Description
Book Synopsis Despite her status as one of history''s most important women, the story of Galla Placidia''s life has been largely forgotten. Though the Roman empress witnessed the decline and fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century and lived a life of almost constant suffering, her actions helped postpone the fall of Rome and had massive, widespread impact on the empire that can still be felt today. She watched the barbarian king Alaric and his horde of Visigoth warriors sack Rome, slaughter many of the city''s inhabitants, and take her hostage. Surviving captivity, Galla Placidia became the queen of the barbarians who had imprisoned her. Eventually, she became the only woman to rule the Roman empire alone. Soldiers obeyed her commands while Popes and Christian saints alike sought her advice. Despite all obstacles and likely suffering from what we now know as PTSD, she lived to an old age by the standards of the time. This book uses the letters and writings of Galla Placidia''s contemporari
Table of Contents
- Abbreviations
- Preface
- Introduction: A Remarkable Life
- 1. A Brutal Age
- 2. Turbulent Times
- 3. Murderous Rulers
- 4. Christians Against Pagans
- 5. An Unhappy Childhood
- 6. Barbarian Terrors
- 7. The Sack of Rome
- 8. Seeking an Answer
- 9. Prisoner of the Visigoths
- 10. An Ancient Case of PTSD?
- 11. Galla Placidia in the Bible?
- 12. An Unhappy Family, a Divided Church
- 13. Choosing the Pope, Cleansing the Church
- 14. A Miserable Marriage
- 15. Warrior Queen
- 16. Ruler of the Romans
- 17. The Vandal Horde
- 18. Years of Turbulence
- 19. The Fall of the Western Roman Empire
- 20. The Desecration of Galla Placidia's Corpse
- Chapter Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
