Valentinian III 425-455 AD Placidius Valentinian III was born in 419 AD the son of Constantius III and Galla Placidia. Placidia fled from the court of Honorius at Ravenna in 423 AD when her half-brother began to take an interest in her. She took her children to the court of Arcadius, her other half-brother in […]

Aelia Pulcheria Empress 414-450 AD Sister of Theodosius II Daughter of Arcadius & Eudoxia Aelia Pulcheria was born in 399 AD the daughter of Arcadius and Eudoxia. On July 4th, 414AD she was raised to the rank of Augusta and assumed the regency when she was only 15 years old on behalf of her younger […]

Aelia Eudocia 421-460 AD Wife of Theodosius II Aelia Eudocia was the baptismal name given to Athenias, daughter of the Athenian sophist Leontius and reputedly one of the most beautiful and brilliant women of the age. Eudocia had been picked by Pulcheria to become the wife of her brother Theodosius II whom she married in 421 AD. Her relationship […]

 Theodosius II 402-450 AD Son of Arcadius Emperor of the East Theodosius II was born in 401 AD the son of Arcadius and Eudoxia. At the time of his father’s death, Theodosius II was only 7 years old. At first, the regency was held by the Praetorian Prefect Anthemius who was replaced in 414 AD by the Emperor’s […]

Johannes 423-425 AD Emperor in the West Johannes, who was born about 380 AD, rose through the ranks of the civil service until he was eventually appointed principal secretary to the Western Emperor Honorius. The latter died childless on August 25th, 423 AD whereupon Johannes seized the vacant throne and sent an embassy to Theodosius […]

Galla Placidia daughter of Theodosius I Half-sister of Arcadius & Honorius Galla Placidia was the daughter of Theodosius I and Galla and the grand-daughter of Valentinian I. She was the wife of Constantius III and also the mother of Valentinian III and the half-sister of the Emperors Arcadius and Honorius. Placidia was taken hostage by the Visigoths after Alaric’s capture of Rome in […]

Constantius III 421 AD Emperor of West Husband Galla Placidia Step-brother-in-law of Arcadius & Honorius Flavius Constantius III was an outstanding soldier of humble origin. He rose through the ranks to become a leading general who fought with great success against the barbarian kings who had plagued the Western half of the Roman Empire during […]

Sebastianus 412-413 AD Brother of Gaulish Usurper – Jovinus Sebastianus was the brother of JovinusJovinus – 411-413 AD (411-413 AD) who was proclaimed Emperor at Mainz by Guntiarius, King of the Burgundians. Sebastianus was raised to the rank of Augustus by his brother to serve as the junior co-Emperor in 412 AD. Unfortunately, Sebastianus was killed in […]

Jovinus 411-413 AD Gaulish Puppet Emperor of West Jovinus was a Gaulish nobleman by birth. He was proclaimed Emperor at Mainz in 411 AD with the support of several barbarian kings, including King Guntiarius of the Burgundians and Goar King of the Alani. He raised his brother, Sebastianus, to the rank of co-Emperor. Jovinus ruled for […]

Priscus Attalus 409-410 AD Puppet Emperor of the Barbarians Priscus Attalus was the Prefect of Rome during the second siege of Alaric the Visigoth King (409 AD). Alaric threatened to destroy Ostia and all the granaries maintained there and as such caused widespread starvation throughout Rome. Alaric used this threat to blackmail the Senate into […]