Johannes
Augustus (Western Roman Empire)  AD 423 - 425

Johannes (ca AD 380 - 425).

Paralel ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire:
Theodosius II (AD 408 - 450)

Johannes appears to have been of Gothic descent and served under Honorius. His luck came in 423 when Castinus, the Master of Soldiers at the time of the death of Honorius, decided he would not like it to have Galla Placidia return from Constantinople to claim the imperial title for her son Valentinian and invested Johannes with the purple. The eastern emperor Theodosius II refused to acknowledge him outright and dispatched an army to depose him. Part of the invading force met up with a disaster at sea and one of the commanders, Ardaburius, was captured. The other, however, Aspar, proceeded against Johannes. In the absence of his most capable general, Aetius, dispatched to collect a force to oppose the invasion, Johannes made the fatal mistake to stay put in his capital Ravenna. In the meantime Ardaburius undermined the emperor's supporters' loyalty and a shepherd led Aspar's troops through the marshes of Ravenna. They entered the city unopposed. Johannes was arrested, condemned to death by Galla Placidia, and after mutilation and public humiliation, killed in May or June 425.

Mints: Arelate, Mediolanum, Ravenna, Rome.

List all Johannes coins in the Catalog.

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