For our purposes, the founder of the Theodosian dynasty can be said to be Count Theodosius, a great soldier who was sent by Valentinian I to Britain to clear it of invaders. He succeeded brilliantly. His son followed in his father's footsteps to become probably the greatest general in the empire under Valentinian's son, Gratian. Recognising Theodosius' greatness, Gratian elevated him to the rank of Augustus in 379, shortly after the disastrous defeat of the legions under Valens at Adrianopolis. It is astonishing that these two great generals should spawn such useless offspring, but there it is. After Theodosius the Great, the descendants of the line would prove to be the least effective of all the Roman emperors.
Count Theodosius
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Aelia Flacilla(1) =
Theodosius I = Galla(2)
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Arcadius
= Aelia Eudoxia Honorius Galla Placidia = Constantius III
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Aelia Pulcheria = Marcian
Theodosius II
= Aelia Eudocia Valentinian III
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Licinia Eudoxia = -----------------------------------|
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