EUDOSSIA (EUDOCIA), IMPERATRICE DI BISANZIO

EUDOXIA (EUDOCIA), Empress of BYZANTIUM. – Wife of Theodosius II, born at Athens toward the end of the 4th century, died at Jerusalem in 460. She was called Athenaïs from the name of her native city, and as the daughter of the sophist philosopher Leoncius, she received an excellent literary and scientific education. Having been disinherited because of family disputes, she went to Constantinople to seek protection and assistance from Pulcheria, sister of Theodosius II and regent of the Empire during her brother’s minority. She was highly esteemed at the Byzantine court both for her culture and her beauty, and after being baptized by Atticus, Patriarch of Constantinople, who gave her the new name of Elia E., she married Theodosius II on 7 June 421 and in 423 received the title of Augusta. She had a daughter, Licinia Eudoxia, who later became the wife of Valentinian III.
She took a great interest in the various religious controversies and sided with Nestorius against Cyril of Alexandria, persisting in her error until a very advanced age. In 438 she made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, but a few years later, accused of infidelity, she was forced to leave Constantinople and go into exile at Jerusalem. She was a poetess and wrote extensively; her verses, though highly praised by Photius, are not of great literary value. Notable among her works are a poem in honor of Theodosius II, a paraphrase of the books of Daniel and Zechariah, a poetic exposition of the first eight books of the Old Testament, and three books on the martyrs Cyprian and Justina, of which fragments remain published in PG 85, 827-64.