THEODOSIUS THE GREAT ROMAN EMP 379-395AD AE4 .94g 15mm THESSALONICA RIC47 MVLTXX

Description

THEODOSIUS THE GREAT EASTERN ROMAN EMPEROR 379-395AD
AE4 .94g 15mm 5h THESSALONICA SMHA RIC47 VOTX MVLTXX
SHARP STRIKE SEE PICS      EX ROBINSON
THEODOSIUS PF AVG   DIAD DRAPED & CUIR BUST R
VOT X MVLT XX IN WREATH SMHA BELOW
I WILL SHIP OVERSEAS ONLY THROUGH THE GLOBAL SHIPPING PROGRAM
Theodosius was son of Theodosius, Valentinian’s great general who saved Britain from the Picts.  The younger Theo who is strangely called Theodosius I, was born c346 AD, possibly in Spain.  He accompanied his father to Britain, and upon his father’s untimely death (possibly at the hand of Valens, Theodosius retired quietly to Spain until he was summoned by Gratian to share his empire.  He became Augustus of the Eastern Provinces and made a successful campaign along the Danube where he persuaded the fugitive Visigoth king Athanaric and 40,000 of his (former enemy) followers to enter his service.  He raised his son, Arcadius to Augustus in 383.  That very year brought the revolt and murder of Maximus in Britain and the murder of Gratian and Theodosius gave the west to Valentinian II.  From about 388 onward, Theodosius resigned himself to gluttony and  high living, and would have probably died in that lifestyle had it not been for the death of Valentinian II and his replacement by Eugenius.  Theo marched against Eugenius at once and the cards seemed to turn in favor of Eugenius. But after a night of prayer, the Emperor was cheered on by a vision of St Philip and St John mounted on white steeds who promised him success.  Supposedly, a sudden gust of wind blew back the enemies arrows on themselves and the battle was won by Theo.  Theo returned to Rome where he proclaimed his son Honorius the new emperor.  From there he retired to Milan where he died of dropsy.  Many early writers including St Ambrose and Gregory ad modern writers such as Gibbon and Van Ortroy wrote of the life of Theodosius.
VOT or Vota (not Votive as many collectors erroneously refer to these as) were annual vows to the gods taken by the emperor and often featured on their coins.  Vota coins are highly collected, but dating vota coins is almost impossible since they only mark how many annual vows the emperor has made or will make and not when he started those vows.  For example: there are Vot V (5) issues of Jovian who did not reign for 5 years.  In some cases two VOT dates appear such as VOT V MVLT X meaning he has completed 5 vows and promises 10 more.  Most emperors, especially those during the Crisis, did not survive that long.