Arcadius
Imperator Caesar Flavius Arcadius Augustus
Flavius Arcadius was the elder son of Theodosius I, aged about 17 when he became the first independent ruler of the permanently divided Eastern Roman Empire in 395. A weak and passive ruler, he was successively dominated by his general Stilicho (who he repudiated), the eunuch chamberlain Eutropius, and his Visigothic-born wife Eudoxia. During his reign, the Visigoths under Alaric ravaged the Balkans and eventually moved west toward Italy. Arcadius died of natural causes in 408, leaving a seven-year-old son, Theodosius II.
Arcadius's reign established the Eastern Roman Empire as a distinct and self-sustaining entity that would survive for a further thousand years. Despite his personal weakness, the eastern court bureaucracy functioned effectively. His coinage, particularly the Constantinople solidus, documents the transition from late Roman to Byzantine visual culture.
Key Events
Coinage
Arcadius's coinage is plentiful and largely standardised, reflecting the highly bureaucratised eastern mint system. The GLORIA ROMANORVM and VIRTVS EXERCITI types dominate. His portrait on the solidus shows a diademed, draped bust with large eyes, a style increasingly removed from naturalistic portraiture and pointing toward the iconic Byzantine aesthetic. Eastern mint solidi of Arcadius are regularly available.
Denominations
Notable Types
- GLORIA ROMANORVM (emperor advancing with standard and Victory)
- VIRTVS EXERCITI types
- CONCORDIA AVGGG types (with Honorius and Theodosius II)
- VOT V/X/XV MVLT types
Common Reverses
Active Mints
Related Resources
Further Reading
- Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume X,
- Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume V,