Eudocia Augusta: fra leggenda, politica e religione

The complex personality of Eudocia emerges in the sources as an emblematic and at the same time peculiar figure, in which the political, religious and cultural components of her era interact. The reconstruction of his biographical story, in some cases from the fictional plots, from his marriage with Theodosius II to his fall from grace and his retreat to the Holy Land, opens up a perspective of reading on the age of Theodosius. Family ties and friendly relationships with prominent men of the court insert her into the political network of the palace, of which she finally falls victim. His literary production reflects the mixture between classical culture and the public or religious aims of the works, marking the visibility of the character; his commitment in the religious field, in the wake of a consolidated tradition for the Auguste, accompanies the desire for affirmation; the stay in the Holy Land, after being removed from the court, reveals a strong personality who, through support for monophysitism and commitment to charitable activities, manages to obtain spaces of distinction up to the depositio ad sanctos at the Church of S. Stefano in Jerusalem.