THE STORY OF GALLA PLACIDIA, AUGUSTA NOBILISSIMA IN RAVENNA
Galla Placidia lived from 350 to 490 AD; was the daughter of Emperor Theodosius I and his second wife Galla Justina, and half-sister of Emperors Arcadius and Honorius, born from her father's first marriage.
In 395 AD, Theodosius divided his kingdom between his two sons: the Eastern Empire was entrusted to Arcadius, the Western Empire to Honorius. But given their young age, Theodosius entrusted them to the tutelage of Stilicho, one of his generals of Vandal origin who had fought victoriously against the Goths, Visigoths and Alans.
Stilicho tried in every way to stem the barbarian invasions, but in 410 Rome was besieged, conquered and sacked by Alaric, king of the Visigoths. Galla Placidia was taken hostage and in 413 she had to marry Alaric's successor, Ataulf, becoming queen of the Visigoths. Two years later Ataulf was killed, the Visigoths were defeated and Galla Placidia was freed.
Returning to Ravenna to her half-brother Honorius, she was given in marriage to one of his best generals, Flavius Constantius; from the marriage two children were born, Justa Grata Honoria and Placido Valentinian.
In 421 Honorius appointed as Augusti Galla Placidia and her husband Flavius Constantius, whom he associated with the empire. He is known as emperor Constantius III but reigned for a few months, from February to September 421, when he died suddenly. The only male child of the couple, Valentinian, became the designated heir.
In 423, upon the death of Honorius, Galla Placidia went to Rome to ensure the succession of her son, who in 425 became emperor with the name of Valentinian III, under the regency of his mother since he was only six years old.
In the meantime, Galla Placidia became Augusta Nobilissima, settled in Ravenna and reigned for twelve years over the Western Roman Empire, facing rebellions, conspiracies and power struggles typical of the late empire.
A key figure of that period was Aetius, her minister and general, who fought against the Goths and the Franks and harshly repressed military insurrections, trying somehow to coexist with the unreliable barbarians that made up the majority of the Roman army.
The invasion of Attila's Huns was contained in several battles until 452 AD, when the defense collapsed. Aetius was assassinated by a palace conspiracy organized by emperor Valentinian III himself, who had not understood his prudent policy aimed at delaying the collapse of the empire. That was the beginning of the end.