Cubicularii domus divinae Honorii Valentinianique: Loyal Servants of the Imperial Family or Ambitious Men of Intrigue?
Abstract
This presentation, by focusing on the eunuchs of the emperors Honorius (r. 395-423) and Valentinian III (r. 423-455), argued that the eunuchs in the later Roman empire did not truly deserve the strong language of the authors of their age, who often portray them as aliens from the east making slaves out of emperors, in accord with the features of Greek and Roman historiography. These court eunuchs, instead, just like slave eunuchs served at domus urbanae (private households) under their masters, appear to have been faithful to the imperial house and the emperors they served.
This argument is best supported by the examination of the careers of the recorded cubicularii of these two reigns. Although these court eunuchs were very close to Honorius and Valentinian III, and thus were in a very suitable position to attempt to establish their hegemony over them, they instead seem to have concerned on their duties given to them by the emperors.
Even with Heraclius, the most prominent eunuch of Valentinian III and a participant in the generalissimo Aetius' assassination, the picture the contemporaries draw gives the impression that it owes its negativity rather to Aetius' extremely positive reception among the authors.