A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Pulcheria, (Ælia)
The public however was benefited by the vigourous wisdom of his sister, who, though only two years older, maintained, by meekness and discretion, that ascendant over him, which superior capacity always gives. She had devoted herself to a life of virginity, before she was quite fifteen, and persuaded her two younger sisters to do the same. At sixteen she took the name of Augusta; and, as she had always the prudence to preserve her brother's honour, she governed in his name with much success; for she was the only descendant of the great Theodosius who possessed any eminence of character. She was sincerely religious, and gave him the honour of completing the destruction of the idolatrous temples and worship, which was due to the spirit, firmness, and yet wise lenity of her measures.
That prudence which in others is the fruit of experience, was in Pulcheria the gift of nature. At one view, which was as sure as it was penetrating, she saw immediately how she ought to act, and executed her purposes with promptitude; she spoke and wrote elegantly in Greek and Latin. Adorned with all the graces of beauty, she resolved to consecrate herself to the service of God and the state, and divided her time between prayer, works of charity, and the affairs of the empire.
The eastern empire was agitated by factions, when first she stood at its helm; but it soon enjoyed a perfect peace under her wise administration. She taught her brother to respect the rights of property; inspiring him with this noble maxim, "the more princes abstained from touching the wealth of their people, the greater would be their resources in the wants of the state."
Weak and irresolute; Theodosius, suffering himself to be guided by his eunuchs, neglected to consult her, and the empire but too soon felt how different a hand held the reins of its government. But he died in his fiftieth year, leaving only a daughter, married to Valentinian III. Pulcheria now remained sole mistress of the Eastern empire, and gave herself in marriage, for political reasons, to Marcian, an old officer in the army, whom she made emperor. She lived two years after, maintaining the same excellent and dignified character; nor does it appear that her religious virtues suffered any diminution till her death, which happened in 444.
Her loss was deeply regretted. She alone had sustained the imperial dignity, under the reign of her weak and imbecile brother; and after his death, had placed the crown on a head worthy to wear it. When her counsels were attended to, the state was happy, and the church triumphant. During her life she was a mother to the poor, and left them her possessions at her death.