[ 2001] Aelia Flacilla - Wife of Roman Emperor The ...

[ 2001] Aelia Flacilla - Wife of Roman Emperor Theodosius I and mother of Emperors Honorius and Arcadius. Bronze AE4 (12mm, 1.03 gm). Heraclea, 379-383 A.D. Reference: RIC 17.2 (IX, Heraclea) AEL FLACCILLA AVG - Diademed, draped bust bust right. SALVS REIPVBLICAE, exe: .SMHA - Angel seated right, inscribing Christogram(Chi-Rho) on shield set on cippus. Provided with certificate of authenticity. CERTIFIED AUTHENTIC by Sergey Nechayev, PhD - Numismatic Expert The Chi Rho is one of the earliest christograms used by Christians. It is formed by superimposing the first two letters in the Greek spelling of the word Christ ( Greek : "Î§Ï�Î¹ÏƒÏ„ÏŒÏ‚" ), chi = ch and rho = r, in such a way to produce the monogram â˜§. The Chi-Rho symbol was also used by pagan Greek scribes to mark, in the margin, a particularly valuable or relevant passage; the combined letters Chi and Rho standing for chrÄ“ston, meaning "good." Although not technically a cross, the Chi Rho invokes the crucifixion of Jesus as well as symbolizing his status as the Christ. There is early evidence of the Chi Rho symbol on Christian Rings of the third century. The labarum (Greek: Î»Î¬Î²Î±Ï�Î¿Î½) was a vexillum (military standard) that displayed the "Chi-Rho" symbol, formed from the first two Greek letters of the word "Christ" (Greek: Î§Î¡Î™Î£Î¤ÎŸÎ£, or Î§Ï�Î¹ÏƒÏ„ÏŒÏ‚) â€” Chi (Ï‡) and Rho (Ï�). It was first used by the Roman emperor Constantine I. Since the vexillum consisted of a flag suspended from the crossbar of a cross, it was ideally suited to symbolize crucifixion. The Chi-Rho symbol was also used by Greek scribes to mark, in the margin, a particularly valuable or relevant passage; the combined letters Chi and Rho standing for chrÄ“ston, meaning "good."Aelia Flavia Flaccilla (died 385), first wife of the Roman Emperor Theodosius I. She was of Hispanian Roman descent. During her marriage to Theodosius, she gave birth to two sons â€” future Emperors Arcadius and Honorius â€” and a daughter, Aelia Pulcheria. She was given the title of Augusta, as her coinage shows. Family According to Laus Serenae ("In Praise of Serena"), a poem by Claudian, both Serena and Flaccilla were from Hispania. A passage of Themistius (Oratio XVI, De Saturnino) has been interpreted as identifying Flavius Claudius Antonius, Praetorian prefect of Gaul from 376 to 377 and Roman consul in 382, to be her father. However the relation is considered doubtful. In 1967, John Robert Martindale, later one of several article writers in the Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, suggested that the passage actually identifies Antonius as the brother-in-law of Theodosius. However the passage is vague enough to allow Flavius Afranius Syagrius, co-consul of Antonius in 382, to be the brother-in-law in question. The only kin clearly identified in primary sources was her nephew Nebridius, son of an unnamed sister. He married Salvina, a daughter of Gildo. Their marriage was mentioned by Jerome in his correspondence with Salvina. They had a son and a daughter. Marriage In about 375-376, Flaccilla married Theodosius I, a son of Count Theodosius. At the time Theodosius had fallen out of favor with Valentinian I and had withdrawn to civilian life in Cauca, Gallaecia. Their first son Arcadius was born prior to the elevation of his parents on the throne. Their secold son Honorius was born on 9 September 384. Their daughter Pulcheria has been suggested to have been born prior to the elevation of her parents to the throne due to another passage of Laus Serenae. She predeceased her parents as mentioned in the writings of Gregory of Nyssa. A younger Gratian ...

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