Theodosius II
Imperator Caesar Flavius Theodosius Junior Augustus
Flavius Theodosius Junior, grandson of Theodosius the Great, was proclaimed Augustus at age seven and died in 450, making his 42-year reign the longest of any Roman emperor. In practice, his court was dominated by his sister Pulcheria and her theological priorities, then by his wife Eudocia, and later by the general Aspar. His great achievements, the Theodosian Walls of Constantinople (413 AD), still partially standing, and the Codex Theodosianus (438 AD), the definitive codification of Roman law, were largely the work of his advisors. He died from injuries sustained in a riding accident.
The Theodosian Walls saved Constantinople from Hunnic and Gothic attacks that were destroying the West, and they stood for over a thousand years. The Codex Theodosianus preserved Roman law and transmitted it to Justinian's later codification; it is the source of much of our knowledge of late Roman legislation. Theodosius II's long reign is the foundation of Byzantine stability.
Key Events
Coinage
Theodosius II struck a heavily standardised coinage from the eastern mints throughout his long reign. The solidus is the dominant denomination and shows relatively little variation, a deliberate monetary conservatism that reflects the eastern bureaucracy's preference for stability. The GLORIA ROMANORVM and CONCORDIA AVGGG types predominate. His portrait on the solidus is distinctly Byzantine in character, with large, frontal eyes.
Denominations
Notable Types
- GLORIA ROMANORVM (emperor advancing with standard)
- CONCORDIA AVGGG types (joint with Valentinian III)
- VOT X/XX/XXX MVLT XX/XXX/XXXX types
- Empress Eudoxia and Pulcheria portrait types
Common Reverses
Active Mints
Related Resources
Further Reading
- Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume X,
- Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume V,