Summary
Serena (died 409) was a Roman noblewoman of the Theodosian dynasty, niece of emperor Theodosius I and wife of the military commander Stilicho.
| Serena | |
|---|---|
 Serena portrayed with her husband Stilicho and son Eucherius, c. 400 | |
| Born | before 379[1] |
| Died | 409 |
| Spouse | Stilicho |
| Issue | Eucherius Maria Thermantia |
| Dynasty | Theodosian |
| Father | Honorius[1] |
| Mother | Maria[1] |
Her father Honorius died prior to the year 379, after which she was adopted by her uncle Theodosius I.[1] In 384 he arranged her marriage to Stilicho, at the time a promising young officer.[2] Stilicho's marriage to Serena ensured his loyalty to the House of Theodosius in the years ahead.
Background edit
A resident at the court of her cousin, Honorius, she selected a bride for the court poet, Claudian, and took care of Honorius' half-sister, her cousin Galla Placidia. She and Stilicho had a son, Eucherius, and two daughters, Maria and Thermantia, successively the first and second wives of Honorius.
Zosimus records how Serena, a Christian, took a necklace from a statue of Rhea Silvia and placed it on her own neck. An old woman, the last of the Vestal Virgins, appeared, rebuking Serena and calling down punishment upon her for her act of impiety. Serena was then subject to dreadful dreams predicting her own untimely death.[3] Alan Cameron is sceptical of the entire tale, noting that Theodosius did not visit Rome in 394.
Stilicho was executed on Honorius' orders in 408, and Eucherius was also killed soon after. During the siege of Rome by the Visigoths the following year, Serena was falsely accused of conspiring with the Goths, and was executed with Galla Placidia's consent.
Notes edit
Bibliography edit
- Jones, A.H.M.; J.R. Martindale & J. Morris (1971). Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire. Vol. 1. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-07233-6.