Galla Placidia: Part I

Galla Placidia was born into a life of majesty, the daughter of a powerful Roman emperor. Her life would follow a similar path, as she would go on to command armies and rule the Empire, becoming one of the most powerful women of the time. Along the way, though, came many hardships, including exile and imprisonment.

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Galla was born sometime around 390 AD and grew up during a time when the Roman Empire was steadily losing the status that had once defined it. For centuries, the Empire had stretched from Britain to the Near East, serving as a model of order, interconnected by a vast network of roads, funded in part by a dependable system of taxation and protected by loyal legions.

But these glory years were fading.

After the death of Galla's father, the Empire was divided among his sons in 395 AD. The emperor at the time in the Western part, where Galla lived, was Honorius. He lived far from the capital and far from the decisions his position required.

Honorius came to power as a child and never quite grew into the weight of his office. The real authority had once belonged to his general, Stilicho, a man of skill and strategy. But Honorius had Stilicho executed in 408 AD, fearing disloyalty. With that, a great figure capable of holding the West together was gone. And Honorius, retreating behind the marshes of a region well away from Rome, proved unable, or unwilling, to lead.

The consequences came quickly as a result. Trade slowed, inflation rose, and civil wars weakened an already unstable government. The Roman army, once professional and disciplined, now relied on foreign mercenaries, whose loyalty was often only as strong as their pay. The empire’s bonds, legal, military, and cultural, were fraying.

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In 410, Rome came under attack. The Visigoths, a Germanic tribe led by King Alaric, entered the city after a period of tense negotiation and mounting frustration. Alaric had once served as a commander in the Roman army and sought recognition and land for his people within the Empire. But repeated delays, broken promises, and political instability led to a final breakdown. Alaric recognized that, although Rome had not been breached by a foreign enemy in many centuries, the city was vulnerable. He led his forces through the Salarian Gate, and for three days, the Visigoths looted the capital.

Amidst the chaos, Galla was taken captive.