Theodosios II

   Emperor (q.v.) in the East from 408-450. He was the son of Arkadios (q.v.) and only seven years old when he came to the throne. Bookish and retiring, he left much of actual governance to his sister Pulcheria (q.v.), to high officials like the praetorian prefect Anthemios (q.v.), and to his wife Athenais-Eudokia (q.v.). Nevertheless, there were three important accomplishments during his reign: the Codex Theodosianus (q.v.); the famous land walls of Constantinople (q.v.), completed by 413; and the foundation of the University of Constantinople (q.v.). His support of Nestorianism (q.v.) was not sufficient to avoid its condemnation at the Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus (qq.v.) in 431. He also supported the "Robber" Council at Ephesus (q.v.) in 449, overturned two years later by the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon (q.v.).