Theodosius I
Imperator Caesar Flavius Theodosius Augustus
Theodosius the Great was the last emperor to rule both the eastern and western halves of the Roman Empire. He made Nicene Christianity the official state religion, banned pagan worship, and closed the ancient temples. After his death, the empire was permanently divided between his two young sons.
Theodosius permanently established Christianity as the Roman state religion and presided over the final division of the empire into East and West. The settlement of Visigoths within the empire as semi-autonomous foederati set a precedent that would ultimately contribute to the transformation of the Western Roman Empire into the successor kingdoms.
Key Events
Coinage
Theodosius's coinage follows the standardized late Roman pattern with the solidus as the primary gold denomination and various bronze fractions. His types emphasize military victory and imperial authority, with the GLORIA ROMANORVM and VIRTVS EXERCITI types being the most common.
Denominations
Notable Types
- GLORIA ROMANORVM (emperor dragging captive)
- VIRTVS EXERCITI types
- CONCORDIA AVGGG types for the three co-emperors
- VOT V/X/XV/XX types
Common Reverses
Active Mints
Further Reading
- Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume IX
- Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume V