Aelia Eudocia Augusta

Aelia Eudocia Augusta (c. 401-460), wife of Theodosius II, East Roman emperor, was born in Athens.

She was the daughter of the sophist Leontius, from whom she received a thorough training in literature and rhetoric. The traditional story, told by John Malalas and others, is that she had been deprived of her small patrimony by the rapacity of her brothers, and sought redress at court in Constantinople. Her accomplishments attracted the attention of Theodosius' sister Pulcheria, who made her one of her ladies-in-waiting and groomed her to be the emperor's wife.

Aelia Eudocia. Colored stone inlay on marble from church of Lips monastery (Fenari Isa Mosque), Fatih, Istambul. Archeological Museum.

After receiving baptism and discarding her former name Athenais, for that of Aelia Licinia Eudocia, she was married to Theodosius on June 7, 421; two years later, after the birth of her daughter Licinia Eudoxia, she received the title Augusta. The new empress repaid her brothers by making Valerius a consul and later governor of Thrace and the other, Gesius, prefect of Illyricum.

Other, more contemporary historians like Socrates Scholasticus and John of Panon, confirm many of these details, but omit all mention of Pulcheria's participation in Eudocia's marriage to her brother. This makes other details of Eudocia's activities more understandable, as for example, using her substantial influence at court to protect pagans and Jews.

In the years 438-439 she made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and brought back several precious relics; during her stay at Antioch she addressed the senate of that city in Hellenic style and distributed funds for the repair of its buildings. On her return her position was undermined by the jealousy of Pulcheria and the groundless suspicion of an intrigue with her protégé Paulinus, the master of the offices.

After the latter's execution (440) she retired to Jerusalem, where she was accused of the murder of an officer sent to kill two of her followers, for which act she suffered the loss of some of her imperial staff. Nevertheless she retained great influence; although involved in the revolt of the Syrian Monophysites (453), she was ultimately reconciled to Pulcheria and readmitted into the Orthodox Church. She died at Jerusalem on October 20, 460, having devoting her last years to literature.

Among her works were a paraphrase of the Octateuch in hexameters, a paraphrase of the books of Daniel and Zechariah, a poem on St Cyprian and on her husband's Persian victories. A Passion History compiled out of Homeric verses (a cento), which Zonaras attributed to Eudocia, is perhaps of different authorship.

[edit] Children

Eudocia and Theodosius II had three known children

   * Licinia Eudoxia (422 - 462). Married first Valentinian III and then Petronius Maximus

* Arcadius. Only known son. Predeceased his parents
* Flacilla (d. 439)

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She was the daughter of the sophist Leontius, from whom she received a thorough training in literature and rhetoric. The traditional story, told by John Malalas and others, is that she had been deprived of her small patrimony by the rapacity of her brothers, and sought redress at court in Constantinople. Her accomplishments attracted the attention of Theodosius' sister Pulcheria, who made her one of her ladies-in-waiting and groomed her to be the emperor's wife.

After receiving baptism and discarding her former name Athenais, for that of Aelia Licinia Eudocia, she was married to Theodosius on June 7, 421; two years later, after the birth of her daughter Licinia Eudoxia, she received the title Augusta. The new empress repaid her brothers by making Valerius a consul and later governor of Thrace and the other, Gesius, prefect of Illyricum.

Other, more contemporary historians like Socrates Scholasticus and John of Panon, confirm many of these details, but omit all mention of Pulcheria's participation in Eudocia's marriage to her brother. This makes other details of Eudocia's activities more understandable, as for example, using her substantial influence at court to protect pagans and Jews.

In the years 438-439 she made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and brought back several precious relics; during her stay at Antioch she addressed the senate of that city in Hellenic style and distributed funds for the repair of its buildings. On her return her position was undermined by the jealousy of Pulcheria and the groundless suspicion of an intrigue with her protégé Paulinus, the master of the offices.

After the latter's execution (440) she retired to Jerusalem, where she was accused of the murder of an officer sent to kill two of her followers, for which act she suffered the loss of some of her imperial staff. Nevertheless she retained great influence; although involved in the revolt of the Syrian Monophysites , she was ultimately reconciled to Pulcheria and readmitted into the Orthodox Church. She died at Jerusalem on October 20, 460, having devoting her last years to literature.

Among her works were a paraphrase of the Octateuch in hexameters, a paraphrase of the books of Daniel and Zechariah, a poem on St Cyprian and on her husband's Persian victories. A Passion History compiled out of Homeric verses (a cento), which Zonaras attributed to Eudocia, is perhaps of different authorship.

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Aelia Eudocia

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laineolicious

Roman empress

Portrait of Aelia Eudocia on a tremissis.

Full name Eudocia Augusta

Born c. 401

Athens 

Died October 20, 460

Jerusalem 

Consort to Theodosius II

Issue Licinia Eudoxia

Father Leontius

Eudocia Augusta (c. 401-460), wife of Theodosius II, East Roman emperor, was born in Athens.

She was the daughter of the sophist Leontius, from whom she received a thorough training in literature and rhetoric. The traditional story, told by John Malalas and others, is that she had been deprived of her small patrimony by the rapacity of her brothers, and sought redress at court in Constantinople. Her accomplishments attracted the attention of Theodosius' sister Pulcheria, who made her one of her ladies-in-waiting and groomed her to be the emperor's wife.

After receiving baptism and discarding her former name, Athenais, for that of Aelia Licinia Eudocia, she was married to Theodosius on June 7, 421; two years later, after the birth of her daughter Licinia Eudoxia, she received the title Augusta. The new empress repaid her brothers by making Valerius a consul and later governor of Thrace and the other, Gesius, prefect of Illyricum.

Other, more contemporary historians like Socrates Scholasticus and John of Panon, confirm many of these details, but omit all mention of Pulcheria's participation in Eudocia's marriage to her brother. This makes other details of Eudocia's activities more understandable, as for example, using her substantial influence at court to protect pagans and Jews.

In the years 438-439 she made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and brought back several precious relics; during her stay at Antioch she addressed the senate of that city in Hellenic style and distributed funds for the repair of its buildings. On her return her position was undermined by the jealousy of Pulcheria and the groundless suspicion of an intrigue with her protégé Paulinus, the master of the offices.

After the latter's execution (440) she retired to Jerusalem, where she was accused of the murder of an officer sent to kill two of her followers, for which act she suffered the loss of some of her imperial staff. Nevertheless she retained great influence; although involved in the revolt of the Syrian Monophysites (453), she was ultimately reconciled to Pulcheria and readmitted into the Orthodox Church. She died at Jerusalem on October 20, 460, having devoting her last years to literature.

Among her works were a paraphrase of the Octateuch in hexameters, a paraphrase of the books of Daniel and Zechariah, a poem on St Cyprian and on her husband's Persian victories. A Passion History compiled out of Homeric verses (a cento), which Zonaras attributed to Eudocia, is perhaps of different authorship.

[edit] External links

Greek Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Graeca with analytical indexes

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Aelia Eudocia

[edit] References

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aelia_Eudocia"

Reference: http://familytrees.genopro.com/318186/jarleslekt/default.htm?page=t...

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Dès son mariage impérial, elle prend l'ascendant sur son époux au détriment de la sœur de celui-ci, Pulchérie. Selon André Chastagnol, elle aurait peut-être inspiré la loi de 425 sur l'Université de Constantinople. Sa fille aînée Licinia Eudoxia est mariée à l'empereur d'Occident Valentinien III en 437. Dans la querelle du nestorianisme, elle prend parti avec son mari pour le patriarche Cyrille d'Alexandrie qui peut faire condamner Nestorius au concile d'Ephèse en 431. Depuis 435, elle aide Flavius Taurus Seleucus Cyrus, Égyptien originaire de Panopolis, à devenir préfet de Constantinople puis à cumuler la préfecture de la Ville et celle du prétoire à partir de 4391.

En 438, elle fait un pèlerinage en Terre Sainte au cours duquel elle prononce un discours à Antioche qui eut un grand succès devant le peuple et le sénat, elle offre de nombreux cadeaux aux églises d'une valeur de plus de 20 000 livres d'or et les remplit de reliques2

En 439, de retour d’un pèlerinage à Jérusalem à l'invitation de Mélanie la Jeune, fondatrice de l'Apostoleion, elle est faussement accusée d’infidélité à la suite de la jalousie croissante de Pulchérie. Privée par Théodose II de ses attributions d’Augusta, elle se retire à Jérusalem en 443 et consacre la fin de sa vie à la méditation religieuse et à des œuvres de piété, sans renoncer à son amour des lettres. Témoignage touchant de sa venue en Terre sainte, une inscription dédicatoire comportant un poème en vers homériques a été récemment découverte à Hamat Gader, au sud du lac de Tibériade.

Elle est favorable aux monastères de Palestine qui, s'opposant au concile de Chalcédoine, deviennent suspects de monophysisme. Doutant du chemin à suivre, elle envoie des émissaires à Antioche, auprès de saint Siméon le Stylite qui lui rétorque : « Pourquoi cherches-tu une eau lointaine, alors que tu as une source près de toi ? Suis les enseignements d'Euthyme et tu seras sauvée. ». C'est en effet saint Euthyme le Grand qui la remet dans le chemin de l'orthodoxie chalcédonienne. Elle meurt en 460 et est canonisée par l'Église orthodoxe.

Ses restes sont ensevelis dans la crypte de la basilique Saint-Étienne et sont dispersés lors de l'invasion perse de 614.

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Image:

"Alexander Nevsky Cathedral E1" by Elena Chochkova - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alexander_Nevsky_Cathedral_...

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aelia_Eudocia

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From:

http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Eudocia-1

aka Empress Aelia Licinia Eudocia of the Eastern Roman Empire

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From:

http://genealogy.richardremme.com/tng/getperson.php?personID=I23934...

Died in self-exile SOURCES: LDS FHL Ancestal File # (familysearch.org) AWTP: "The Ancestry of Overmire Tifft Richardson Bradford Reed" Larry Overmire larryover@worldnet.att.net