Roman empire, Constantinople. Aelia Eudocia, wife of Theodosius II (408-450 AD), From 2 January 423 AD, c. 430-440 AD

Roman empire, Constantinople. Aelia Eudocia, wife of Theodosius II (408-450 AD), From 2 January 423 AD, c. 430-440 AD

$3,650.00

AV Tremissis, 1.42g (14mm, 6h).

AELEVDO CIAAVG around diademed bust right / Cross within wreath, below, CONOB

Pedigree: Ex José A. Herrero, 24 May 2012, lot 203

References: RIC 281; DOC 465

Grade: A die break from the wreath at 9h to under cross, otherwise a lovely strike with clear surfaces. Some light scuffing on the edges. Sharp EF

re1455

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The iconography on Eudocia's coinage is a rich subject that sits at the intersection of late Roman imperial tradition, early Christian symbolism, and the specific visual language developed for Theodosian empresses. Her portrait follows the increasingly frontal, hieratic style that characterizes later Eastern Roman coinage more broadly. On this coin, she is shown wearing a diadem, pearl pendilia (the hanging pearl ornaments that frame the face, dropping from the diadem to the shoulders), and imperial robes. The pendilia are particularly significant as they are a defining feature of late antique and Byzantine empress iconography and visually connect earthly imperial dignity with heavenly splendor through the lustre and preciousness of the pearls. This shift away from the more naturalistic portraiture of earlier coinage reflects a broader aesthetic transformation toward the flattened, spiritualized representation we associate with Byzantine art. Instead, the image communicates imperial continuity and divine favor rather than personal identity.