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Women in Antiquity
GALLA PLACIDIA: The Last Roman Empress
The astonishing career of Galla Placidia (c. 390-450) provides valuable reflections on the state of the Roman empire in the fifth century CE. In an age when emperors, like Galla's two brothers, Arcadius (395-408) and Honorius (395-423), and nephew, Theodosius II (408-450), hardly ever ventured beyond the fortified enclosure of their palaces, Galla spent years wandering across Italy, Gaul and Spain first as hostage in the camp of Alaric the Goth, and then as wife of Alaric's successor. In exile at the court of her nephew in Constantinople Galla observed how princesses wield power while vaunting piety. Restored to Italy on the swords of the eastern Roman army, Galla watched the coronation of her son, age six, as the emperor of the western Roman provinces. For a dozen years (425-437) she acted as regent, treading uneasily between rival senatorial factions, ambitious church prelates, and charismatic military leaders.
This new biography of Galla is organized according to her changing roles as bride, widow, bereaved mother, queen and empress. It examines her relations with men in power, her achievements as a politician, her skills at establishing power bases and political alliances, and her efficiency at accomplishing her desired goals. Using all the available sources, documents, epigraphy, coinage and the visual arts, and Galla's own letters, Hagith Sivan reconstructs the turning points and highlights of Galla's odd progression from a bloodthirsty princess at Rome to a bride of a barbarian in Gaul, from a manipulative sister and wife of emperors at the imperial court at Ravenna to a beggar at the court of her relatives in Constantinople, and from a devious regent of the western Roman empire to a collaborator of popes in Rome.
This new biography of Galla is organized according to her changing roles as bride, widow, bereaved mother, queen and empress. It examines her relations with men in power, her achievements as a politician, her skills at establishing power bases and political alliances, and her efficiency at accomplishing her desired goals. Using all the available sources, documents, epigraphy, coinage and the visual arts, and Galla's own letters, Hagith Sivan reconstructs the turning points and highlights of Galla's odd progression from a bloodthirsty princess at Rome to a bride of a barbarian in Gaul, from a manipulative sister and wife of emperors at the imperial court at Ravenna to a beggar at the court of her relatives in Constantinople, and from a devious regent of the western Roman empire to a collaborator of popes in Rome.
239 pages, Paperback
First published August 31, 2011
About the author
Hagith Sivan
8 books1 followerA specialist in the history of ancient Judaism and late antiquity, Hagith Sivan is Professor of History at the University of Kansas.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 20, 2016
The information was excellent. One of the main secondary sources for my current study of Galla Placidia. However, the details were sometimes overwhelming and off-topic. I would also have liked to see more integration of the textual and archaeological evidence about her specifically.
January 22, 2024
Really enjoyed reading this short biography on Galla Placidia by Hagith Sivan. The book does excellent credit to Galla Placidia and is probably more accessible and up to date than some of the older biographies on her. At times however it was easy to gete lost in some of the religious and legal discussions found within, but these were minimal and I found it hard to put it down.
Hagith presents the story of a woman who can only be regarded as remarkable in her sense of duty and fortitude. In his presentation of Galla Placidia the author doesnt follow a traditional biographical chronological order of birth, childhood, teen years, marriage, etc. Indeed such a formate is impossible given the very sparse sources relating to Galla's life. Instead they must focus on creating a discussion focused around the major events of his subjects life: the sack of Rome, her first marriage to a Gothic King, her second marriage, etc.
In following this pattern the author also presents a maturing and changing individual, a story arc of sorts. In her first marriage she is presented as a rebel princess, marrying an enemy of the state, whilst her later marriage is regarded as more sombre and her life at that point turns to one of religious devotion and piety. Her years as empress and regent meanwhile see her presenting herself carefully as a dutyful and concienencious ruler, attempting at all times to set a good examples which would become the hallmark of her, her sons and her dynastys rule. At the heart of this character is a mother with a strong devotion to her children, in the preservation of Valentinians' throne, Honorias' life and her long deceased infants' memory. In her we see an intellect, who wished for her court to rival that of Constantinople in a day when the Western Empire was ailing in many areas and finally we see a staunch character who did her best to balance alone the complex court dynamics and rivalries between different western generals, attempting to stop any one from gaining supremacy so that her sons position would not be undermind uppon his full assumption of powers. Sadly in this last act she was unsuccessful.
While at times I felt the author could have gone further, or stuck to the status que in others; a good example is the supposed ease with which she married Athaulf the Goth, the author presents it as her being a young rebelious princess, though surely this would warrant more discussion of the power dynamics, though other authors have not strayed far from this interpretation either and it remains a satisfactory interpretation.
Galla Placidia was without question in my mind the leading woman of the 5th Century and it is wonderful to see her enter the main stream again with this addition to the Women in Antiquity collection.
Hagith presents the story of a woman who can only be regarded as remarkable in her sense of duty and fortitude. In his presentation of Galla Placidia the author doesnt follow a traditional biographical chronological order of birth, childhood, teen years, marriage, etc. Indeed such a formate is impossible given the very sparse sources relating to Galla's life. Instead they must focus on creating a discussion focused around the major events of his subjects life: the sack of Rome, her first marriage to a Gothic King, her second marriage, etc.
In following this pattern the author also presents a maturing and changing individual, a story arc of sorts. In her first marriage she is presented as a rebel princess, marrying an enemy of the state, whilst her later marriage is regarded as more sombre and her life at that point turns to one of religious devotion and piety. Her years as empress and regent meanwhile see her presenting herself carefully as a dutyful and concienencious ruler, attempting at all times to set a good examples which would become the hallmark of her, her sons and her dynastys rule. At the heart of this character is a mother with a strong devotion to her children, in the preservation of Valentinians' throne, Honorias' life and her long deceased infants' memory. In her we see an intellect, who wished for her court to rival that of Constantinople in a day when the Western Empire was ailing in many areas and finally we see a staunch character who did her best to balance alone the complex court dynamics and rivalries between different western generals, attempting to stop any one from gaining supremacy so that her sons position would not be undermind uppon his full assumption of powers. Sadly in this last act she was unsuccessful.
While at times I felt the author could have gone further, or stuck to the status que in others; a good example is the supposed ease with which she married Athaulf the Goth, the author presents it as her being a young rebelious princess, though surely this would warrant more discussion of the power dynamics, though other authors have not strayed far from this interpretation either and it remains a satisfactory interpretation.
Galla Placidia was without question in my mind the leading woman of the 5th Century and it is wonderful to see her enter the main stream again with this addition to the Women in Antiquity collection.
August 8, 2022
An object lesson in restraint. Sivan carefully explores everything we can positively say about Galla and tactfully avoids speculation. My favorite technique of hers: when it comes to mythologized moments like Honoria’s courtship of Attila, rather than assess positive truth claims, she reports the story as plausible, accepted myth and addresses its implications. Why would such a story emerge? What would it have meant to Galla’s legacy? How does it fit broader narratives around early Christian rulers? So while short, this book provides not only what we know about Galla, but also a blueprint for how to approach marginalized figures like Galla.
January 18, 2024
Біографія Галли Плацидії, доньки, сестри, дружини і матері римських імператорів у добу, коли народитися в августійшому сімействі віщувало, м'яко кажучи, непевну долю. Галла прожила довге життя, як на її родичів, але про жодну певність теж мови не було: то місто в осаді і їсти нічого, то варвари на голову падають, та й регенткою при малолітньому синові хоч і цікаво, але небезпечно. Гарна розповідь, але тут як завжди - джерела говорять про неї набагато менше, ніж про звичайних імператорів-чоловіків, тому часто це не біографія, а швидше life and times, щоб з загального стану речей домалювати можливі події.
April 8, 2023
3.5
As a common reader, this book was informative but also interesting enough to keep me interesed. The pace was pretty good
As a common reader, this book was informative but also interesting enough to keep me interesed. The pace was pretty good
November 11, 2011
Slightly disappointed in this book. I was expecting a detailed biography, but it was more about Galla Placidia's times than her life. The information was interesting and useful for my purposes, but I was hoping for more.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews