A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

r:78 EUDOCIA: E'UDOCIA.
EUDOCTIA (EvoKila), the name of several By- but at Constantinople (comp. Socrates, IMist. Eccles.
zantine princesses. vii. 44; Niceph. Call. Hist. xiv. 23; Marcellin. Ch/on.
1. AUGUSTA, wife of the emperor Theodosius Aetio Ii et Sgiisvuldo Coss), in the year 436 or 437,
II. She was the daughter of the sophist Leon- most likely the latter. In 438, Eudocia set out
tius, or Leon, or, as he is called in the Paschal for Jerusalem, in discharge of a vow which she
Chronicle, Heracleitus of Athens, where she was had made to visit c" the holy places" on occasion of
born. The year of her birth is doubtful. Nice- her daughter's marriage; and returned the year
phorus Callisti, who has given the fullest account following to Constantinople, bringing with her the
of her, states (xiv. 50) that she died in the reputed relics of Stephen the proto-martyr. It was
fourth year of the emperor Leo, which corresponds probably in this journey that she visited Antioch,
to A. D. 460-61, aged sixty-seven; and that addressed the people of that city, and was honoured
she was in her twentieth year when she mar- by them with a statue of brass, as related by Evaried Theodosius. According to this statement, grins. At her persuasion Theodosius enlarged the
she must have been born A. D. 393-4, and married boundaries and the walls of Antioch, and conferred
A. D. 413-14. But the age of Theodosius (born other marks of favour on that city. She had reA;. D. 401) leads us to prefer, for the marriage, the ceived the title of Augusta A. D. 423.
date given by the Paschal or Alexandrian Chroni- Hitherto it is probable that Eudocia had intercle and by Marcellinus (Chron.), viz. the consulship fered but little with the influence exercised by
of Eustathius and Agricola, A. nD. 421. We must Pulcheria in public affairs. Nicephorus says, she
then give up the calculation of Nicephorus as to lived twenty-nine years in the palace, "submitting
the time of her death, or as to her age at that time to (s7ro) Pulcheria as mother and Augusta.." As
or at her marriage. Possibly she came to Con- Nicephorus places Eudocia's marriage in 413-14,
stantinople in her twentieth year, in 413-14, but he makes 442-43 the period of the termination
was not married till 421. She was called originally of Pulcheria's administration. He states, that
Athenais, and having excellent natural abilities, Eudocia's administration lasted for seven years,
was educated by her father and by the gramma- which brings us to 449-Q0 as the date of her last
rians Hyperechius and Orion in every branch of journey to Jerusalem, a date which, from other
science and learning then cultivated. She was circumstances, appears to be correct.
familiar with Greek and Latin literature, rhetoric, During the seven years of her administration, in
astronomy, geometry, and the science of arithmetic. A. D. 444, according to the Paschal Chronicle, but
She was also eminent for her beauty; and in con- later according to Theophanes, occurred the incident
sideration of these advantages, natural and acquired, which was the first step to her downfall. An apple
her father at his death left her no share in his of remarkable size and beauty had been brought to
property, all of which he bequeathed to her two Constantinople, which the emperor purchased and
brothers Valerius and Aetius, called Genesius by presented to his wife. She sent it to Paulinus,
Zonaras, or Gesius in the Paschal Chronicle, say- the magister officiorum, who was then confined by
ing that her good fortune and the fruits of her a fit of the gout; and Paulinus, deeming it a suiteducation would be a sufficient inheritance. able offering, sent it to the emperor. Theodosius
From dissatisfaction either at this arrangement, recognized it as the one which he had given to
or at some wrong she had suffered, Athenais went Eudocia; and, without mentioning the reason to
to Constantinople to appeal against her brothers; her, enquired what she had done with it. She,
and Pulcheria, sister of Theodosius, who managed apprehensive of his displeasure at having parted
alike him and his empire, fixed on her as a suitable with his gift, replied that she had eaten it, and
wife for him. Athenais was a heathen; but her confirmed her assertion by an oath. This falsehood
heathenism yielded to the arguments or persuasions increased the emperor's suspicions that Eudocia
of Pulcheria and of Atticus, patriarch of Constanti- regarded Paulinus with undue affection; and he
nople, by whom she was baptized, receiving at her banished him to Cappadocia, where he was either
baptism the name of Eudocia, and being adopted then or afterwards put to death. Marcellinus
in that ordinance by Pulcheria as a daughter-an places his death in the fifth consulship of Valentinian
expression apparently indicating that she had that A. D. 440; but we prefer the statement of Niceprincess for a sponsor. The date of her marriage phorus, that his banishment was after 442-3, and:
(A. D. 421), given by Marcellinus, and the Paschal are disposed to place his death in A. D. 449-50.
Chronicle, is probably correct, though Theophanes Eudocia, however, soothed for a time the jealousy
places it one if not two years earlier. of her husband, but it was not eradicated, as subMost historians mention only one child of this sequent events shewed. Gibbon rejects the whole
union, Eudoxia, who, according to Marcellinus, was story of the apple " as fit only for the Arabian
born in the thirteenth consulship of Honorius, Nights;" but his scepticism appears unreasonable.
and the tenth of Theodosius, i. e. A. D. 422, The quarrels of the ecclesiastics were the immeand betrothed, in the consulship of Victor and diate occasion of her downfall. Chrysaphius, the
Castinus, A. D. 424, to her cousin Valentinian, eunuch and head chamberlain, a supporter of the
afterwards emperor of the West as Valentinian monk Eutyches, wished to procure the deposition
III. Tillemont thinks there are notices which of Flavian, patriarch of Constantinople, who had
seem to shew that there was a son,.Arcadius, but just been elected, A. D. 447. Chrysaphius, finding
be must have died young. Marcellinus mentions that Flavian was supported by Pulcheria, who,
another daughter of the emperor Theodosius, and.though no longer directing the government, retained
therefore (if legitimate) of Eudocia also, Flacilla; considerable influence, applied to Eudocia, whom
but Tillemont suspects that Marcellinus speaks of a he reminded of the grievances she had sustained
sister of Theodosius so named. Flacilla died in the "on Pulcheria's account." Eudocia, after a long
consulship of Antiochus and Bassus, A. D. 431. continued effort, at last succeeded in alienating her
The marriage of Valentinian with Eudoxia was husband from his sister. Pulcheria was forbidden'
celebrated, not, as at first appointed,at Thessalonica, the court, and retired from Constantinople;. and in