Eudoxia - Aelia Eudoxia (AD ? - 404): Wife of Arcadius; Daughter of Bauto the Frank; Daughter-in-law of Theodosius I and Aelia Flaccilla; Sister-in-law of Honorius; Mother of Theodosius II and Aelia Pulcheria; Mother-in-law of Marcian and Aelia Eudocia; Grandmother of Licinia Eudoxia.

Mints: Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinopolis, Cyzicus, Nicomedia.

Biography: Wife of Arcadius, Eudoxia received bad press from later historians, who stress her insatiable sexual appetite. The accusations might have been more related to her aspirations to play a political role. She has been characterized as 'cruel, full of hatred, greedy for money and honors, hot-tempered, of a corrupt nature, with a warped conscience', totally subject to her passions, 'employing in turns subterfuge and violence in order to satisfy her ambitions.' She was of barbarian--Frankish--origins, and was raised at the court of Constantinople, where Arcadius met her and where he wed her in 395. He became pregnant seven times and her fourth child lived to become Theodosius II. As other imperial women of the age, she became deeply involved in church politcs as a catholic Nicene Christian and sought to assert her role at court through participation in ecclesiastical affairs. She might not have been Arcadius's partner in power, but she certainly managed to overshadow him in matters of conspicuous piety and religion.

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