Christian History Home > Issue 44 > John Chrysostom: A Gallery of Politicos, Pagans, and the Pious
John Chrysostom: A Gallery of Politicos, Pagans, and the Pious
by JOHN O. GOOCH John Gooch is an editor at the United Methodist Publishing House in Nashville, Tennessee. He is author of The Doctrine of Holiness in Tertullian (University Microfilms, 1983). | posted 10/01/1994 12:00AM
Eudoxia (d. 404)
Avaricious empress
Early in John’s career in Constantinople, Eudoxia was one of his powerful supporters. She spent long hours with him, and he baptized her son. When the relics of some saint were moved to a chapel outside the city, Eudoxia joined the procession, barefoot, without her veil or any trappings of royalty, with every outward sign of piety.
Her inner strength could have turned her toward being a saint; instead it turned her toward a quest for power and the destruction of her enemies, including John.
Eudoxia married Emperor Arcadius in 395 and quickly discovered that Arcadius was weak and dominated by Eutropius, a leading official. Eudoxia wanted to be named Augusta (empress), a move Eutropius opposed. Determined to gain more power, she began to plot Eutropius’s downfall.
Her chance came in 399. Many generals resented Eutropius for his high-handed ways. Gothic mercenaries rebelled and demanded his expulsion. At the same time, in a heated argument, Eutropius told Eudoxia, ... To view this item, you must be a member of ChristianHistory.net.
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