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34 2. the eastern empire: theodosius to anastasius
should have happened is not easy to account for, particularly because it is
generally more difficult to explain why something did not happen.
Nevertheless, it remains a question of fundamental importance, to which
this chapter will endeavour to suggest some answers.
i. theodosius ii
1. Political life
There was obviously no question of the seven-year-old Theodosius having
any real involvement in government affairs for some years, so it should
occasion no surprise that during his minority power lay in the hands of
various officials at court, notably the praetorian prefect Anthemius. 8 Even
once he reached adulthood, however, Theodosius appears rarely to have
attempted to exercise power in his own right, showing greater interest in
theological and scholarly pursuits. One consequence of this was that his
court gained a reputation for patronage of literary and educational endeavours,
9 reflected, among other things, in reforms of university teaching in
the capital (425) 10 and the production of the Theodosian Code (429–37). 11
Another consequence, however, was that the initiative in political life by
and large lay with individuals other than the emperor himself, making it
difficult to determine the extent to which Theodosius deserves credit or
blame for particular decisions or policies. Female members of the imperial
family feature prominently in this respect, notably Theodosius’ sister
Pulcheria and his wife Eudocia, whom he married in 421, although the
extent of their power has probably been exaggerated. 12 Helion’s long
tenure of the important office of magister officiorum (414–27) marks him out
as a man with influence, while the praetorian prefect Cyrus was important
during the 430s, until displaced by Theodosius’ chamberlain, the eunuch
Chrysaphius, who was pre-eminent throughout the 440s. 13 Although less
conspicuous, certain military figures are also worthy of note: the way in
which the Alan general Flavius Ardabur and members of his family, especially
his son Aspar, held high commands throughout much of
Theodosius’ reign must be significant, 14 while during the emperor’s final
years, the Isaurian general Flavius Zeno (not to be confused with the later
8 On the early years of Theodosius’ reign, see Lippold (1973) 964–6, CAH 2 xiii,ch.4 (Blockley).
9 Momigliano (1972) 12–17. 10 Cameron, Alan (1982) 285–7.
11 Harries and Wood (1993) 1–6.
12 See Holum (1977) and Holum, Empresses for this emphasis, Liebeschuetz, Barbarians and Bishops
134 and Harries (1994) 35–6 for reservations.
13 See PLRE ii, s.v. Helion 1, Cyrus 7, Chrysaphius, with emendations on points of detail (especially
on Cyrus) in Cameron, Alan (1982).
14 Family solidarity is epitomized in the silver missorium celebrating Aspar’s consulship in 434: CIL
xi.2637 (�ILS 1299) with Painter (1991). For details of careers, see PLRE ii, s.v. Fl. Ardabur 3, Fl.
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