How Do You Spell AELIA FLACILLA?

Pronunciation: [ˈe͡ɪliə flasˈɪlə] (IPA)

Aelia Flacilla was the wife of Roman Emperor Theodosius I. The spelling of her name, "Aelia Flacilla," can be broken down using the International Phonetic Alphabet. "Aelia" is pronounced as "ɛliə," with the stress on the first syllable. "Flacilla" is pronounced as "fləsɪlə," with the stress on the second syllable. The spelling of her name may have been influenced by Latin or Greek pronunciation and spelling conventions. Today, Aelia Flacilla remains a historical figure known for her piety and charitable works.

AELIA FLACILLA Meaning and Definition

  1. Aelia Flacilla was a Roman empress who lived during the 4th century AD. She was the wife of Theodosius I, who was the last emperor to rule over both the Eastern and Western Roman Empires before its final division. As an empress, Aelia Flacilla held a prominent role in the imperial court and played a significant part in shaping the religious landscape of the empire.

    Born around 355 AD, Aelia Flacilla was of Hispano-Roman descent. Not much is known about her early life, but she married Theodosius I in 376 AD, and they had several children together, including Arcadius and Honorius, who would later become emperors themselves.

    Aelia Flacilla was a devout Christian, and she strongly influenced her husband's religious beliefs and policies. She was an adherent of Nicene Christianity, which advocated for the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and opposed the teachings of Arianism. Her support for Nicene Christianity played a crucial role in Theodosius I's decision to declare it as the sole legitimate form of Christianity within the Roman Empire through the Edict of Thessalonica in 380 AD.

    Aelia Flacilla died in 385 AD, and she was revered as a saint by the Byzantine Empire. Although not as well-known as some other Roman empresses, her impact on Christianity and the imperial policy towards religion cannot be overstated.

Etymology of AELIA FLACILLA

The name "Aelia Flacilla" is a combination of two parts: "Aelia" and "Flacilla".

"Aelia" was an imperial name commonly given in the Roman Empire. It originated from the gens (family) name, "Aelius", which was a prominent family in ancient Rome. The gens Aelia produced several notable individuals, including the Emperor Hadrian (Publius Aelius Hadrianus) and his successors.

"Flacilla" is a cognomen, which is a third name added to an individual's personal name to differentiate them from others of the same name. The exact origin of "Flacilla" is unclear, but it is believed to be of Germanic origin. It might have derived from the Germanic word "Flakjo", which means "yellow-haired" or "golden".