Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons^™

The Sacred Command Of The Lord My Brother The Emperor Should Have Come As Something Not To Neglect, Jacqueline Long

Classical Studies: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Late Roman stereotypes assigned women certain powers.1 Thus for example, when the elder but not senior emperor Theodosius faced a choice between defending the interests of Valentinian II, his ineffective colleague from the previous dynasty, or acceding to the aggression of Magnus Maximus, his countryman, an unimpeachably orthodox Catholic, a proven effective general, and as an emperor one whose imperium Theodosius had recognized,2 Valentinian’s Arian mother Justina could be understood to have swayed Theodosius decisively by offering him her daughter Galla in marriage.3 This scenario enabled hostile interpreters to trivialize Theodosius’s decision as irresponsible appetite and to belittle its execution …