Roman Imperial Theodosius II coins

Emperor Theodosius II (408-450)

Theodosius II is the son of Emperor Arcadius of the Eastern Empire, born on April 10, 401. Since he is the grandson of Theodosius the Great, he is sometimes called Theodosius the Younger. About a year later Arcadius declared him co-emperor, and after another six years the emperor died.
Until 414 the empire was officially ruled by a regent (Anfimius). In 412 he repelled the Hun raid, then built a fortified wall from the Marmara Horn to the Golden Bay.

Theodosius II and after reaching adulthood did not particularly seek to participate in the ruling. He was greatly influenced by his elder sister Pulcheria. Thanks to her Theodosius received a brilliant education. He read a lot and copied books himself with unusually beautiful handwriting, for which he received the nickname "Calligrapher". Theodosius was pious, loved church hymns, and once even arranged a prayer service at the immodrome instead of competitions (hardly the gathered spectators were very grateful to him). Of amusements he preferred hunting to military exercises.
All this is good for a private man, but not for a sovereign. "Theodosius was a sovereign gullible, therefore often signed papers without reading them at all. By the way, the wise Pulcheria once offered him a paper on the slavery to her of his wife, Eudocia, which he signed without looking, for which then she [reproached him]" (Theoph., [82, p. 80]).

However, Theodosius was lucky with his advisers and higher dignitaries. Despite the numerous wars and other troubles, there was no catastrophe in his reign. In 420-422 an attack of the Persians was repulsed. In 423 the Western emperor Honorius Honorius died and Constantinople fought against the usurper John. In 425 Valentinian III, who was Theodosius' cousin, was made emperor of the Western Empire.

Weakened by the battles of the rival Western generals Aecius and Boniface, Spain and Africa had fallen prey to the Vandal leader Gizerich by 435. After a series of unsuccessful attempts to repel the conqueror's onslaught, the Western government was forced to recognize his authority over the conquered territories. Theodosius II decided to intervene, but the campaign of the Eastern Roman legions, undertaken around 443, ended unsuccessfully and did not change the situation.

In 441 the leader of Huns Attila has occupied set of cities in Thrace and Illyria, and two years later threatened already and Constantinople. From Huns it was possible to buy off, however, having spent a colossal sum.
In the reign of Theodosius the empire was shaken by religious turmoil, which was more significant because he himself considered himself an expert in the canons.

About 441 Theodosius suspected his wife Eudocia of adultery with the military commander Paulinus. It is not known to what extent there were grounds for this, but both Pavlin and Eudocia went into exile.

Under Theodosius the first state higher school was opened, and in fact the first university - the Auditorium, and the "Codex Theodosius" (a generalized code of laws) was published, which has survived to this day.

Theodosius II died on July 27, 450, after a fall from a horse.

 

 

coin Roman Empire Theodosius II
D N THEODOSIVS P F AVG
GLORIA ROMANORVM

408-423
copper
Heraclea
15 mm.
Bust right in draped armor and diadem / Our Lord Theodosius Pious Happy Augustus
Three imperators stand side by side, on the edge holds spears / Glory of Romans
Value - $20-40