Penning met het portret van keizer Honorius en de namen van Romeinse keizers 1712

This is an engraving portraying Emperor Honorius, surrounded by the names of Roman emperors. Created by an anonymous artist, it presents a fascinating intersection of power, history, and identity. Honorius ruled the Western Roman Empire from 395 to 423 AD. His reign was marked by internal strife and external threats, embodying a period of decline. This image invites us to contemplate the burdens of leadership, and the weight of history on individual lives. The choice to include other emperors suggests an effort to situate Honorius within a lineage of power, while also underscoring the transient nature of rule. What does it mean to inherit power in a world on the brink of collapse? Perhaps the artist aimed to immortalize Honorius, or possibly to question the very foundations upon which his authority rested. This engraving leaves us to consider the emotional and personal dimensions of leadership in times of crisis.