was born to him from his wedded wife, and Gizeric

Geiseric

Genseric , also spelled as Gaiseric or Geiseric, was the King of the Vandals and Alans and was one of the key players in the troubles of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century....
,of illegitimate birth. But the former was still a child and not of very energetic temper, while Gizeric had been excellently trained in warfare, and was the cleverest of all men. Boniface accordingly sent to Spain those who were his own most intimate friends and gained the adherence of each of the sons of Godigisclus on terms of complete equality, it being agreed that each one of the three, holding a third part of Libya, should rule over his own subjects; but if a foe should come against any one of them to make war, that they should in common ward off the aggressors."

"On the basis of this agreement the Vandals crossed the strait at Gadira

Cádiz

C?diz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the province of C?diz, one of eight which make up the Autonomous communities of Spain of Andalusia....
and came into Libya, and the Visigoths in later times settled in Spain. But in Rome the friends of Boniface, remembering the character of the man and considering how strange his action was, were greatly astonished to think that Boniface was setting up a tyranny, and some of them at the order of Placidia went to Carthage

Carthage

Carthage refers both to an ancient city in present-day Tunisia, and a modern-day suburb of Tunis. The civilization that developed within the city's sphere of influence is referred to as Punic or Carthaginian....
. There they met Boniface, and saw the letter of Aetius, and after hearing the whole story they returned to Rome as quickly as they could and reported to Placidia how Boniface stood in relation to her. And though the woman was dumbfounded, she did nothing unpleasant to Aetius nor did she upbraid him for what he had done to the emperor's house, for he himself wielded great power and the affairs of the empire were already in an evil plight; but she disclosed to the friends of Boniface the advice Aetius had given, and, offering oaths and pledges of safety, entreated them to persuade the man, if they could, to return to his fatherland and not to permit the empire of the Romans to lie under the hand of barbarians.

"And when Boniface heard this, he repented of his act and of his agreement with the barbarians, and he besought them incessantly, promising them everything, to remove from Libya. But since they did not receive his words with favour, but considered that they were being insulted, he was compelled to fight with them, and being defeated in the battle, he retired to Hippo Regius

Hippo Regius

Hippo Regius is the ancient name of the modern city of Annaba , Algeria. Under this name, it was a major city in Roman Empire Africa, hosting several early Christian councils, and was the home of the philosopher and theologian Augustine of Hippo....
, a strong city in the portion of Numidia

Numidia

Numidia was an ancient Berber people kingdom in present-day Algeria and part of Tunisia that later alternated between being a Roman province and being a Roman client state, and is no longer in existence today....
that is on the sea. There the Vandals made camp under the leadership of Gizeric and began a siege; for Gontharis had already died. And they say that he perished at the hand of his brother. The Vandals, however, do not agree with those who make this statement, but say that Gontharis' was captured in battle by Germans in Spain and impaled, and that Gizeric was already sole ruler when he led the Vandals into Libya. This, indeed, I have heard from the Vandals, stated in this way. But after much time had passed by, since they were unable to secure Hippo Regius either by force or by surrender, and since at the same time they were being pressed by hunger, they raised the siege. And a little later Boniface and the Romans in Libya, since a numerous army had come from both Rome and Byzantium and Aspar

Aspar

Flavius Ardabur Aspar , an Alans, was patrician and magister militum of the Eastern Roman Empire.Son of the magister Ardaburius, Aspar played a crucial role in his father's expedition in 424 to defeat the western roman usurper, Joannes of Ravenna, and to install Galla Placidia and her son, Valentinian III, in his place....
with them as general, decided to renew the struggle, and a fierce battle was fought in which they were badly beaten by the enemy, and they made haste to flee as each one could. And Aspar betook himself homeward, and Boniface, coming before Placidia, acquitted himself of the suspicion, showing that it had arisen against him for no true cause.

Bonifacius and Aetius initiated direct conflict against each other in 432. According to Gibbon: "Boniface accepted with gratitude the rank of patrician, and the dignity of master-general of the Roman armies; but he must have blushed at the sight of those medals, in which he was represented with the name and attributes of victory. The discovery of his fraud, the displeasure of the empress, and the distinguished favor of his rival, exasperated the haughty and perfidious soul of Aetius. He hastily returned from Gaul to Italy, with a retinue, or rather with an army, of Barbarian followers; and such was the weakness of the government, that the two generals decided their private quarrel in a bloody battle

Battle of Ravenna (432)

The Battle of Ravenna also known as the Battle of Rimini was fought in 432 between the two strong men of the Western Roman Empire, general Flavius A?tius and comes Bonifacius ....
. Boniface was successful; but he received in the conflict a mortal wound from the spear of his adversary, of which he expired within a few days, in such Christian and charitable sentiments, that he exhorted his wife, a rich heiress of Spain, to accept Aetius for her second husband. But Aetius could not derive any immediate advantage from the generosity of his dying enemy: he was proclaimed a rebel by the justice of Placidia; and though he attempted to defend some strong fortresses, erected on his patrimonial estate, the Imperial power soon compelled him to retire into Pannonia

Pannonia

Pannonia is an ancient province of the Roman Empire bounded north and east by the Danube, coterminous westward with Noricum and upper Italy, and southward with Dalmatia and upper Moesia....
, to the tents of his faithful Huns. The republic was deprived, by their mutual discord, of the service of her two most illustrious champions."

Rise of Aetius

With the generals loyal to her having either died or defected to Aëtius, Placidia apparently succumbed to the inevitable. Aetius was recalled from exile in 433, given the titles of "magister militum" and "Patrician". The appointments effectively left Aetius in control of the entire Western Roman Army and with considerable influence over imperial policy. She continued to act as regent until 437, though her direct influence over decisions had diminished. She would continue to exercise political influence to her death in 450, no longer however being the only power at court.

Aetius, was later pivotal to the defense of the Western Empire against Attila the Hun

Attila the Hun

Attila , also known as Attila the Hun, was leader of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire which stretched from Germany to the Ural River and from the Danube to the Baltic Sea ....
. Attila was diverted from his focus on Constantinople towards Italy as his target due to a letter from Placidia's own daughter Justa Grata Honoria

Justa Grata Honoria

Justa Grata Honoria was the sister of the Western Roman Empire Roman Emperor Valentinian III. Coins of her attest that she was granted the title of Augusta ....
in the spring of 450, asking him to rescue her from an unwanted marriage to a Roman senator

Roman Senate

Engagement ring

In Western tradition, an engagement ring is a jewelry ring worn by a woman indicating her engagement to be marriage. In some countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, it is worn on the left-hand ring finger, while in other countries, such as Poland and Ukraine, it is customary for the ring to be worn on the right-hand....
with the letter. Though Honoria may not have intended a proposal of marriage, Attila chose to interpret her message as such. He accepted, asking for half of the western Empire as dowry

Dowry

A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her new husband. Compare bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage....
. When Valentinian discovered the plan, only the influence of Placidia convinced him to exile, rather than kill, Honoria. He also wrote to Attila strenuously denying the legitimacy of the supposed marriage proposal. Attila, not convinced, sent an emissary to Ravenna

Ravenna

Ravenna is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The city is inland, but is connected to the Adriatic Sea by a canal. Ravenna once served as the seat of the Western Roman Empire and later the Ostrogoths and the Exarchate of Ravenna....
to proclaim that Honoria was innocent, that the proposal had been legitimate, and that he would come to claim what was rightfully his. Honoria was married to Flavius Bassus Herculanus, though this did not prevent Attila to still press his claim

Placidia died shortly afterwards at Rome in November 450, and did not live to see Attila ravage Italy in 451 – 453 in a much more brutal campaign than the Goths had waged, using Justa's letter as their sole "legitimate" excuse.

Public works

Placidia was a fervant Chalcedonian

Chalcedonian

Chalcedonian describes churches and theologians which accept the definition given at the Council of Chalcedon of how the divine and human relate in the person of Jesus Christ....
Christian. She was involved in the building and restoration of various churches throughout her period of influence. She restored and somewhat expanded the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

The Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls or St Paul-without-the-Walls is one of four church es considered to be the great Ancient Rome basilicas of Rome....
in Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....
and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre , also called the Church of the Resurrection, by Eastern Christianitys, is a Christianity Church within the walled Old City of Jerusalem....
in Jerusalem

Jerusalem

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and its List of Israeli cities in both population and area, with a population of 747,600 residents over an area of if Positions on Jerusalem East Jerusalem is included....
. She built San Giovanni Evangelista, Ravenna

San Giovanni Evangelista, Ravenna

San Giovanni Evangelista is a church in Ravenna, Italy.It was built in the 420s century by the Roman imperial princess Galla Placidia.In the Middle Ages the Benedictines annexed to it an important monastery....
, the later in thanks for the sparing of her life and those of her children in a storm while crossing the Adriatic Sea. The dedicatory inscription reads "Galla Placidia, along with her son Placidus Valentinian Augustus and her daughter Justa Grata Honoria Augusta, paid off their vow for their liberation from the danger of the sea."

Her Mausoleum

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is a highly important Roman Empire mausoleum in Ravenna, Italy. It is one of the eight structures in Ravenna that were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1996....
in Ravenna was one of the UNESCO

UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945....
World Heritage Site

World Heritage Site

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 Sovereign state which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term....
inscribed in 1996. However there is some doubt whether the building served as her tomb. The building was initially erected as a chapel dedicated to Lawrence of Rome. Whether the sarcophagi

Sarcophagus

A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek language sa?? sarx meaning "flesh", and fa?e?? phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos the word came to refer to the limestone t...
contained within contained the corpses of the Theodosian dynasty or not, the time of their entry in the building is unknown.

Galla Placidia

Family

Early life

First marriage

Second marriage

Widow

Regent

Conflict between Bonifacius and Aetius

Rise of Aetius

Public works

External links