versies upon the social
development
of the Eastern
Meanwhile, however, Leo had bettered his con- empire.
Meanwhile, however, Leo had bettered his con- empire.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - b
An Athenian of the Roman party, who, in
Callicratidas chased him into Mytilene (Xen. Hell. B. C. 192, accused Apollodorus of fomenting a revolt
i. 5. $ 16, 6. 16). Xenophon, however, in two from Rome to Antiochus, and caused him to be
other passages (Hell. i. 6. $ 30,7. 9 2), omits Leon's sent into exile. (Liv. xxxv. 50. ) We may perhaps
name and mentions Lysias instead ; and Diodorus identify him with Leon, son of Icesias, who, in
has Lysanias ( an error probably of the copyists, B. C. 139, supported before the Roman senate the
for Lysias) in his list of the generals, saying nothing prayer of the Aetolians for peace. (Liv. xxxviii.
of Leon, and afterwards speaks of Lysias as one of 10 ; Polyb. xxii. 14. ) (DAMIS, No. 2. ) [E. E. ]
'those who returned to Athens after the battle of LEO I. , FLA'VIUS, surnamed the GREAT,
Arginusae (Diod. xiii. 74, 101) Schneider, accord- and THRAX, emperor of Constantinople (A. D.
ingly, would reject the name of Leon, from Xeno- 457–474), was of barbarian origin, and was born
phon substituting for it that of Lysias, in Hell. i. about A. D. 400, in the country of the Bessi, in
5. Ø 16, and that of Archestratus, in Hell. i. 6. $ Thrace, whence he received the surname of "the
16 (see Palm. and Wess. ad Diod. xiii. 74). But Thracian. ” At the death of the emperor Marcian
these alterations are unnecessary, if we adopt bishop (437) he was an obscure tribunus militurn, and
Thirlwall's conjecture (Greece, vol. iv. p. 110, note held the command of Selymbria. The powerful
2), that Leon was originally elected among the patrician, Aspar, despairing to seize the crown
ten, but that he fell into the hands of Callicratidas, without creating a civil and religious war, which
in one of the gallies which Conon sent out from might have proved his downfall, resolved upon re-
Mytilene, and that Lysias was appointed to fill his maining in power by proclaiming emperor a man
place (comp. Xen. Hell. i. 6. SS 19-21).
whom he thought equally weak and obedient; and
3. A Spartan, one of the three leaders of the he consequently contrived the election of Leo, who
colony founded at Heracleia, in B. C. 426. (Thuc. was recognised by the senate on the 7th of Fe-
iii. 92 ; Diod. xii. 59. )
bruary, 457. Leo was crowned by Anatolius,
4. One of the three ambassadors sent from Sparta patriarch of Constantinople ; and this is the first
to dissuade the Athenians from the alliance with instance of a Christian sovereign having received
Argos, in B. c. 420. (Thuc. v. 44. ) It seems his crown from the hands of a priest, a ceremony
doubtful whether we should identify him with the which was afterwards adopted by all other Chris
father of Antalcidas (Plut. Artax. 21), and again tian princes, and from which the cleryy, as Gibbon
with the ephor é uvuuos in the fourteenth year of justly oliserves, have deduced the most formidable
the Peloponnesian war, B. c. 418 (Xen. Hell. ii. consequences. Shortly after Leo's accession, reli-
3. $ 10), and also with the Leon who was sent gious troubles broke out in Egypt, which afforded
out with Antisthenes, in B. C. 412, as em bátns the new emperor an opportunity of showing that
(whatever that may mean), and was appointed on he did not intend to be a tool of his minister. The
the death of Pedaritus to succeed him in the com- Eutychians of Alexandria slew the orthodox bishop
mand. (Thuc. viii. 39, 61 ; comp. Arnold and Proterius, and chose one of their own creed, Elu-
Goeller, ad loc. ) The father of Pedaritus (Thuc rus, in his stead, who was protected by the Arian,
viii. 28) was probably a different person, though | Aspar, in spite of the emperor's authority. Leo,
Krueger thinks he was the same with the officer of however, did not give way, and in 460° he had
Antisthenes and was appointed to succeed his son. Elurus deposed, and superseded by an orthodox
5. A native of Salamis and a citizen of Athens, bishop, to the great annoyance of Aspar. This
was put to death by the thirty tyrants, who or- minister, finding himself checked in many other
dered Socrates, with four others, among whom was instances by the man whom he had raised from the
## p. 735 (#751) ############################################
LEO.
735
LEO.
servants.
dust, once had the impudence to reproach the em- was the immediate consequence and the deserved
peror with faithless conduct towards his benefuctur; punishment of the murder of Aspar, although the
upon which Leo calmly replied, that no prince emperor suffered less from it than his innocent
should be compelled to resign his own judgmert subjects. Feeling his strength dedine, and having
and the interest of his subjects to the will of his no son, Leo chose in 473 his grandson Leo, the
infant son of Zeno and Arindne, his future suc-
In 466 the Iluns threatened at once the northern cessor, and proclaimed him Augustus. He died in
provinces of Persia and the Eastern empire. Hor- less than a year afterwards, after a long and painful
midac, one of their chiefs, crossed the Danube on illness, in the month of January, 474, and was
the ice, but Leo had asscinbled a sufficient force to buried in the mausoleum of Conduintine.
check them. His general, Authemius, afterwards Although Leo does not deserve the name of the
emperor of Rome, defcated them at Sardica, and Great, he was distinguished by remarkable talents
some time afterwards Anagastus routed them in and moral qualities ; his mind was enlightened ;
another pitched batilo. Their principal chief, Den he was active, wisc, and always knew how to
gizec, who was a son of Attila, was killed, and his attain liis ends. llis piety was sincere ; he
hcad was sent to Constantinople
, where it was ex- showed great respect to the clergy, and sincerely
posed to the public. The lluns now sought for admired the famous Daniel Styliws, who passed
peace, and desisted from further hostilities. About his life on the top of a column in Constantinople.
this time also Leo made serious preparations for He is reproached with want of firmness in his con-
restoring peace to the western empire, where the duct towards Aspar and Basiliscus. Leo was illite-
ambition of Kicimer and Genseric, the king of the rate, but appreciated literature and science. On one
Vandals in Africa, had caused interminable troubles occasion one of his courtiers reproached him with
and bloodshed. Ricimer entered with him into having given a pension to the pliilosopher Eulogius :
negotiations, which were not without beneficial Would God,'' answered the emperor, " that I
effects for Italy, since they led to the election of had to pay no other people than scholars. " Theo-
Anthemius, mentioned above, as emperor of Rome; doric the Great was educated at the court of Leo.
but Genseric was rather obstinate, though he tried The reign of this emperor is signalised by some ex-
to avoid war by sending back to Constantinople traordinary events. In 458 Antioch was destroyed
Eudoxia, the widow of the Western emperor, Va by an earthquake; in 465 a fire broke out in Con-
lentinian III. , and her daughter, Placidia, whom stantinople, and destroyed the public and private
he had kept as captives during seven years. No buildings on a space 1750 paces long, from east to
sooner, however, was Anthemius proclaimed in west, and 500 wide from north to south. In 469
Rome, than the two emperors concerted a joint inundations caused an immense loss of life and
attack upon Carthage, the deplorable issue of which property in various parts of the empire ; and in
is told in the life of Basiliscus, who had the chief 572 there was an eruption of Mount Vesuvius,
command in this unfortunate expedition. The de which was not only feli in Constantinople, but all
feat of Basiliscus gave Leo an opportunity of the historians agree that there were such showers
getting rid of Aspar and his three baughty sons,
of ashes that the roofs of the houses were covered
Ardaburius, Patricius, and Ermenaric, for public with a coat three inches thick, Whether this is
opinion pointed out Aspar as the secret contriver true or not is another question.
of the failure of the expedition ; and the people, The wife of Leo, Verina, was renowned for her
especially the orthodox, declared themselves against virtues. He had a son by her who died young,
him in most violent language. In order to ex- and two daughters, Ariadne, married to Zeno, and
asperate the people still more against the minister, Leontia, who married Marcian, the son of Anthe-
Leo treacherously proposed to him to give his mius. (Cedren. p. 346, &c. ; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 49,
daughter, Ariadne, in marriage to Aspar's son, &c. ; Theophan. p. 95, &c. ; Suidas, s. v. Méw and
Patricius, or Patriciolus. When the news of the Zvvwv. )
(W. P. )
intended marriage spread abroad, the inhabitants LEO JI. , emperor, succeeded his grandfather,
of Constantinople rose in arms, and stormed the Leo I. , in A. D. 47+, at four years of age, and died
palace of Aspar, who escaped assassination by fly in the same year, after having reigned under the
ing, with his sons, into the church of St. Euphe guardianship of his mother, Verina, and his father,
mia. They left it on the promise of Leo that no Zeno, by whom he was succeeded. [VERINA;
harm should be done to them; but they had scarcely Zeno. ]
(W. P. )
arrived within the precincts of the imperial palace,
LEO III. , FLAVIUS, surnamed ISAURUS,
when Trascalisseus rushed upon them with a band or the Isaurian, emperor of Constantinople (A. D.
of the emperor's body guard, and assassinated 718—741), and one of the most remarkable of the
Aspar and Ardaburius. 'This foul deed was per- emperors of the East, was a native of Isauria, and
petrated at the command of Leo, on whose me the son of a respectable farmer, who settled in
mory it is an indelible strin. Trascalisseus, the Thrace, taking his son with him. Young Conon,
stanch adherent of Leo, was rewarded with the which was Leo's original name, obtained the place
hand of his daughter, Ariadne, adopted the Greek of a spatharius in the army of the emperor Justi-
name of Zeno, and thus finally filled the imperial nian II. Rhinotmetus, and soon rose io eminence
throne. Aspar had left many friends among his through his military talents. Anastasius II. , who
fellow-believers, the Arians, who, in revenge of his reigned from A. D. 713–716, gave him the supreme
death, excited Ricimer to fresh intrigues in the command in Asia, which he was still holding when
West, and persuaded the Goths to invade Thrace. Theodosius Ill. deposed that emperor, and seized
They came accordingly, and during two years the the crown in January, 716. Summoned to ac-
very environs of Constantinople were rendered un- knowledge Theodosius, the gallant general called
safe till they yielded to the superior skill of the him an usurper, and immediately took up arins
Roman generals, and sued for peace. The end of against him, alleging that he would restore the de-
Leo's reign was thus disturbed by a calamity which posed Anastasius to the throne, but really intending
:
## p. 736 (#752) ############################################
736
LEO.
LEO.
3
|
by Leo
to make himself master of the empire. Artabazes, pardoned, and finally succeeded in obtaining again
the commander of the Armenian legions, supported the same government in luly, which he intended
Leo, who had besides many friends in the army. to wrest from the emperor. Another conspiracy
Leo was then holding the field against the Arabs, that took place in consequence of the critical posi-
who had laid siege to Armorium in Galatia. After tion of Leo, was that of the deposed emperor,
outwitting Muslima, the general of the Arabs, he Anastasius II. The plot was not discovered till
set out for Cappadocia, where he found the inha- 7:21, after the termination of the siege of Constanti-
bitants willing to submit to him, but was closely fol- nople, and Anastasius paid for his temerity with
lowed by Muslima. Leo would ere long have been his head.
pressed by two enemies, had he not anticipated the In spite of his defeats before Constantinople, the
attack of the weaker of them, the emperor Theodosius. khalif Omar continued the war, and in 726 took
lle accordingly left Cappadocia, and his rapid Caesareia in Cappadocia, and Neo-Caesarcia in
marches afforded him at once the double advantage Pontus. Leo, however, had not only sufficient
of leaving the Arubs far behind him, while he daily forces to make the Arabs feel that he was still
came nearer to the imperial troops, who were far more powerful than they, but his authority was so
from being strong enough to resist him in the field. well established, that he undertook to carry out
At Nicomedeia he was stopped by a son of Theo- his favourite design, the abolition of the worship of
dosius, who was defeated and taken prisoner. Lco images in the Catholic church. To this effect he
now marched upon Constantinople; and Theodo- issued a general cdict, which is one of the most
bius, despairing of success, resigned his crown important acts of legislation in the Eastern empire,
(March 718), and retired to a convent at Ephesus, and perhaps in the whole Christian world. The
where he lived peacefully during more than thirty question of the images was not only a matter of
ycars. Scarcely had Lco received the homage religion, but concerned as much the political state
of the people, when the khalif Soliman appeared of the empire. The abuse of the images on one
before Constantinople with a powerful army and a side, and the horror in which they were held by
numerous ficet. He considered the trick played the numerous Mohammedans and Jews in the East
Muslima at Armorium as a personal on the other, gave origin at last to the iconoclasts,
insult, and now came to take revenge. This siege or image-breakers. In declaring for them, Leo
of Constantinople, the third by the Arabs, and one certainly intended to purify the Catholic creed;
of the most memorable of all, lasted just two years, but there seems to be no doubt that by removing
from the 15th of August, 718, to the 15th of the the images from the churches, he hoped to make
same month in 720. Soliman died soon after its the Jews and Mohammedans more favourably in-
commencement, and was succeeded by the khalif clined to the Christians and a Christian govern-
Omar, who swore by his beard that he would take ment; and although the adherents of images were
revenge upon Leo. But Leo sallied out from the very numerous, it cannot be doubted that they
Golden Horn with his galleys, the Greek fire con- would have lost all power if Leo had succeeded in
sumed the Arabinn ships, and the emperor returned rallying the Iconoclasts, the Jews, the Moham-
laden with booty and captives. in two other medans, and the numerous worshippers of fire in
naval engagements the Arabs were beaten with Asia, round the throne of an energetic and en-
still greater losses ; and in the beginning of August, lightened emperor. Indeed it seems that the pro-
720, their land forces were routed in a pitched tectors of the Iconoclasts in those earlier times
battle, with a loss of 28,000 men. Unable to con- entertained some hope of making them the medium
tinue the siege any longer, the khalif raised it on through which the unbelievers would be led to
the 15th of August, but only a small portion of his Christ, and the Eastern empire restored to its
fleet—the third he had built for the conquest of ancient splendour; and this explains at once the
Constantinople-reached the harbours of Syria, the religious and the political importance of the ques-
greater portion having been destroyed by a storm. tion. In the West the question of the images
So close was the siege, so enormous the prepara- produced scarcely any effect upon the people,
tions of the Arabs, that even the splendid victories though more upon the Frankish clergy, and still
of Leo could not prevent the inhabitants of the more upon the conduct of the bishops of Rome, who,
provinces from thinking Constantinople was lost, by declaring in favour of the Iconoclasts, would
since the very news of those victories could not have been abandoned by the last of their followers.
reach them on account of the watchfulness of the In short, the question of the images, like so many
besiegers. The whole empire was in consterna- others connected with the domestic history of the
tion, and in the western kingdoms rumours were Byzantine empire, was at once religious and poli-
afloat that the khalif had ascended the throne tical; and while, among the modern writers, Le
of the Byzantine emperors. Among those who Beau is but too often influenced by religious opi-
beliered these rumours was Sergius, governor of nions, and Gibbon treats the history of that empire
Sicily, who took measures to make himself inde- too much as a philosopber and an orator, we are
pendent, and to that effect proclaimed his lieute entitled to hope that time will bring us another
nant, Basil, king of Sicily and Calabria. Basil historian wlio, starting from a mere historical and
accepted the dignity, and adopted the name of political point of view, will satisfactorily explain
Tiberius ; while Sergius took proper steps to secure the overwhelming influence of religious contro-
the crown for himself in case of complete success.
versies upon the social development of the Eastern
Meanwhile, however, Leo had bettered his con- empire.
dition so much that he could despatch his general, The edict of Leo through which the images were
Paulus, with a few loyal veterans, to Sicily ; and condemned caused a general revolution throughout
through the exertions of this energetic man, the the whole empire, and was the immediate cause of
rebellion was soon quelled. Basil was taken the loss of Ravenna, Rome, and several other pos-
prisoner and lost his head ; but Sergius escaped to sessions of the Greeks in Italy, which were taken
the Lombards in Italy He was subsequently by the Lombards, and of the final separation of the
upon
## p. 737 (#753) ############################################
LEO.
737
LEO.
Latin from the Greek church. Germanus, patriarch | haste into Syria. In October, 740, an awful carth-
of Constantinople, Joannes Damascenus, and the quake cused great calamities throughout the em-
violent Joannes Chrysorrhoas, in the East, and pope pire. In Constantinople many of the principal
Gregory II. in the West, were the principal leaders buildings were levelled to the ground; the statues
of those who opposed that edict, either by words, of Constantine the Great, Theodosius the Great,
writings, or deeds. The pope became so trou- and Arcadius, were thrown from their pedestals ;
blesome, that Paulus, exarch of Ravenna, was or- and the wall along the Propontis, together with all
dered to make an expedition against Rome. But its towers, fell at once into the sea. Thrace was
the ardour of the Romans, who were assisted by covered with ruins. In Bithynia, Nicomedeia and
the Lombards of Spoleto and Tuscia, and the Prenetus were thrown down, and of the entire town
failure of a plot to assassinate the pope, compelled of Nicaea, only one building, a church, remained
Paulus to return to Ravenna, where he had trouble standing. In Egypt several towns disappeared, as
enough to maintain his authority over the inhabitants it were, with all their inhabitants. On the 18th
who worshipped images. In the East a rebellion of June, 741, the emperor Leo died, after long
broke out in the Peloponnesus and the Cyclades, sufferings, and was interred in the church of the
and the inhabitants besieged Constantinople by sca, Apostles: he was succeeded by his son Constan-
but Leo compelled them to sail back and to submittine V. , surnamed Copronymus.
to his government. A revolt in Constantinople Leo III. , the founder of the Isaurian dynasty,
was not so easily quelled, till, after much blood- may be charged with cruelty and obstinacy, and he
shed, Leo felt himself strong enough to depose and had only received a soldier's education ; but he
banish the patriarch Germanus, and to appoint the was prudent, active, energetic, just, and decidedly
iconoclast Anastasius in his place (730). The ma- the kind of king whom the corrupted Greeks re-
jority of the professors in the numerous schools and quired. Moreover, he acted upon principles, and
academies of Constantinople declared for the images, never bandoned one of them during the whole
which enraged Leo so much, that it is said he gave course of his life. The orthodox writers have out-
orders to burn the library of St. Sophia, hoping raged his name because he protected the Icono-
thereby to prevent the doctors from strengthening clasts, but we know too well the degree of impar-
their opinions by historical arguments. But this tiality which they can claim. (Theophan. p. 327,
is decidedly an idle story, invented by some ig. &c. ; Cedren. p. 450, &c. ; Niceph. p. 31, &c. ;
norant monk, and repeated by fanatics: the library, Glyc. , p. 130, &c. ; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 101, &c. ; Paul.
which contained 36,000 volumes, became probably Diacon. , De Gest. Long. vi. 47, &c. ) [W. P. )
the
prey of some conflagration. Upon this Gregory LEO IV. FLA’VIUS, surnamed CHAZA'RUS,
JII. , the successor of Gregory II. , assembled in emperor of Constantinople (A. D. 775—780), be-
731 a council at Rome, by which the Iconoclasts longed to the Isaurian dynasty, and was the eldest
were condemned ; and now the opposition against son of the emperor Constantine V. Copronymus,
the emperor became so great as to induce him to whom he succeeded on the 14th of September, 775.
send a powerful expedition against Italy, with a He was born on the 25th of January, 750, and
special command to reduce Ravenna (734). The received his surname Chazarus on account of his
expedition failed, and Ravenna and the exarchate mother Irene, who was a Chazarian princess. Leo,
fell into the hands of the Lombards, who, after being in weak health, had his infant son Constan-
having lost it and gained it again, kept it till 756, tine (VI. ) crowned in the year after his accession,
when king Aistulph was compelled by Pipin of and his five brothers, Nicephorus Caesar, Christo-
France to cede it to pope Stephen II. , and ever phorus Caesar, Nicetas, Anthemeus, and Eudoxas,
since that province has continued to belong to the took a sacred oath to acknowledge the young Au-
papal states. This check in Italy induced Leo to gustus as their future master. This oath, however,
detach Greece, Illyria, and Macedonia from the they broke repeatedly, formed conspiracies, and
spiritual authority of the popes, and to submit them were punished with mutilation and exile. After
to that of the patriarchs of Constantinople ; and some fruitless attempts at recovering freedom and
this is the real, effective cause of the fatal division power, they finally disappeared from the world at
of the Latin and Greek churches (734).
Athens, which was their last place of exile. In
During the seven following years the history of 777 Teleric, king of the Bulgarians, fled to Con-
Leo offers little more than the horrible details of a stantinople, in consequence of some domestic com-
protracted war with the Arabs. The khalif Hemotions, and was well received by Leo, although
sham endeavoured to produce an effect upon the he had behaved very treacherously against Leo's
ininds of the Syrians by supporting an adventurer, father. In 778 the Arabs invaded the empire. Leo
who pretended to be Tiberius, the son of Jus- sent against them an army of 100,000 men, com-
tinianus II. , and who was sent by the khalif to manded by Lachano Draco, who routed them, after
Jerusalem, where he made his entrance, in the they had gained various' successes in Syria, in
dress of a Roman emperor. But this was a mere 780: in this battle Othman, the son of the
farce. Things were more serious when, in 739, the khalif Mabadi or Modi, lost his life. When the
Arab general Soliman invaded the Roman terri- news of this victory arrived at Constantinople the
tories with an army of 90,000 men, who were emperor was no more among the living : his death
divided into three separate bodies. The first en. took place on the 8th of September, 780. He
tered Cappadocia, and ravaged it with fire and was succeeded by his infant son Constantine VI. ,
sword the second, commanded by Malek and who reigned under the guardianship of his mother
Batak, penetrated into Phrygia ; and the third, Irene. Leo IV. sas an honest man, much better
under Soliman, covered the rear. Leo, though than his profligate father, but weak in body and
surprised, had assembled sufficient forces, and his mind. (Theophan. p. 378, &c. ; Cedren. p. 468,
general Acroninus defeated the second body in &c. ; Const. Manass. p. 69 ; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 113,
Phrygin in a pitched battle, in which Malek and &c. ; Glycas, 285, in the Paris editions. ) [W. P. )
Batak were both killed. Soliman withdrew in LEO V. FLAVIUS ARME'NUS, emperor of
3 B
.
3
VOL. 11.
## p. 738 (#754) ############################################
738
LEO.
J,EO.
Constantinople (A. D. 813–820), succeeded Mi- | plunge it into thy heart, if thou refusest any longer
chael I. Rhangabe, on the 11th of July, 813: he to comply with the just wishes of thy comrades. '
was of noble Armenian descent, and the son of Upon this Leo threw off the mask, marched upon
the celebrated Bardas Patricius. Leo enjoyed Constantinople, and seated himself on the throne,
great renown as a skilful and intrepid general, and from which Michael descended without murmuring,
was highly esteemed by the emperor Nicephorus I. and retired into a convent, where he lived during
(802—811), whom he rewarded, however, with | upwards of thirty years.
treachery. He was punished with exile, from No sooner was Leo crowned than Crum appeared
which he was recalled in 81 by his friend Michael before Constantinople. He burnt its suburbs, with
1. , who succeeded Nicephorus in that year. Mi- all its magnificent buildings, withdrew to take
chael appointed him dux Orientis, and was served Adrianople, and send its inhabitants into slavery,
in the same way as his predecessor. The wife of appeared again near the capital, and continued his
Michael, Procopia, having obtained great influence devastations till Thrace was a desert. Having no
over her husband, was the cause of a wide-spread army, Leo showed the greatest activity in forming
disaffection of the army, and Leo arailed himself one, and his efforts were already crowned with
of this circumstance to seize the crown. There success, when Crum suddenly died in one of the
is a story of an old woman at Constantinople, a gardens of Constantinople (814), and was succeeded
prophetess, who predicted the speedy downfall of by king Deucom. Now Leo sallied out. At Me-
Michael and the elevation of Leo, who seems to sembrya he brought the Bulgarians to a stand, and
have turned the superstition of the Greeks to his took bloody revenge for the calamities they had
own advantage. While Leo carried on a successful brought upon Greece: the barbarian army was
war against the Arabs in Asia, the emperor fought annihilated. In 815 Deucom appeared again, and
with great disadvantage against Crum, king of the met with a similar fate, whereupon Leo invaded
Bulgarians, who in 812 took Mesembrya, and Bulgaria, defeated the barbarians wherever he met
threatened Constantinople. His defeats obliged them, and ravaged the country in a manner still
Michael to recall Leo from Asia, and in the spring worse than the Bulgarians had done in Thrace.
of 813 the emperor and Leo set out from Constan- Such was the consternation of the barbarians, that
tinople, at the head of one of the finest and most Mortagon, the successor of Deucom, deemed him-
numerous armies that the Greeks had ever seen. self fortunate in obtaining a peace for thirty years ;
Michael intended to harass the Bulgarians by and such was the impression made upon the minds
manoeuvres, avoiding any decisive conflict. His of his unruly subjects by the fierce onsets of Leo,
wise delay was secretly approved of by Leo and that they remained quiet during seventy-four years.
his confederates, but they persuaded the army that Thus Leo crushed the hereditary and most dan-
the emperor was a coward, who followed the ad- gerous enemy of the Byzantine empire.
vice of his wife rather than that of his generals, The empire now enjoyed peace, and Leo was
and the poor emperor was forsaken before he had active in restoring the happiness of his subjects.
any idea how and by whom. The Greeks met the He protected the Iconoclasts, and showed himself
Bulgarians in the environs of Adrianople ; but a firm, though often cruel, opponent of the wor-
Michael, seeing the strong position of the enemy, shippers of images; hence arose many conspiracies,
declined again to risk a pitched battle. Now Leo which he quelled with ease. He reformed the
and his friends urged him with all their might to whole system of administration. Before his reign
attack Crum ; and the Greek soldiers showed such all the civil and military offices were sold to the
violent anger at being again disappointed in coming highest bidder ; he, on the contrary, gave them to
to close quarters with the barbarians, that on the the worthiest, and punished severely all those that
22d of June the emperor gave orders for the attack. were found guilty of peculation. He often presided
The conflict took a favourable turn for the Greeks, in the courts of justice; and woe to those judges
and every body prognosticated a complete victory, who had acted unfairly or unjustly. In his punish-
when Leo, with his Cappadocians and Armenians, ments, however, he observed no just proportion ;
suddenly took to flight, and caused a total rout of decapitation, mutilation, or banishment, being as
the imperial army. Michael saved himself within often inflicted for slight offences as for capital
the walls of Adrianople, and in the evening Leo crimes. Pleasure was unknown to him, but that
arrived with his troops. Nobody ventured to ac- which arises from the satisfaction of having done
quaint the emperor with the real cause of Leo's one's duty. Day and night he was at work. Most of
flight; and the remnants of the army being too the provinces he visited, and his occasional visits had
much disorganised to risk a second battle, he fol- a still more beneficial effect, since he always arrived
lowed the council of the treacherous general, and without being announced. His conduct towards the
withdrew to Constantinople. There Joannes Hex- adorers of images, however, created him many
abulus, the honest governor of the capital, mentioned enemies; and at last his best friend became the
to him his suspicions of Leo, but mes with dis- cause of his ruin. Michael the Stammerer, though
belief, till Leo appeared with his troops under the a staunch adherent of Leo, could not help blaming
walls of Constantinople, and made his entrance him for many actions; and being no master of his
into the city, without meeting with any opposition. sharp tongue, his words produced more effect than
After the departure of Michael from Adrianople, he intended. This annoyed Leo, who ordered
the friends of Leo induced the soldiers to proclaim Michael to inspect the troops in Asia, as the best
as emperor the gallant Armenian, instead of the means of getting rid of him at court. Michael re-
coward who was still their master ; but Leo refused to comply with the order, and was soon sur-
fused to accept the crown till, with feigned indig-rounded by a crowd of the secret enemies of Leo,
nation, his friend and subsequent successor, Michael who persuaded him to enter into their plans. The
the Stammerer, rushed upon him with his drawn honest Hexabulus was informed of the plot, and
sword, crying with the accents of rage, “ With this Michael was seized, tried, and sentenced to be burnt
sword I will open the gates of Constantinople, or | alive in a furnace. It was just Christmas eve 820,
а
## p. 739 (#755) ############################################
LEO.
739
LEO.
3
and he was to be executed on the same day. Leo exposed the Bulgarian merchants to vexations and
left his palace to witness the exccution, and the ill-treatment. Thence arose a war with the Bul-
unhappy man, loaded with chains, was dragged garian king. Simeon, who mvaged Macedonia, and
along, when the empress besought her husband not routed the Greek army, commanded by Leo Cata-
to carry out his bloody verdict on that sacred day, calon and Theodosius, the latter of whom was
but to wait till after Christinas. Leo, moved by killed in the action, to the great regret of the na-
her entreaties, ordered Michael to be taken back to tion and the emperor. The credit of Stylianus
his prison. On the following day the emperor and ceased with the death of his daughter, the einpress ;
his whole court went in procession to church, and and his disgrace grieved him so much that he died
according to a custom established at the Byzantine of sorrow and disappointed ambition (894). Leo
court, the emperor himself began the sucred chant got rid of the Bulgarians by involving them,
This was the signal of his death. During the night through intrigues, in a war with the Hungarians.
the friends of Michael had resolved to risk every The following years were rendered remarkable by
thing in order to save his and their own lives; and several conspiracies. That of 895 proved ricarly
dressed in the garb of priests, with arms hid under fatal to the emperor, but it was discovered in time,
their floating garments, they entered the church and quelled by one Samonas, who, in reward, was
without creating any suspicion. At the moment created patricius, and soon rose to great wealth
they hcard Leo's voice they rushed upon him. and power. A few years afterwards Leo was
He escaped to the altar, and defended himself with attacked in a church during service by a ruffian,
the great cross ; but in vain-nobody came to his who felled him to the ground with a club; but on
rescue. Exhausted by an heroic resistance, he saw this occasion also the emperor escaped, and the
one of his murderers, of gigantic stature, aim a fatal assassin met with the fate he deserved. The inac-
blow at him. “Have mercy! ” cried the fainting tivity of Leo induced the Arabs and northern
emperor. “This is not the hour of mercy,'' replied neighbours of the empire to attack it at their con-
the giant, but the hour of revenge ! ” and with venience. The former once more invaded Sicily,
one blow he felled him to the ground. Michael and took Tauromenium ; and in 904 appeared with
was now dragged from his prison, and, as Gibbon a numerous fleet in the harbour of Thessalonica.
says, he was snatched from the fiery furnace to the This splendid city, the second in wenlth and popu-
sovereignty of an empire. Leo left four sons, the lation after Constantinople, was ill fortified and
eldest of whom, Sarbatius or Symbatius, was still worse garrisoned, so that in spite of the efforts
crowned as his father's future successor shortly of the inhabitants, the Arabs soon made them-
after the deposition of Michael Rhangabe. They selves master of it. They destroyed a great portion
were all castrated by order of Michael the Stam- of it; and after having plundered it during ten
merer, and confined in a convent Sarbatius died days, left the harbour with their feet laden with
in consequence of the operation. (Theoph. p. 424, booty and captives. The history of this conquest
&c. ; Theoph. Contin. p. 428, &c. ; Cedren. p. 483, was described by Joannes Cameniata in his valu-
&c. ; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 127, &c. ; Leo Gram. p.
Callicratidas chased him into Mytilene (Xen. Hell. B. C. 192, accused Apollodorus of fomenting a revolt
i. 5. $ 16, 6. 16). Xenophon, however, in two from Rome to Antiochus, and caused him to be
other passages (Hell. i. 6. $ 30,7. 9 2), omits Leon's sent into exile. (Liv. xxxv. 50. ) We may perhaps
name and mentions Lysias instead ; and Diodorus identify him with Leon, son of Icesias, who, in
has Lysanias ( an error probably of the copyists, B. C. 139, supported before the Roman senate the
for Lysias) in his list of the generals, saying nothing prayer of the Aetolians for peace. (Liv. xxxviii.
of Leon, and afterwards speaks of Lysias as one of 10 ; Polyb. xxii. 14. ) (DAMIS, No. 2. ) [E. E. ]
'those who returned to Athens after the battle of LEO I. , FLA'VIUS, surnamed the GREAT,
Arginusae (Diod. xiii. 74, 101) Schneider, accord- and THRAX, emperor of Constantinople (A. D.
ingly, would reject the name of Leon, from Xeno- 457–474), was of barbarian origin, and was born
phon substituting for it that of Lysias, in Hell. i. about A. D. 400, in the country of the Bessi, in
5. Ø 16, and that of Archestratus, in Hell. i. 6. $ Thrace, whence he received the surname of "the
16 (see Palm. and Wess. ad Diod. xiii. 74). But Thracian. ” At the death of the emperor Marcian
these alterations are unnecessary, if we adopt bishop (437) he was an obscure tribunus militurn, and
Thirlwall's conjecture (Greece, vol. iv. p. 110, note held the command of Selymbria. The powerful
2), that Leon was originally elected among the patrician, Aspar, despairing to seize the crown
ten, but that he fell into the hands of Callicratidas, without creating a civil and religious war, which
in one of the gallies which Conon sent out from might have proved his downfall, resolved upon re-
Mytilene, and that Lysias was appointed to fill his maining in power by proclaiming emperor a man
place (comp. Xen. Hell. i. 6. SS 19-21).
whom he thought equally weak and obedient; and
3. A Spartan, one of the three leaders of the he consequently contrived the election of Leo, who
colony founded at Heracleia, in B. C. 426. (Thuc. was recognised by the senate on the 7th of Fe-
iii. 92 ; Diod. xii. 59. )
bruary, 457. Leo was crowned by Anatolius,
4. One of the three ambassadors sent from Sparta patriarch of Constantinople ; and this is the first
to dissuade the Athenians from the alliance with instance of a Christian sovereign having received
Argos, in B. c. 420. (Thuc. v. 44. ) It seems his crown from the hands of a priest, a ceremony
doubtful whether we should identify him with the which was afterwards adopted by all other Chris
father of Antalcidas (Plut. Artax. 21), and again tian princes, and from which the cleryy, as Gibbon
with the ephor é uvuuos in the fourteenth year of justly oliserves, have deduced the most formidable
the Peloponnesian war, B. c. 418 (Xen. Hell. ii. consequences. Shortly after Leo's accession, reli-
3. $ 10), and also with the Leon who was sent gious troubles broke out in Egypt, which afforded
out with Antisthenes, in B. C. 412, as em bátns the new emperor an opportunity of showing that
(whatever that may mean), and was appointed on he did not intend to be a tool of his minister. The
the death of Pedaritus to succeed him in the com- Eutychians of Alexandria slew the orthodox bishop
mand. (Thuc. viii. 39, 61 ; comp. Arnold and Proterius, and chose one of their own creed, Elu-
Goeller, ad loc. ) The father of Pedaritus (Thuc rus, in his stead, who was protected by the Arian,
viii. 28) was probably a different person, though | Aspar, in spite of the emperor's authority. Leo,
Krueger thinks he was the same with the officer of however, did not give way, and in 460° he had
Antisthenes and was appointed to succeed his son. Elurus deposed, and superseded by an orthodox
5. A native of Salamis and a citizen of Athens, bishop, to the great annoyance of Aspar. This
was put to death by the thirty tyrants, who or- minister, finding himself checked in many other
dered Socrates, with four others, among whom was instances by the man whom he had raised from the
## p. 735 (#751) ############################################
LEO.
735
LEO.
servants.
dust, once had the impudence to reproach the em- was the immediate consequence and the deserved
peror with faithless conduct towards his benefuctur; punishment of the murder of Aspar, although the
upon which Leo calmly replied, that no prince emperor suffered less from it than his innocent
should be compelled to resign his own judgmert subjects. Feeling his strength dedine, and having
and the interest of his subjects to the will of his no son, Leo chose in 473 his grandson Leo, the
infant son of Zeno and Arindne, his future suc-
In 466 the Iluns threatened at once the northern cessor, and proclaimed him Augustus. He died in
provinces of Persia and the Eastern empire. Hor- less than a year afterwards, after a long and painful
midac, one of their chiefs, crossed the Danube on illness, in the month of January, 474, and was
the ice, but Leo had asscinbled a sufficient force to buried in the mausoleum of Conduintine.
check them. His general, Authemius, afterwards Although Leo does not deserve the name of the
emperor of Rome, defcated them at Sardica, and Great, he was distinguished by remarkable talents
some time afterwards Anagastus routed them in and moral qualities ; his mind was enlightened ;
another pitched batilo. Their principal chief, Den he was active, wisc, and always knew how to
gizec, who was a son of Attila, was killed, and his attain liis ends. llis piety was sincere ; he
hcad was sent to Constantinople
, where it was ex- showed great respect to the clergy, and sincerely
posed to the public. The lluns now sought for admired the famous Daniel Styliws, who passed
peace, and desisted from further hostilities. About his life on the top of a column in Constantinople.
this time also Leo made serious preparations for He is reproached with want of firmness in his con-
restoring peace to the western empire, where the duct towards Aspar and Basiliscus. Leo was illite-
ambition of Kicimer and Genseric, the king of the rate, but appreciated literature and science. On one
Vandals in Africa, had caused interminable troubles occasion one of his courtiers reproached him with
and bloodshed. Ricimer entered with him into having given a pension to the pliilosopher Eulogius :
negotiations, which were not without beneficial Would God,'' answered the emperor, " that I
effects for Italy, since they led to the election of had to pay no other people than scholars. " Theo-
Anthemius, mentioned above, as emperor of Rome; doric the Great was educated at the court of Leo.
but Genseric was rather obstinate, though he tried The reign of this emperor is signalised by some ex-
to avoid war by sending back to Constantinople traordinary events. In 458 Antioch was destroyed
Eudoxia, the widow of the Western emperor, Va by an earthquake; in 465 a fire broke out in Con-
lentinian III. , and her daughter, Placidia, whom stantinople, and destroyed the public and private
he had kept as captives during seven years. No buildings on a space 1750 paces long, from east to
sooner, however, was Anthemius proclaimed in west, and 500 wide from north to south. In 469
Rome, than the two emperors concerted a joint inundations caused an immense loss of life and
attack upon Carthage, the deplorable issue of which property in various parts of the empire ; and in
is told in the life of Basiliscus, who had the chief 572 there was an eruption of Mount Vesuvius,
command in this unfortunate expedition. The de which was not only feli in Constantinople, but all
feat of Basiliscus gave Leo an opportunity of the historians agree that there were such showers
getting rid of Aspar and his three baughty sons,
of ashes that the roofs of the houses were covered
Ardaburius, Patricius, and Ermenaric, for public with a coat three inches thick, Whether this is
opinion pointed out Aspar as the secret contriver true or not is another question.
of the failure of the expedition ; and the people, The wife of Leo, Verina, was renowned for her
especially the orthodox, declared themselves against virtues. He had a son by her who died young,
him in most violent language. In order to ex- and two daughters, Ariadne, married to Zeno, and
asperate the people still more against the minister, Leontia, who married Marcian, the son of Anthe-
Leo treacherously proposed to him to give his mius. (Cedren. p. 346, &c. ; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 49,
daughter, Ariadne, in marriage to Aspar's son, &c. ; Theophan. p. 95, &c. ; Suidas, s. v. Méw and
Patricius, or Patriciolus. When the news of the Zvvwv. )
(W. P. )
intended marriage spread abroad, the inhabitants LEO JI. , emperor, succeeded his grandfather,
of Constantinople rose in arms, and stormed the Leo I. , in A. D. 47+, at four years of age, and died
palace of Aspar, who escaped assassination by fly in the same year, after having reigned under the
ing, with his sons, into the church of St. Euphe guardianship of his mother, Verina, and his father,
mia. They left it on the promise of Leo that no Zeno, by whom he was succeeded. [VERINA;
harm should be done to them; but they had scarcely Zeno. ]
(W. P. )
arrived within the precincts of the imperial palace,
LEO III. , FLAVIUS, surnamed ISAURUS,
when Trascalisseus rushed upon them with a band or the Isaurian, emperor of Constantinople (A. D.
of the emperor's body guard, and assassinated 718—741), and one of the most remarkable of the
Aspar and Ardaburius. 'This foul deed was per- emperors of the East, was a native of Isauria, and
petrated at the command of Leo, on whose me the son of a respectable farmer, who settled in
mory it is an indelible strin. Trascalisseus, the Thrace, taking his son with him. Young Conon,
stanch adherent of Leo, was rewarded with the which was Leo's original name, obtained the place
hand of his daughter, Ariadne, adopted the Greek of a spatharius in the army of the emperor Justi-
name of Zeno, and thus finally filled the imperial nian II. Rhinotmetus, and soon rose io eminence
throne. Aspar had left many friends among his through his military talents. Anastasius II. , who
fellow-believers, the Arians, who, in revenge of his reigned from A. D. 713–716, gave him the supreme
death, excited Ricimer to fresh intrigues in the command in Asia, which he was still holding when
West, and persuaded the Goths to invade Thrace. Theodosius Ill. deposed that emperor, and seized
They came accordingly, and during two years the the crown in January, 716. Summoned to ac-
very environs of Constantinople were rendered un- knowledge Theodosius, the gallant general called
safe till they yielded to the superior skill of the him an usurper, and immediately took up arins
Roman generals, and sued for peace. The end of against him, alleging that he would restore the de-
Leo's reign was thus disturbed by a calamity which posed Anastasius to the throne, but really intending
:
## p. 736 (#752) ############################################
736
LEO.
LEO.
3
|
by Leo
to make himself master of the empire. Artabazes, pardoned, and finally succeeded in obtaining again
the commander of the Armenian legions, supported the same government in luly, which he intended
Leo, who had besides many friends in the army. to wrest from the emperor. Another conspiracy
Leo was then holding the field against the Arabs, that took place in consequence of the critical posi-
who had laid siege to Armorium in Galatia. After tion of Leo, was that of the deposed emperor,
outwitting Muslima, the general of the Arabs, he Anastasius II. The plot was not discovered till
set out for Cappadocia, where he found the inha- 7:21, after the termination of the siege of Constanti-
bitants willing to submit to him, but was closely fol- nople, and Anastasius paid for his temerity with
lowed by Muslima. Leo would ere long have been his head.
pressed by two enemies, had he not anticipated the In spite of his defeats before Constantinople, the
attack of the weaker of them, the emperor Theodosius. khalif Omar continued the war, and in 726 took
lle accordingly left Cappadocia, and his rapid Caesareia in Cappadocia, and Neo-Caesarcia in
marches afforded him at once the double advantage Pontus. Leo, however, had not only sufficient
of leaving the Arubs far behind him, while he daily forces to make the Arabs feel that he was still
came nearer to the imperial troops, who were far more powerful than they, but his authority was so
from being strong enough to resist him in the field. well established, that he undertook to carry out
At Nicomedeia he was stopped by a son of Theo- his favourite design, the abolition of the worship of
dosius, who was defeated and taken prisoner. Lco images in the Catholic church. To this effect he
now marched upon Constantinople; and Theodo- issued a general cdict, which is one of the most
bius, despairing of success, resigned his crown important acts of legislation in the Eastern empire,
(March 718), and retired to a convent at Ephesus, and perhaps in the whole Christian world. The
where he lived peacefully during more than thirty question of the images was not only a matter of
ycars. Scarcely had Lco received the homage religion, but concerned as much the political state
of the people, when the khalif Soliman appeared of the empire. The abuse of the images on one
before Constantinople with a powerful army and a side, and the horror in which they were held by
numerous ficet. He considered the trick played the numerous Mohammedans and Jews in the East
Muslima at Armorium as a personal on the other, gave origin at last to the iconoclasts,
insult, and now came to take revenge. This siege or image-breakers. In declaring for them, Leo
of Constantinople, the third by the Arabs, and one certainly intended to purify the Catholic creed;
of the most memorable of all, lasted just two years, but there seems to be no doubt that by removing
from the 15th of August, 718, to the 15th of the the images from the churches, he hoped to make
same month in 720. Soliman died soon after its the Jews and Mohammedans more favourably in-
commencement, and was succeeded by the khalif clined to the Christians and a Christian govern-
Omar, who swore by his beard that he would take ment; and although the adherents of images were
revenge upon Leo. But Leo sallied out from the very numerous, it cannot be doubted that they
Golden Horn with his galleys, the Greek fire con- would have lost all power if Leo had succeeded in
sumed the Arabinn ships, and the emperor returned rallying the Iconoclasts, the Jews, the Moham-
laden with booty and captives. in two other medans, and the numerous worshippers of fire in
naval engagements the Arabs were beaten with Asia, round the throne of an energetic and en-
still greater losses ; and in the beginning of August, lightened emperor. Indeed it seems that the pro-
720, their land forces were routed in a pitched tectors of the Iconoclasts in those earlier times
battle, with a loss of 28,000 men. Unable to con- entertained some hope of making them the medium
tinue the siege any longer, the khalif raised it on through which the unbelievers would be led to
the 15th of August, but only a small portion of his Christ, and the Eastern empire restored to its
fleet—the third he had built for the conquest of ancient splendour; and this explains at once the
Constantinople-reached the harbours of Syria, the religious and the political importance of the ques-
greater portion having been destroyed by a storm. tion. In the West the question of the images
So close was the siege, so enormous the prepara- produced scarcely any effect upon the people,
tions of the Arabs, that even the splendid victories though more upon the Frankish clergy, and still
of Leo could not prevent the inhabitants of the more upon the conduct of the bishops of Rome, who,
provinces from thinking Constantinople was lost, by declaring in favour of the Iconoclasts, would
since the very news of those victories could not have been abandoned by the last of their followers.
reach them on account of the watchfulness of the In short, the question of the images, like so many
besiegers. The whole empire was in consterna- others connected with the domestic history of the
tion, and in the western kingdoms rumours were Byzantine empire, was at once religious and poli-
afloat that the khalif had ascended the throne tical; and while, among the modern writers, Le
of the Byzantine emperors. Among those who Beau is but too often influenced by religious opi-
beliered these rumours was Sergius, governor of nions, and Gibbon treats the history of that empire
Sicily, who took measures to make himself inde- too much as a philosopber and an orator, we are
pendent, and to that effect proclaimed his lieute entitled to hope that time will bring us another
nant, Basil, king of Sicily and Calabria. Basil historian wlio, starting from a mere historical and
accepted the dignity, and adopted the name of political point of view, will satisfactorily explain
Tiberius ; while Sergius took proper steps to secure the overwhelming influence of religious contro-
the crown for himself in case of complete success.
versies upon the social development of the Eastern
Meanwhile, however, Leo had bettered his con- empire.
dition so much that he could despatch his general, The edict of Leo through which the images were
Paulus, with a few loyal veterans, to Sicily ; and condemned caused a general revolution throughout
through the exertions of this energetic man, the the whole empire, and was the immediate cause of
rebellion was soon quelled. Basil was taken the loss of Ravenna, Rome, and several other pos-
prisoner and lost his head ; but Sergius escaped to sessions of the Greeks in Italy, which were taken
the Lombards in Italy He was subsequently by the Lombards, and of the final separation of the
upon
## p. 737 (#753) ############################################
LEO.
737
LEO.
Latin from the Greek church. Germanus, patriarch | haste into Syria. In October, 740, an awful carth-
of Constantinople, Joannes Damascenus, and the quake cused great calamities throughout the em-
violent Joannes Chrysorrhoas, in the East, and pope pire. In Constantinople many of the principal
Gregory II. in the West, were the principal leaders buildings were levelled to the ground; the statues
of those who opposed that edict, either by words, of Constantine the Great, Theodosius the Great,
writings, or deeds. The pope became so trou- and Arcadius, were thrown from their pedestals ;
blesome, that Paulus, exarch of Ravenna, was or- and the wall along the Propontis, together with all
dered to make an expedition against Rome. But its towers, fell at once into the sea. Thrace was
the ardour of the Romans, who were assisted by covered with ruins. In Bithynia, Nicomedeia and
the Lombards of Spoleto and Tuscia, and the Prenetus were thrown down, and of the entire town
failure of a plot to assassinate the pope, compelled of Nicaea, only one building, a church, remained
Paulus to return to Ravenna, where he had trouble standing. In Egypt several towns disappeared, as
enough to maintain his authority over the inhabitants it were, with all their inhabitants. On the 18th
who worshipped images. In the East a rebellion of June, 741, the emperor Leo died, after long
broke out in the Peloponnesus and the Cyclades, sufferings, and was interred in the church of the
and the inhabitants besieged Constantinople by sca, Apostles: he was succeeded by his son Constan-
but Leo compelled them to sail back and to submittine V. , surnamed Copronymus.
to his government. A revolt in Constantinople Leo III. , the founder of the Isaurian dynasty,
was not so easily quelled, till, after much blood- may be charged with cruelty and obstinacy, and he
shed, Leo felt himself strong enough to depose and had only received a soldier's education ; but he
banish the patriarch Germanus, and to appoint the was prudent, active, energetic, just, and decidedly
iconoclast Anastasius in his place (730). The ma- the kind of king whom the corrupted Greeks re-
jority of the professors in the numerous schools and quired. Moreover, he acted upon principles, and
academies of Constantinople declared for the images, never bandoned one of them during the whole
which enraged Leo so much, that it is said he gave course of his life. The orthodox writers have out-
orders to burn the library of St. Sophia, hoping raged his name because he protected the Icono-
thereby to prevent the doctors from strengthening clasts, but we know too well the degree of impar-
their opinions by historical arguments. But this tiality which they can claim. (Theophan. p. 327,
is decidedly an idle story, invented by some ig. &c. ; Cedren. p. 450, &c. ; Niceph. p. 31, &c. ;
norant monk, and repeated by fanatics: the library, Glyc. , p. 130, &c. ; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 101, &c. ; Paul.
which contained 36,000 volumes, became probably Diacon. , De Gest. Long. vi. 47, &c. ) [W. P. )
the
prey of some conflagration. Upon this Gregory LEO IV. FLA’VIUS, surnamed CHAZA'RUS,
JII. , the successor of Gregory II. , assembled in emperor of Constantinople (A. D. 775—780), be-
731 a council at Rome, by which the Iconoclasts longed to the Isaurian dynasty, and was the eldest
were condemned ; and now the opposition against son of the emperor Constantine V. Copronymus,
the emperor became so great as to induce him to whom he succeeded on the 14th of September, 775.
send a powerful expedition against Italy, with a He was born on the 25th of January, 750, and
special command to reduce Ravenna (734). The received his surname Chazarus on account of his
expedition failed, and Ravenna and the exarchate mother Irene, who was a Chazarian princess. Leo,
fell into the hands of the Lombards, who, after being in weak health, had his infant son Constan-
having lost it and gained it again, kept it till 756, tine (VI. ) crowned in the year after his accession,
when king Aistulph was compelled by Pipin of and his five brothers, Nicephorus Caesar, Christo-
France to cede it to pope Stephen II. , and ever phorus Caesar, Nicetas, Anthemeus, and Eudoxas,
since that province has continued to belong to the took a sacred oath to acknowledge the young Au-
papal states. This check in Italy induced Leo to gustus as their future master. This oath, however,
detach Greece, Illyria, and Macedonia from the they broke repeatedly, formed conspiracies, and
spiritual authority of the popes, and to submit them were punished with mutilation and exile. After
to that of the patriarchs of Constantinople ; and some fruitless attempts at recovering freedom and
this is the real, effective cause of the fatal division power, they finally disappeared from the world at
of the Latin and Greek churches (734).
Athens, which was their last place of exile. In
During the seven following years the history of 777 Teleric, king of the Bulgarians, fled to Con-
Leo offers little more than the horrible details of a stantinople, in consequence of some domestic com-
protracted war with the Arabs. The khalif Hemotions, and was well received by Leo, although
sham endeavoured to produce an effect upon the he had behaved very treacherously against Leo's
ininds of the Syrians by supporting an adventurer, father. In 778 the Arabs invaded the empire. Leo
who pretended to be Tiberius, the son of Jus- sent against them an army of 100,000 men, com-
tinianus II. , and who was sent by the khalif to manded by Lachano Draco, who routed them, after
Jerusalem, where he made his entrance, in the they had gained various' successes in Syria, in
dress of a Roman emperor. But this was a mere 780: in this battle Othman, the son of the
farce. Things were more serious when, in 739, the khalif Mabadi or Modi, lost his life. When the
Arab general Soliman invaded the Roman terri- news of this victory arrived at Constantinople the
tories with an army of 90,000 men, who were emperor was no more among the living : his death
divided into three separate bodies. The first en. took place on the 8th of September, 780. He
tered Cappadocia, and ravaged it with fire and was succeeded by his infant son Constantine VI. ,
sword the second, commanded by Malek and who reigned under the guardianship of his mother
Batak, penetrated into Phrygia ; and the third, Irene. Leo IV. sas an honest man, much better
under Soliman, covered the rear. Leo, though than his profligate father, but weak in body and
surprised, had assembled sufficient forces, and his mind. (Theophan. p. 378, &c. ; Cedren. p. 468,
general Acroninus defeated the second body in &c. ; Const. Manass. p. 69 ; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 113,
Phrygin in a pitched battle, in which Malek and &c. ; Glycas, 285, in the Paris editions. ) [W. P. )
Batak were both killed. Soliman withdrew in LEO V. FLAVIUS ARME'NUS, emperor of
3 B
.
3
VOL. 11.
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738
LEO.
J,EO.
Constantinople (A. D. 813–820), succeeded Mi- | plunge it into thy heart, if thou refusest any longer
chael I. Rhangabe, on the 11th of July, 813: he to comply with the just wishes of thy comrades. '
was of noble Armenian descent, and the son of Upon this Leo threw off the mask, marched upon
the celebrated Bardas Patricius. Leo enjoyed Constantinople, and seated himself on the throne,
great renown as a skilful and intrepid general, and from which Michael descended without murmuring,
was highly esteemed by the emperor Nicephorus I. and retired into a convent, where he lived during
(802—811), whom he rewarded, however, with | upwards of thirty years.
treachery. He was punished with exile, from No sooner was Leo crowned than Crum appeared
which he was recalled in 81 by his friend Michael before Constantinople. He burnt its suburbs, with
1. , who succeeded Nicephorus in that year. Mi- all its magnificent buildings, withdrew to take
chael appointed him dux Orientis, and was served Adrianople, and send its inhabitants into slavery,
in the same way as his predecessor. The wife of appeared again near the capital, and continued his
Michael, Procopia, having obtained great influence devastations till Thrace was a desert. Having no
over her husband, was the cause of a wide-spread army, Leo showed the greatest activity in forming
disaffection of the army, and Leo arailed himself one, and his efforts were already crowned with
of this circumstance to seize the crown. There success, when Crum suddenly died in one of the
is a story of an old woman at Constantinople, a gardens of Constantinople (814), and was succeeded
prophetess, who predicted the speedy downfall of by king Deucom. Now Leo sallied out. At Me-
Michael and the elevation of Leo, who seems to sembrya he brought the Bulgarians to a stand, and
have turned the superstition of the Greeks to his took bloody revenge for the calamities they had
own advantage. While Leo carried on a successful brought upon Greece: the barbarian army was
war against the Arabs in Asia, the emperor fought annihilated. In 815 Deucom appeared again, and
with great disadvantage against Crum, king of the met with a similar fate, whereupon Leo invaded
Bulgarians, who in 812 took Mesembrya, and Bulgaria, defeated the barbarians wherever he met
threatened Constantinople. His defeats obliged them, and ravaged the country in a manner still
Michael to recall Leo from Asia, and in the spring worse than the Bulgarians had done in Thrace.
of 813 the emperor and Leo set out from Constan- Such was the consternation of the barbarians, that
tinople, at the head of one of the finest and most Mortagon, the successor of Deucom, deemed him-
numerous armies that the Greeks had ever seen. self fortunate in obtaining a peace for thirty years ;
Michael intended to harass the Bulgarians by and such was the impression made upon the minds
manoeuvres, avoiding any decisive conflict. His of his unruly subjects by the fierce onsets of Leo,
wise delay was secretly approved of by Leo and that they remained quiet during seventy-four years.
his confederates, but they persuaded the army that Thus Leo crushed the hereditary and most dan-
the emperor was a coward, who followed the ad- gerous enemy of the Byzantine empire.
vice of his wife rather than that of his generals, The empire now enjoyed peace, and Leo was
and the poor emperor was forsaken before he had active in restoring the happiness of his subjects.
any idea how and by whom. The Greeks met the He protected the Iconoclasts, and showed himself
Bulgarians in the environs of Adrianople ; but a firm, though often cruel, opponent of the wor-
Michael, seeing the strong position of the enemy, shippers of images; hence arose many conspiracies,
declined again to risk a pitched battle. Now Leo which he quelled with ease. He reformed the
and his friends urged him with all their might to whole system of administration. Before his reign
attack Crum ; and the Greek soldiers showed such all the civil and military offices were sold to the
violent anger at being again disappointed in coming highest bidder ; he, on the contrary, gave them to
to close quarters with the barbarians, that on the the worthiest, and punished severely all those that
22d of June the emperor gave orders for the attack. were found guilty of peculation. He often presided
The conflict took a favourable turn for the Greeks, in the courts of justice; and woe to those judges
and every body prognosticated a complete victory, who had acted unfairly or unjustly. In his punish-
when Leo, with his Cappadocians and Armenians, ments, however, he observed no just proportion ;
suddenly took to flight, and caused a total rout of decapitation, mutilation, or banishment, being as
the imperial army. Michael saved himself within often inflicted for slight offences as for capital
the walls of Adrianople, and in the evening Leo crimes. Pleasure was unknown to him, but that
arrived with his troops. Nobody ventured to ac- which arises from the satisfaction of having done
quaint the emperor with the real cause of Leo's one's duty. Day and night he was at work. Most of
flight; and the remnants of the army being too the provinces he visited, and his occasional visits had
much disorganised to risk a second battle, he fol- a still more beneficial effect, since he always arrived
lowed the council of the treacherous general, and without being announced. His conduct towards the
withdrew to Constantinople. There Joannes Hex- adorers of images, however, created him many
abulus, the honest governor of the capital, mentioned enemies; and at last his best friend became the
to him his suspicions of Leo, but mes with dis- cause of his ruin. Michael the Stammerer, though
belief, till Leo appeared with his troops under the a staunch adherent of Leo, could not help blaming
walls of Constantinople, and made his entrance him for many actions; and being no master of his
into the city, without meeting with any opposition. sharp tongue, his words produced more effect than
After the departure of Michael from Adrianople, he intended. This annoyed Leo, who ordered
the friends of Leo induced the soldiers to proclaim Michael to inspect the troops in Asia, as the best
as emperor the gallant Armenian, instead of the means of getting rid of him at court. Michael re-
coward who was still their master ; but Leo refused to comply with the order, and was soon sur-
fused to accept the crown till, with feigned indig-rounded by a crowd of the secret enemies of Leo,
nation, his friend and subsequent successor, Michael who persuaded him to enter into their plans. The
the Stammerer, rushed upon him with his drawn honest Hexabulus was informed of the plot, and
sword, crying with the accents of rage, “ With this Michael was seized, tried, and sentenced to be burnt
sword I will open the gates of Constantinople, or | alive in a furnace. It was just Christmas eve 820,
а
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LEO.
739
LEO.
3
and he was to be executed on the same day. Leo exposed the Bulgarian merchants to vexations and
left his palace to witness the exccution, and the ill-treatment. Thence arose a war with the Bul-
unhappy man, loaded with chains, was dragged garian king. Simeon, who mvaged Macedonia, and
along, when the empress besought her husband not routed the Greek army, commanded by Leo Cata-
to carry out his bloody verdict on that sacred day, calon and Theodosius, the latter of whom was
but to wait till after Christinas. Leo, moved by killed in the action, to the great regret of the na-
her entreaties, ordered Michael to be taken back to tion and the emperor. The credit of Stylianus
his prison. On the following day the emperor and ceased with the death of his daughter, the einpress ;
his whole court went in procession to church, and and his disgrace grieved him so much that he died
according to a custom established at the Byzantine of sorrow and disappointed ambition (894). Leo
court, the emperor himself began the sucred chant got rid of the Bulgarians by involving them,
This was the signal of his death. During the night through intrigues, in a war with the Hungarians.
the friends of Michael had resolved to risk every The following years were rendered remarkable by
thing in order to save his and their own lives; and several conspiracies. That of 895 proved ricarly
dressed in the garb of priests, with arms hid under fatal to the emperor, but it was discovered in time,
their floating garments, they entered the church and quelled by one Samonas, who, in reward, was
without creating any suspicion. At the moment created patricius, and soon rose to great wealth
they hcard Leo's voice they rushed upon him. and power. A few years afterwards Leo was
He escaped to the altar, and defended himself with attacked in a church during service by a ruffian,
the great cross ; but in vain-nobody came to his who felled him to the ground with a club; but on
rescue. Exhausted by an heroic resistance, he saw this occasion also the emperor escaped, and the
one of his murderers, of gigantic stature, aim a fatal assassin met with the fate he deserved. The inac-
blow at him. “Have mercy! ” cried the fainting tivity of Leo induced the Arabs and northern
emperor. “This is not the hour of mercy,'' replied neighbours of the empire to attack it at their con-
the giant, but the hour of revenge ! ” and with venience. The former once more invaded Sicily,
one blow he felled him to the ground. Michael and took Tauromenium ; and in 904 appeared with
was now dragged from his prison, and, as Gibbon a numerous fleet in the harbour of Thessalonica.
says, he was snatched from the fiery furnace to the This splendid city, the second in wenlth and popu-
sovereignty of an empire. Leo left four sons, the lation after Constantinople, was ill fortified and
eldest of whom, Sarbatius or Symbatius, was still worse garrisoned, so that in spite of the efforts
crowned as his father's future successor shortly of the inhabitants, the Arabs soon made them-
after the deposition of Michael Rhangabe. They selves master of it. They destroyed a great portion
were all castrated by order of Michael the Stam- of it; and after having plundered it during ten
merer, and confined in a convent Sarbatius died days, left the harbour with their feet laden with
in consequence of the operation. (Theoph. p. 424, booty and captives. The history of this conquest
&c. ; Theoph. Contin. p. 428, &c. ; Cedren. p. 483, was described by Joannes Cameniata in his valu-
&c. ; Zonar. vol. ii. p. 127, &c. ; Leo Gram. p.
