AR Siliqua, A.D. 395 - 402, Mediolanum, 16.4mm, 1.39g, 0°, RIC X 1228.
Obv: D N HONORIVS P F AVG. Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: VIRTVS ROMANORVM. Roma seated left holding victory on globe and spear; MDPS in ex.
--------------------------------------------------
Flavius Honorius was Western Roman Emperor from 395 to 423. He was the younger son of emperor Theodosius I and his first wife Aelia Flaccilla, and brother of the eastern emperor Arcadius. When Theodosius died, in January 395, Honorius and Arcadius divided the Empire, so that Honorius became Western Roman Emperor at the age of ten. Even by the standards of the rapidly declining Western Empire, Honorius' reign was precarious and chaotic. His reign was supported by his principal general, Flavius Stilicho, who was Honorius's guardian during his childhood. During the first part of his reign Honorius depended heavily on the military leadership of the general Stilicho and to strengthen his bonds with the young emperor, Stilicho married his daughter Maria to Honorius. He used these bonds to influence Honorius whenever possible.

The most notable event of his reign was the assault and Sack of Rome on August 24, 410 by the Visigoths under Alaric. The city had been under Visigothic siege since the summer of 408. Shortly before the seige, Honorius heard rumors that Stilecho had been conspiring with the barbarians. He had him arrested and executed. Now lacking a strong general to control Roman Army, Honorius could do little to attack Alaric's forces directly, and apparently adopted the only strategy he could in the situation: wait passively for the Visigoths to grow weary and he spent the time marshalling what forces he could. Stricken by starvation, somebody opened Rome's defenses to Alaric and the Goths poured in. The city had not been under the control of a foreign force since an invasion of Gauls some eight centuries before. The sack itself was notably mild as sacks go; Churches and religious statuary went unharmed for example but the psychological blow to the Romans was considerably more painful and reverberated from Britain to Jerusalem.

Honorius died of edema on August 15, 423, leaving no heir. In the subsequent interregnum Joannes was nominated emperor.