, a Roman empress (wife to Theodosius the younger), whose proper
, a Roman empress (wife to Theodosius the younger), whose proper name was Athenais, was the
daughter of Leontius, an Athenian philosopher, and born
about the year 400. Her father took such care of her education, that she became at length so accomplished in learning, that, at his death, he left his whole estate to his two
sons, except an hundred pieces of gold, which he bequeathed to his daughter, with this declaration, that “her
own good fortune would be sufficient for her.
” This compliment, however, did not satisfy her, and having gone to
law with her brothers, without success, she carried her
cause to Constantinople, where she was recommended to
Pulcheria, sister of the emperor Theodosius the younger,
and became her favourite. In the year 421 she embraced
Christianity, and changed her name from Athenais to Eudocia 3 and the same year was married to the emperor,
through the powerful recommendation of his sister; by
which event her father’s prophecy appeared to be fulfilled.
Amidst all the grandeurof her new situation, she still continued to lead a very studious and philosophic life, spending much of her time in reading and writing; and lived
very happily till the year 445, when an apparently trifling
accident exposed her to the emperor’s jealousy. The emperor, it is said, having sent her an apple of an extraordinary
size, she sent it to Paulinus, whom she respected on ac"count of his learning. Paulinus, not knowing from whom
it came, presented it to the emperor who, soon after seeing the empress, asked her what she had done with it.
She, being apprehensive of raising suspicions in her husband, if she should tell him that she had given it to Paulinus, very unwisely declared that she had eaten it, which
excited a suspicion of her intimacy with Paulinus, that
seemed to be confirmed by her confusion on his producing
the apple. He also put Paulinus to death. Upon this she
went to Jerusalem, where she spent many years in building
and adorning churches, and in relieving the poor. It is
said that even when here, the jealousy of Theodosius pursued her, and that hearing she visited the priest Severus
and the deacon John, he sent Saturninus with orders to
put them both to death. Eudocia was so irritated at this
barbarous persecution, that she for once stained the purity
of her own life, by procuring Saturninus to be murdered.
Dupin says, she did not return while the emperor lived;
but Cave tells us, that she was reconciled to him, returned
to Constantinople, and continued with him till his death;
after which, she went again to Palestine, where she spent
the remainder of her life in pious works. She died about
A. D. 460; and, as Cave says, upon her death-bed, took
a solemn oath, by which she declared herself entirely free
from any stains of unchastity.