Who was Galla, the second wife of Theodosius I?

Galla was the second wife of the Roman emperor Theodosius I, whom he married at the end of 387 after having been a widower since 386. She was the daughter of the mother of the Western emperor Valentinian II.1

Galla’s marriage to Theodosius is noted for potentially influencing his decision to launch military countermeasures against the usurper Magnus Maximus following the invasion of Italy. Later, her presence at court was marked by reported quarrels with Theodosius’s son, Arcadius, which, alongside the emperor's preference for the Eastern capital, contributed to Theodosius moving his residence back to Constantinople in 391. Galla was also the mother of Aelia Galla Placidia, who later became a prominent Roman empress.12