This work explores the life and legacy of Galla Placidia, the last Roman empress of the Western Roman Empire, who played a crucial role in the empire's final decades during a period marked by internal instability, military fragmentation, and external invasions. Born into the Theodosian dynasty, Galla Placidia's life was defined by her struggle to preserve Roman authority in the West after the death of her father and brother, as well as her regency for her young son, Valentinian III. Through her diplomatic efforts, religious patronage, and political maneuvering, she worked to secure the empire's borders against barbarian incursions, particularly from the Visigoths, Vandals, and Huns.
The text traces Galla Placidia's pivotal role during the empire's decline, her interactions with military leaders like Aetius, and her attempts to navigate a fractured political landscape. It highlights the significance of her religious patronage in ensuring the continuity of Roman Christian orthodoxy and preserving imperial traditions. The fall of Carthage to the Vandals, the rise of barbarian kingdoms, and the weakening of imperial authority under Valentinian III are examined as central factors contributing to the ultimate collapse of the Western Roman Empire.
Despite the political fragmentation and the eventual collapse of Roman authority in 476 AD, Galla Placidia's legacy endured through her contributions to Christian architecture, her defense of Nicene orthodoxy, and her role in stabilizing the empire for a time. The study also emphasizes how her actions, along with the fall of the Western Roman Empire, laid the groundwork for the medieval transformation of Europe, highlighting the enduring influence of Roman culture and institutions in the Byzantine Empire and the emerging Christian kingdoms of the early Middle Ages. Through the lens of Galla Placidia's reign and her legacy, this work offers insights into the complex political and religious dynamics that shaped the twilight of the Western Roman Empire and the dawn of a new world order.
