BYZANTINE HISTORY MEME - The legendary love affair of Empress Eudocia & Paulinos
Around 421 AD Athinais, later baptized Eudocia, came to Constantinopole to ask for the Emperor’s help for a personal matter. Her father, a Greek (during Byzantium that term meant the follower of the old religion) philosopher didn’t include her in his will, but according to Byzantine law she could share his fortune equally with her brothers. Because she was being neglected by them, she came to the capital around the time Theodosius II was searching for a wife. Eudocia seemed like the perfect match because of her beauty, intelligence and modesty and the emperor chose her as his spouse before showing her to his close friend Paulinos, a high-ranking man of the empire. Paulinos was also enamoured by her and it is commonly believed that these two started a long lasting affair.
The way their affair was exposed, according to contemporary sources, seems like a fairytale gone wrong. One day a Frygian man gave a deep-red apple to the emperor, symbol of sensuality & fertility. Theodosius then sent this apple to his wife, which he gave to her lover. Paulinos didn’t keep the apple for himself as well and decided to give it to the emperor, who was the first to actually get it. It was that apple’s circle that gave their secret away and Theodosius killed Paulinos right in front of Eudocia’s eyes.
Eudocia complained that this was a shameful behaviour towards an empress and demanded to leave Constantinopole. Theodosius granted her wish and she traveled in Jerusalem. She came back to the capital years later to be beside her husband during his final moments.
