Eudoxia
b. circa 380; d. 404, Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul)
Eudoxia, the daughter of a high-level commander in the Western Roman army, married the Eastern Roman emperor Arcadius in 395. She exerted tremendous influence over her husband and was adept at court intrigues. Although a devout Christian, she orchestrated the expulsion of John Chrysostom, the archbishop of Constantinople and an outspoken critic of her husband’s rule. She had five children, including Pulcheria and the future emperor Theodosius II.
