No More Learning



## p. 462 (#492) ############################################

462
Administration of Anthemius
[408–414
1
!
408), leaving a son, Theodosius, aged seven, who since 10 Jan. 402
had been his father's colleague, and three (perhaps four) daughters;
and Stilicho, thinking the time come to carry out his old project of
bringing the East under his rule, proposed to send Alaric to Gaul and
go himself to Constantinople as the representative of Honorius; but a
hostile party secured the Emperor's ear, and he was put to death (Aug.
408). The ports were then opened and amity restored.
The care of the Emperor's person was in the hands of Antiochus, a
eunuch with Persian connexions ; but the direction of affairs fell to
Anthemius, whose chief adviser was the sophist Troilus; and the period
of his administration was one of the most fortunate in the history of the
East. The danger from the West had been removed by Stilicho's fall;
and on the eastern side the best relations were maintained with Yezdegerd
the Persian king, with whom a commercial treaty was made. The military
power of the Empire had suffered too much to be quickly restored ; but
we hear no more of Isaurian raids, and it was found possible to send a
small force to support Honorius against Alaric. It was only however
by a combination with subject tribes that the Huns were driven across
the Danube, while their tributaries the Sciri were captured in vast
numbers, and enslaved or settled as coloni in Asia Minor (409). To
prevent such incursions the fleet on the Danube was strengthened (412).
Other salutary measures were the relief given to the taxpayers of Illyricum
and the East (413-14), the restoration of the fortifications of the Illyrian
cities (412), and the re-organisation of the corn supply of Constantinople
(409). But the work for which the name of Anthemius was most
remembered is the wall built from the Propontis to the Golden Horn
to enclose the portion of the city that had grown up outside the wall
of Constantine, a wall which substantially exists to this day (413).
In 414 the administration of Anthemius came to an end, probably
by death; and on 4 July Pulcheria, the daughter of Arcadius, was
proclaimed Augusta, a title that had not been granted to an emperor's
sister since Trajan's time; and henceforth, though only two years
older
than Theodosius, she exercised the functions of regent, and her bust was
placed in the Senate-house with those of the emperors (30 Dec. ). At the
same time Antiochus was removed from the palace.
The Court of Pulcheria was a strange contrast to her mother's. For
political rather than religious reasons she took a vow of perpetual virginity
and induced her sisters to do the same, and the princesses spent their
time in spinning and devout exercises. She herself was a ready speaker
and writer in Greek and Latin; and she had her brother trained in
rhetoric, as well as horsemanship and the use of arms, in ceremony
and deportment, and the observances of religion. Hence he grew up &
strict observer of ecclesiastical rules, a fair scholar with a special interest
in natural science and medicine, a keen huntsman, an excellent penman,
exemplary in private life, mild and good-tempered ; but, as everything
4


## p. 463 (#493) ############################################

414–420]
Regency of Pulcheria
463
likely to make him a capable ruler was excluded from his education,
the Emperor remained all his life a puppet in the hands of his sister, his
wife, and his eunuchs.
The transference of the regency to a girl of 15 could not be effected
without a change in the methods of administration, and it is therefore
not surprising to find the government accused of fiscal oppression,
while the sale of offices, which was restricted under Anthemius, became
again a matter of public notoriety. In Alexandria, which, being almost
equally divided between Christians, Jews, and heathens, was always
turbulent, the change gave occasion for a serious outbreak. After
prolonged rioting between Jews and Christians the bishop Cyril instigated
his followers to expel the Jews. This the praefect Orestes reported to
the Emperor, while Cyril sent his own account; and, Orestes refusing to
yield, some fanatical monks attacked and stoned him. The chief perpe-
trator was tortured to death, whereupon Cyril treated him as a martyr,
and both parties appealed to Constantinople. It now came to be
believed among Cyril's partisans that Orestes was acting under the
influence of the celebrated mathematician and philosopher, Hypatia,
who was in constant communication with him : accordingly a party of
parabolani (sick-attendants) pulled her from her chariot, dragged her
into the church called Caesarium, and beat or scraped her to death with
tiles (Mar. 415). At first the government acted with some vigour. No
personal punishment was inflicted, but the parabolani were limited to
500, and the selection made subject to the approbation of the Augustal
and praetorian praefects, while they were forbidden to appear in the
council-house or law-courts or at public spectacles (29 Sept. 416). It
was not long however before the influence or bribes of Cyril procured
the restoration of the freedom of selection (3 Feb. 418). · The increase
of anti-pagan feeling was also shewn by a law excluding pagans from
high administrative office and from the army (7 Dec. 416). Other dis-
turbances were the rebellion of Count Plintha in Palestine (418), an
attack on the city praefect Aëtius (23 Feb. 419) and a mutiny in the
East (420). In Armenia, Yezdegerd having appointed his brother as
king, the Roman portion of the country was definitely annexed and
placed under a count (415–16).
It was now time for Theodosius to marry; and it was Pulcheria's
object to prevent the choice of a wife with powerful connexions, who
would be likely to endanger her ascendancy. She had by some means
made the acquaintance of Athenais, daughter of the Athenian sophist
Leontius, a woman of high education and literary ability, who had come
to Constantinople through a dispute with her brothers about their
father's property. As a friendless girl dependent on herself, yet fitted
by education for the part of an empress, she seemed exactly suited for
the purpose. The Augusta therefore introduced her to Theodosius,
who declared himself willing to make her his wife; Athenais made no
CH. XVI.


## p. 464 (#494) ############################################

464
Persian War
[ 421-441
-
a
objection to accepting Christianity, and was baptised under the name of
Eudocia, Pulcheria standing sponsor; and on 7 June 421 the marriage
was celebrated. The new empress bore no malice against her brothers,
but summoned them to Court, where one became praefect of Illyricum
and the other master of the offices; in this however she perhaps shewed
worldly wisdom rather than Christian charity. After the birth of a
daughter she received the title of Augusta (2 Jan. 423).
About the time of the marriage the peace with Persia was broken.
Yezdegerd had always shewn himself friendly to the Christians; but at
the end of his reign the fanatical act of a bishop drove him to severe
measures. Some Christians fled to Roman territory, and when their
surrender was refused, the position became so critical that permission
was given to the inhabitants of the exposed provinces to fortify their
own lands (5 May 420). After Yezdegerd's violent death (late in 420)
a more extended persecution was begun by Warahran V; and the Court
of Constantinople began the war by sending the Alan Ardaburius through
Roman Armenia into Arzanene, where he defeated the Persian Narsai
(Aug. or Sept. 421), who retreated to Nisibis. Ardaburius with numerous
prisoners advanced to Amida to prevent an invasion of Mesopotamia ;
and here, as the prisoners were starving, Bishop Acacius melted the
church plate, ransomed them with the price, gave them provisions, and
sent them home. Ardaburius then besieged Nisibis, and Warahran
prepared to march to its relief, while he sent Al Mundhir, sheikh of
Al Hira, to invade Syria. Many of the Arabs were however drowned
in the Euphrates, and the rest defeated by the general Vitianus. On the
king's approach Ardaburius burnt his engines and retreated, and the
Persians, crossing the frontier, vainly attacked Rhesaina for over
a month; but, though the Romans gained some successes, no decisive
victory was obtained, and Theodosius thought it best to propose terms.
Warahran was also inclined for peace; but, wishing to gain a success
first, he ordered an attack upon a Roman force, while he kept the
ambassador with him. The Romans were surprised; but during the
battle another division under Procopius, the son-in-law of Anthemius,
unexpectedly appeared, and the Persians, taken on both sides, were
defeated. Warahran then took up the negotiations in earnest; and, on
his undertaking to stop the persecution and each party binding itself
not to receive the Arab subjects of the other, peace was made for 100
years (422). This victory was celebrated by Eudocia in an epic poem.
It was probably a result of the transference of troops from Europe to
meet the Persians that the Huns this year invaded Thrace, though in
consequence of the prudent measures of Anthemius the Danubian
frontier was rarely violated before 441. The provinces had however
not recovered from the calamities of Arcadius' time, and constant
remissions of taxation were necessary.
The relations with the West were again disturbed through the refusal


## p. 465 (#495) ############################################

421-441]
Elevation of Valentinian III
465
of Theodosius to recognise the elevation of Constantius (421); and when
after the death of Honorius (Aug. 423) the obscure John was proclaimed
emperor in prejudice of the claims of the young Valentinian the son of
Placidia, there was an open breach. When John's envoys arrived to
for recognition, Theodosius threw them into prison. Placidia now received
anew the title of Augusta (424), which Theodosius had before ignored,
Valentinian was declared Caesar at Thessalonica, mother and son were
sent to Italy with a large army under Ardaburius, his son Aspar, and
Candidianus; and, John having been overthrown, Valentinian was in-
vested with the empire (Oct. 425).
The concord between the two
divisions of the Empire was confirmed by the betrothal of Valentinian to
Theodosius' daughter Eudoxia, and the victory celebrated by the building
of the Golden Gate, through which the emperors made their formal
entries into Constantinople. In 431, when Placidia needed assistance
against the Vandals, an army under Aspar was sent to Africa ; but Aspar
returned three years later without success, probably after an under-
standing which made him ever after a friend of the Vandals.
In 427 some Ostrogoths who had seceded from the Huns were
settled in Thrace, and other tribes were received in 433; while a raid
was made by the Huns, and a more serious attack only prevented by
abject submission to their demands (434). At sea a pirate fleet entered
the Propontis, but in 438 the pirate Contradis was captured. At home
stones were thrown at Theodosius in a riot after a famine in 431, and
there were bitter complaints of the extortion of the eunuchs.
Two matters of internal administration deserve special mention—the
codification of the law (438), and the foundation of a university at
Constantinople as a counterpoise to the schools of Athens (27 Feb. 425).
In this university there were 28 professors of Greek and Latin grammar
and rhetoric, and two of law, but only one of philosophy, and all other
public teaching in the city was forbidden.
Eudocia was at first of necessity subservient to her sister-in-law ;
but that she would always accept this position was not to be expected.
A difference appeared at the time of the synod of Ephesus (431), when
Pulcheria was victorious; but afterwards her influence declined, and at
last a palace intrigue drove her to retire from court. Under Eudocia's
patronage a large share in the administration fell to Cyrus, an Egyptian
poet and philosopher, who became city-praefect in 435, and in 439
combined this office with the praetorian praefecture. Cyrus was the
first praefect who published decrees in Greek, and he also distinguished
himself by renovating the buildings of the city, especially by an extension
of the sea-wall to join the wall of Anthemius, which the capture of
Carthage by the Vandals had made desirable (439). Antiochus, the
emperor's old guardian, was restored to favour and made praepositus.
The capture of Carthage caused the despatch of a fleet to Sicily in
1 I assign Codex Just. 11. vii. 5 to this year.
C. MED. H. VOL. I. CH. XVI.
30


## p. 466 (#496) ############################################

466
Fall of Eudocia
[437–460
441 : but in consequence of an irruption of Huns into Illyricum the
force was recalled in 442 and peace made; but not before the ex-
pedition had led to a war with Persia. Under the capable direction
of Anatolius, the magister militum per Orientem, the defence of the
eastern frontier had been strengthened by stricter rules of discipline in the
army (25 Feb. 438) and by the building of the fortress of Theodosiopolis
in Armenia. This last the new king, Yezdegerd II, probably considered
a menace ; and he therefore took advantage of the troubles in the
West to begin war, crossing the frontier from Nisibis and sacking
several towns, while another force raided Roman Armenia (441). He
was however hampered by bad weather and threatened by the Ephthalites
beyond the Caspian ; hence, though the Romans had no army to oppose
to him, Anatolius and Aspar by a large sum of money and a promise to
surrender some Christian refugees persuaded him to make a truce for a
year. As the troubles with the Ephthalites continued, this was followed
by a definite peace on the terms that neither party should build a fort
within a certain distance of the frontier, and the Romans should renew
an undertaking made by Jovian to contribute to the defences of the
Caucasian Gates. One of the last acts of Cyrus was to provide that the
Armenian frontier lands should be held on condition of supplying horses,
wagons, and pikemen for the army (26 June 441).
After her daughter's marriage (21 Oct. 437), for which Valentinian
came to Constantinople, Eudocia went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem (438),
and on the way gained much popularity at Antioch by a speech in which
she boasted of her Greek blood. She returned in 439; and meanwhile
some hostile influence seems to have been at work, for in 440 Paulinus,
ex-master of the offices, was beheaded at Caesarea in Cappadocia on
suspicion, as was popularly believed, of an intrigue with her, and soon
afterwards she asked leave to retire to Jerusalem, and left Constantinople
for ever (441 ? ). With her fell Cyrus, who through the popular
acclamation, “Constantine founded, Cyrus restored,” had incurred the
Emperor's jealousy. Being charged with paganism, he took orders to
save his head, and was made bishop of Cotyaeum, where four bishops
were said to have been murdered. By his discreet conduct he succeeded
in retaining his see till the time of Leo, when on some unknown charge
he was deprived and came back to Constantinople, where he remained
in possession of large property. Antiochus was also deposed and com-
pelled to take orders. Pulcheria returned to Court; but the chief
influence was for the rest of the reign exercised by the eunuch Chrysaphius.
Eudocia was not left in peace at Jerusalem; but Saturninus, count of the
domestici, was sent to spy upon her, and for some reason beheaded two
clergymen who attended upon her (444). She in revenge assassinated
Saturninus and was deprived of her imperial train, though she still
disposed of ample revenues, which she spent on the erection of churches
and monasteries. She composed several poems, of which large portions
are extant, and died in 460 (20 Oct. ).


## p. 467 (#497) ############################################

447–453]
Accession of Marcian
467
The good administration introduced by Anthemius had been in
some measure maintained under the ascendancy of Pulcheria and Eudocia;
but under Chrysaphius the days of Arcadius seemed to have returned.
The Huns overran Thrace and Illyricum, and the murder of the magister
militum of Thrace, John the Vandal, (apparently by order of Chrysaphius)
did not strengthen the resistance. The Romans suffered a severe defeat
(447), and Chrysaphius could only grant Attila's terms and send emissaries
to assassinate him. In 447 the walls of Constantinople were shattered by
an earthquake, and in consequence of the terror caused by the Huns the
praefect Constantine rebuilt them in 60 days, and the Isaurians, who had
renewed their raids in 4+1, were called in under their leader Zeno to
defend the city. Zeno afterwards extorted the office of magister militum
per Orientem, and demanded the surrender of Chrysaphius; and, though
this was not granted, the danger from the Huns prevented an intended
campaign against the marauders. Bands of Tzani, Saracens, and
Caucasian Huns had invaded the Empire during the Persian war, and we
hear of Saracen raids again several years later (448), while Yezdegerd
shewed signs of a desire to renew hostilities. Libya too was again
harassed by the frontier tribes, and the Vandals terrorised the Ionian sea.
On 26 July 450 Theodosius broke his spine by a fall from his horse
while hunting, and died two days later. The appointment of a successor
was left to the Augusta Pulcheria; and her choice fell upon Marcian,
a veteran soldier from Thrace of high character who had held the post
of domesticus (chief of the staff) to Aspar, to whose influence the selection
must be ascribed. Pulcheria crowned Marcian in the presence of the
Senate (24 Aug. ), and gave him her hand in nominal marriage.
The first act of the new rulers was to put Chrysaphius to death. The
sale of offices was prohibited, though it is unlikely that the prohibition
was strictly carried out; and attempts were made to lighten the burden
of taxation by a remission of arrears, by reducing the number of praetors
to three and relieving non-resident senators from the burden of the office
(18 Dec. 450), and by enacting that the consuls instead of squandering
money on the populace should make a contribution towards the repair
of the aqueducts (452), an obligation which was extended to honorary
consuls by the Emperor Zeno. Marcian also put an end to a system
under which the possessors of certain lands which had been sold by the
State in the time of Valens escaped their share of taxation. The
popularity of his rule is shewn by the words “ Reign like Marcian,”
,
with which the citizens in 491 greeted Anastasius.
In external relations the reign was a fortunate one.
As Attila was
preparing for his western expedition, his demands for money could
safely be refused; and, when after his return he repeated them with
threats, death prevented him from carrying these out (453). From
Zeno, who was appealing to heathen support, the Emperor was delivered
by his death following a fall from his horse. Envoys from the Armenian
CH. XVI.
30—2


## p. 468 (#498) ############################################

468
Accession of Leo I
[452–471
insurgents had come before Theodosius' death to ask for help; but
Marcian refused to break the peace with Persia. With the Vandals also
peace was maintained ; for, though after the sack of Rome (455) Marcian
tried to obtain the release of Eudoxia and her daughters, the possession
of these hostages as well as Aspar's influence secured Gaiseric from
attack. In Syria the magister militum, Aspar's son Ardaburius, was in
452 fighting with Arab raiders near Damascus, after which negotiations
were begun, but with what result is not known. At the same time
Egypt was suffering from incursions of the Blemmyes, who gave hostages
to the imperial envoy Maximin, and made peace for 100 years, but on
,
his sudden death recovered the hostages by force and renewed their raids
till put down by Florus, praefect and count of Egypt. A more serious
position arose on the Danubian frontier, where after the collapse of the
Hun empire (454) some of the Huns and other tribes were settled in the
north of Nlyricum and Thrace as foederati. Of these the most important
was a body of Ostrogoths, who under three brothers of the Amal family,
Walamir, Theodemir, and Widimir, settled in eastern Pannonia, of
which they received a grant from Marcian, who did not recognise
Valentinian III's successors: they also received pay as foederati.
In 453 Pulcheria died, leaving all her property to the poor, a bequest
which Marcian faithfully carried out. By a former wife Marcian had a
daughter, whom he had given in marriage to Anthemius, grandson of the
praefect Anthemius; but, when he died (27 Jan. 457) at the age of 65, he
had taken no steps to secure his son-in-law's succession, and the throne
lay at the disposal of Aspar the patrician and magister militum, who
as an Arian and barbarian could not himself assume the crown, but
might reign in the name of some puppet-emperor. He therefore chose
Leo, a military tribune from Dacia and his own steward, a man of some
capacity but little education; and the choice was ratified by the Senate.
As there was no elder emperor or Augusta to perform the coronation,
Leo was crowned by the patriarch Anatolius (7 Feb. ). This precedent
was henceforth followed whenever an emperor was not merely being
associated with a senior colleague.
One of the first acts of the new reign was the recognition of Majorian
(April), after whose death (461) Leo, though not recognising Severus,
accepted the Western consuls, and, while sending an embassy to Gaiseric
to secure the liberation of the widow and daughters of Valentinian,
urged him to cease attacking Italy and Sicily. Gaiseric refused to make
peace with the West or to release Eudoxia, whom he married to his son,
but on receiving a share of Valentinian's property released his widow and
her other daughter Placidia, who came to Constantinople. Some years
later Eudoxia escaped (471) and ended her days at Jerusalem. Leo also
induced Marcellinus, who had set up an independent power in Dalmatia,
to keep peace with the Western Emperor; but further embassies to
Gaiseric effected nothing.
About this time the migration of the Avars from the east caused a


## p. 469 (#499) ############################################

489–468]
Affairs of Lazica
469
movement among the Hunnic tribes of the Caucasus, in consequence of
which the Saragurs asked for Roman protection, and obtained it, though
some trouble with the fugitive peoples followed. But when the Saragurs
invaded Persian territory, an embassy arrived from King Piroz to complain
of the treatment of Magians in the Empire and the reception of fugitives,
and to ask for the stipulated contribution in money or men towards the
defence of the Caucasian Gates, and money for the war against the
Ephthalites; to which an answer was sent through the ex-praefect
Constantine that the complaints were unfounded and the contribution
could not be given. Meanwhile Gobazes, king of Lazica (Colchis), had
offended the government, and a campaign in his country was under-
taken (464), the troops returning to Roman territory for the winter.
The coast-road was however so difficult that the Romans were thinking
of asking leave to pass through Persian territory ; accordingly on receiving
an embassy from Gobazes Leo granted peace on the nominal condition
that he and his son should not reign conjointly; and Gobazes, having
failed to obtain help from Piroz on account of the Ephthalite war, con-
sented to retire in his son's favour. A certain Dionysius, who was known
to Gobazes from previous negotiations, was at his request sent to Lazica
and brought the king back with him to Constantinople (466), where by
plausible words and the wearing of Christian emblems he obtained favour,
so that his abdication was not insisted on. His submission drew upon
him the enmity of Piroz, and a force under Heraclius was sent to his
support; but, as the Persians were occupied elsewhere and the maintenance
of the troops was expensive, Gobazes sent them back. Leo was mean
while negotiating with Piroz through Constantine; but Piroz, having
overcome the Ephthalites, sent to announce the fact and turned against
Gobazes, who had meanwhile taken some forts from his north-eastern
neighbours, the Suani, who were in alliance with Persia. Gobazes asked
that part of the Armenian frontier force might be sent to his support;
but Leo, being occupied with the African expedition, refused assistance
(468).
Meanwhile the relations between Leo and Aspar had become strained.
A difference between them had arisen in 459, when Leo appointed Vivianus
praefect in preference to Aspar's candidate, Tatianus; and again in 460
Leo expelled the patriarch Timothy of Alexandria in spite of Aspar's
opposition. Another dispute arose over the affairs of Illyricum. The
Pannonian Ostrogoths, whose subsidy had been withheld by Leo, raided
Illyricum and took Dyrrachium (459), but were obliged to give
Theodemir's son, the boy Theodoric, as a hostage before obtaining the
pay which they claimed. They then turned against the neighbouring
tribes, and after a time became involved in a war with the Sciri. Both
parties appealed to the Emperor for help, and, though Aspar advised
neutrality, Leo insisted on supporting the Sciri, who gained a victory,
Walamir falling in the battle.
OH. XVI.


## p. 470 (#500) ############################################

470
Rise of Zeno
[ 460–470
The Emperor was alarmed by the condition of the West, which after
Majorian's death fell under the domination of Ricimer; and he de-
termined, if possible, to save the East from a similar fate: but, as
Aspar was surrounded by a large body-guard of Goths and other
dependents and the Thracian Goths, whose chief, Theodoric, son of
Triarius, was his wife's nephew, were in alliance with him, it was
necessary to raise a force from some other quarter to overthrow him.
Accordingly Leo turned his eyes towards the Isaurians, who had done
so much injury to the Empire in the days of Arcadius and Theodosius,
but might now be used to rescue it from more dangerous enemies. His
elder daughter, Ariadne, was therefore given in marriage to the Isaurian
Tarasicodissa, who in memory of his countryman of the time of Theo-
dosius took the name of Zeno and brought with him an Isaurian
body-guard to set against that of Aspar (467 ? ).
Meanwhile disturbances had arisen in Thrace. From about 460 the
command there was held by Ardaburius, but it was afterwards transferred
to Basiliscus, brother of Leo's wife Verina. In 467 trouble arose with
Attila's son Dengizic, and a force of Huns crossed the Danube with a
large body of Goths; but the two nations were surrounded by a Roman
army, and induced by a trick to fight one another, so that a general
slaughter followed, from which only a few escaped.
In 467 Ricimer, requiring the Eastern fleet for protection against
the Vandals, asked Leo to nominate an emperor; whereupon he chose
Marcian's son-in-law, Anthemius, and, having persuaded Marcellinus to
submit to the new emperor, prepared a great expedition by land and
sea (468): but the fleet was by the mismanagement of Basiliscus almost
annihilated ; and Aspar, the Vandals' friend, was believed to have induced
him to betray his trust. After his return he took refuge in St Sophia,
but at Verina's intercession escaped punishment.
Meanwhile Zeno was sent to Thrace; and the soldiers, instigated, as
was supposed, by Aspar, tried to murder him, and he with difficulty
escaped to Sardica. The command was then given to Anagast, who soon
afterwards rebelled (469). Having been persuaded to submit, he accused
Ardaburius of prompting his rebellion. Zeno now strengthened the
Isaurians in Constantinople by introducing a band of marauders who had
been driven from Rhodes (469), and their arrival was, on account of the
unpopularity of the Isaurians, followed by a riot. He was then sent to
the East as magister militum, and as such was compelled to remove the
Isaurian robber Indacus, son of Papirius, from his hereditary stronghold
of Cherris.
The rise of Zeno and the strength of the Isaurians forced Aspar to
act vigorously if he was not to be altogether ousted from power; and he
pressed Leo to make his second son Patricius Caesar and give him his
daughter Leontia in marriage. In spite of the opposition of the monks,
who were horrified at the prospect of an Arian emperor, Leo thought


## p. 471 (#501) ############################################

469—473]
Murder of Aspar
471
it best to comply (470), and the new Caesar for some reason went to
Alexandria, where he displayed himself with great pomp. Something
more than titles was however needed to make Aspar secure; and
Ardaburius tried to cut the ground from under the Emperor's feet by
tampering with the Isaurians in Constantinople. This was revealed to
Zeno, who had returned to Constantinople in the latter half of 471 ;
and it was resolved to make an end of the supremacy of the Alans.
Aspar and his two elder sons were accordingly treacherously cut down
in the palace, though Patricius is said to have recovered from his
wounds (471): the youngest son, Hermanric, had received warning from
Zeno and was not there. Some of Aspar's guards under Ostrui broke
into the palace, but were expelled by the excubitores, a new force
instituted by Leo, perhaps for some such purpose. They succeeded
however in escaping, and after doing some damage in Thrace joined
Theodoric; but an attack on the city by the Goths was repulsed.
Leontia was now given in marriage to Marcian the son of Anthemius.
Before the attack on Aspar, Leo had thought it desirable to gain
the support of the Goths of Pannonia, and therefore released Theodoric
(the Amal), who returned with great gifts to his father. His first act
was to defeat the Sarmatians and recover Singidunum, which however
he did not restore to the Emperor. So far from assisting Leo, Theo-
demir, now released from restraint, thought the disturbances in both
divisions of the Empire a good opportunity to acquire new territories.
Accordingly he sent Widimir to Italy, while he himself marched south-
east and occupied Naissus.
Leo thereupon sent Hilarianus, master of
the offices, to offer him settlements in Lower Moesia. On these terms
peace was made; and soon afterwards Theodemir died and was succeeded
by Theodoric (471).
As Theodoric the son of Triarius remained in arms, an ambassador
was sent to ask his terms (473), and through his envoys whom he sent
to Constantinople he demanded Aspar's property, his post of magister
militum, and a grant of the whole of the province of Thrace. As Leo
would only agree to the second of these demands, Theodoric sent a force
to Philippi, which however only burned the suburbs, while he himself
reduced Arcadiopolis. But, as the Goths were straitened for food, he
sent another embassy, and peace was made on the conditions that he was
made magister militum and paid 2000 lbs. of gold a year, and that
Leo recognised him as chief of all the Thracian Goths and did not
receive deserters from them, while he undertook to assist the Emperor
against all enemies except the Vandals, who had been Aspar's friends.
The reign of Leo was afterwards remembered for the law by which
all legal process and all spectacles in the theatre, amphitheatre, and
circus were forbidden on Sundays (9 Dec. 469). Similar laws had been
passed by Constantine, Theodosius, and Arcadius, but had probably
remained little more than dead letters; and it is unlikely that even
CH, XVI.


## p. 472 (#502) ############################################

472
Death of Leo
[473–477
this law, at least the latter portion, was ever fully carried out. But in
spite of the increasing Christian tendency of the government and of laws
to the contrary, heathens continued to hold high offices of state and
enjoy the favour of the Court. Prominent among these was James the
physician, philosopher, and man of letters, son of a Syrian father and
Greek mother, whose medical skill made him indispensable. Isocasius
also, a Cilician philosopher, was made quaestor. Being deprived of his
post and arrested under the law which forbade the tenure of office by
a heathen, he was at the intercession of James sent for trial before
Pusaeus the praefect, who was known to be in sympathy with him, and
allowed to escape by submitting to baptism. The philosopher Eulogius
also received a pension.
One of Leo's last acts was to surrender the island of Jotaba at the
northern end of the Red Sea to the Arab Amru 'l Kais. This man,
coming from Persian territory, had reduced several Arab tribes and
occupied the island, driving out the Roman tax-collectors. He then
sent the bishop of his tribe to ask for a grant of the island and the
chieftainship of the tribes in the province of Palestine III ; and, though
this was contrary to the treaty of 422, Leo sent for him, treated him
with honour, and granted his requests (473). During this year the
Emperor was attacked by a serious illness, which made it necessary to
settle the succession. Fearing (on account of the unpopularity of the
Isaurians) to declare Zeno his successor, he made his grandson, Zeno's
son Leo, a boy of five, Caesar, and later crowned him Augustus in the
circus (18 Nov. ). Less than three months afterwards he died at the
age of 63 (3 Feb. 474); and, as it was probably known that the child
was unlikely to live, he was directed by Ariadne and Verina to place
the crown upon his father's head (9 Feb. ). On his death nine months
later (10 Nov. ) Zeno became sole emperor in the East.
The new government began with a great success, the end of the
disastrous Vandal war. One of the last acts in this war was the capture
of Nicopolis by the Vandals very soon after Leo's death ; and about the
same time Zeno sent Severus to treat for peace, who greatly impressed
Gaiseric by refusing to accept presents for himself and saying that the
most acceptable present would be the release of the captives; whereupon
the king gave him all the captives belonging to himself and his sons, and
allowed him to ransom as many more as he could. Shortly afterwards a
perpetual peace was made (474), which after Gaiseric's death (477) was
confirmed by his son. The Vandal danger was at an end.
The peace was the more necessary on account of the disturbances in
other quarters. The Arabs were making one of their raids in Syria, the
Bulgarians appeared for the first time south of the Danube, and the
accession of the Isaurian led to a serious rising of the Thracian Goths,
who took prisoner Heraclius, the magister militum of Thrace, and held
him to ransom. Zeno levied the sum from the general's kinsmen and


## p. 473 (#503) ############################################

474–476
Reign of Basiliscus
473
sent it to the Goths; but after receiving it they killed their captive.
Illus, one of the many Isaurians who came to Constantinople after Zeno's
accession, a man whose large native following and influence with his
countrymen made him a power in the State, was now appointed to the
command and succeeded in holding the Goths in check. But the
favour with which these Isaurian adventurers were received increased the
Emperor's unpopularity; and his son's death was soon followed by a plot.
Verina's brother Basiliscus, who was living in retirement at Heraclea,
opened negotiations with Illus, and no doubt by large promises induced
him to betray his patron; and Verina joined the conspiracy, which the
son of Triarius also supported. Verina frightened Zeno into escaping
by night with his wife and mother (9 Jan. 475) and fleeing to Isauria ;
and the conspirators gained possession of the city without fighting.
The Empress had been led to believe that she would be allowed to raise
Patricius, master of the offices, to the throne, which she intended to
share as his wife; but Basiliscus did not intend to act for anyone but
himself, and, having the strongest support, was proclaimed emperor, the
proclamation being followed by a massacre of Isaurians. Patricius was
put to death; and Verina tried to get up a conspiracy for Zeno's
restoration. This being discovered, she Aed to St Sophia ; but her
nephew, Armatus, conveyed her away and kept her in safety till Zeno's
return. Meanwhile Illus and his brother Trocundes were sent against
Zeno, blockaded him in Sbide, and captured his brother Longinus.
But soon things turned again in his favour. In the first place
Basiliscus had offended Theodoric by transferring the post of magister
militum to his own nephew Armatus, a man of fashion who posed as a
soldier and was supported by the favour of the Empress Zenonis ; and in
the second place he favoured the Monophysites, and, not content with
abrogating the theological decree of Chalcedon, was induced by Timothy
of Alexandria to abolish the patriarchate of Constantinople created by
that synod, thereby making a bitter enemy of the bishop Acacius, a
man who cared little about theology, but knew well how to stir up popular
fanaticism. So threatening was the aspect of affairs that Basiliscus
recalled his decrees: but it was too late ; Ilus and Trocundes went over
to Zeno, and the combined force marched on Constantinople while Tro-
cundes with some Isaurian guards was sent to Antioch. Armatus marched
to Nicaea to oppose Zeno's advance; but he had no mind to fight in a
losing cause, and on receiving the promise of the office of magister
militum for life and the rank of Caesar for his son Basiliscus, left the
road open ; and as Theodoric held aloof, Zeno entered Constantinople
without opposition (Aug. 476). Basiliscus and his family fled to St
Sophia ; but they were handed over to some of his enemies, who took
them to Cappadocia and beheaded them all. The promise to Armatus
was kept ; but, as he was entering the circus, where Zeno and the young
Caesar were watching the games, he was assassinated by Onoulf, a man
CH, XVI.


## p. 474 (#504) ############################################

474
Gothic Wars
[472–479
a
who had received great kindness from him and been raised by his influence
to the military command of Illyricum. His son was ordained a reader,
and afterwards became bishop of Cyzicus. Theodoric the Amal, who
from rivalry with his namesake had supported Zeno, was made magister
militum and adopted in Teutonic fashion as Zeno's son in arms.
It was
perhaps these commotions which enabled the Samaritans to set up as
emperor the robber Justasa, who took Caesarea, but was defeated and
killed by the duke of Palestine.
Leo left the treasury full ; and at the beginning of Zeno's reign the
burdens were considerably lightened by the praefect Erythrius; but, as
the sums wanted for the Isaurian favourites could not be raised without
extortion, he resigned, and his successor Sebastian earned a bad reputa-
tion by selling offices to the highest bidder. His administration was
however distinguished by an act providing that all civil and military
governors should remain in their districts for fifty days after the termi-
nation of office, in order that anyone with a grievance might prefer an
accusation against them (9 Oct. 479).
One of Zeno's first tasks after his return was to decide what policy
to follow with regard to the affairs of the West. The concord between
the Courts had been broken by the murder of Anthemius (472); but
Leo shortly before his death nominated as emperor Nepos, the nephew
and successor of Marcellinus, and gave him Verina's niece in marriage.
The fiction of the unity of the Empire was however in part abandoned,
since Nepos' name does not appear in Eastern laws.
After his ex-
pulsion (475) and the dethronement of his successor (476) the Roman
Senate asked Zeno to grant Odovacar the title of patrician, and Nepos
begged for help to recover his throne. Zeno advised Odovacar to apply
to Nepos for the title, but styled him “patrician" in a letter, while
declining to help Nepos.
The son of Triarius, wishing to obtain pay for his men, sought to
make his peace (477): but the Senate, to which Zeno referred the
matter, said they could not pay both Theodorics and left it to him to
choose between them. Zeno then made a violent speech to the army
against the son of Triarius. He did not however immediately break
with him, but protracted negotiations. At last, finding that his strength
was increasing, while that of his rival was diminishing, he summoned
troops from all quarters and announced the appointment of Ilus to the
command ; which was however, probably because of his growing jealousy
of Illus, afterwards transferred to Martinianus. As this change led to
disorder among the Isaurian soldiery, Zeno summoned the Amal to his
aid, promising that, if he would take the field, Martinianus should meet
him at the passes of Mt Haemus and another force at the Hebrus, and
on this understanding Theodoric set out; but either from treachery or
from lack of discipline no army met him, and his Roman guides led
him to a place where he found the heights in front occupied by his rival,


## p. 475 (#505) ############################################

477–479]
Gothic Wars
475
who then easily persuaded him to make common cause against the
Emperor. Both sent to Constantinople to state their terms, the Amal
demanding land and provisions for his men and the emoluments of his
office, and the son of Triarius the terms granted by Leo with the arrears
of
pay
and the restoration of any living members of Aspar's family.
Zeno promised the former in case of victory a large sum down, a yearly
pension, and the hand of Valentinian's granddaughter Juliana, or any
other lady whom he might name, and, this offer being refused, announced
that he would lead the army himself. But circumstances now caused a
change of plan.
The part played by Illus in 475, together with his retention of
Longinus as a hostage and his influence with the Isaurian soldiers, made
him something of a thorn in Zeno's side, and the jealous ambition of
Verina rendered her his deadly enemy. In the summer of 477 Paul, one
of the Emperor's slaves, tried to assassinate him and was surrendered for
punishment. In 478 another attempt was made by an Alan, who under
torture confessed that he had been instigated by Epinicus the praefect, a
client of Urbicius the eunuch-chamberlain and favoured by Verina.
Zeno thereupon surrendered Epinicus also to Illus, who sent him to
Isauria, and then, having obtained leave on the ground of the death of
a brother, withdrew to his native country. Fearing a rebellion on the
part of Illus, Zeno now resolved to secure the support of the son of
Triarius and renounced his intention of taking the field; and, as this
caused disaffection in the army, he on Martinianus' advice recalled it to
winter quarters. Peace was then made. The son of Triarius was to
receive food and pay for 13,000 men, the command of two regiments of
scholarii, the office of magister militum, and the property that had been
taken from him, while any surviving members of Aspar's family were to
retain their property and live in any city that Zeno might choose.
The imperial troops succeeded in expelling the Amal from Thrace ;
but Macedonia was left to his mercy (479). He sacked Stobi; and on
his approaching Thessalonica the citizens, thinking themselves betrayed,
transferred the keys from the praefect to the bishop. Heraclea he was at
first persuaded by large gifts to spare ; but on the refusal of a demand
for corn and wine burnt the greater part of it. He was repulsed from
Lychnidus, but took Scampia, which was deserted, and occupied Dyr-
rachium, which a confederate had induced the garrison by a trick to
abandon. Meanwhile Zeno had again opened negotiations, and the patri-
cian Adamantius, the son of Vivianus, was sent to treat. At Thessalonica
he put down a military tumult directed against the praefect; and at
Edessa handed to Sabinianus the Emperor's commission as magister militum
of Illyricum in place of Onoulf. From Lychnidus he invited Theodoric
either to come to Lychnidus or to send hostages for his own safety if he
went to Dyrrachium. As Sabinianus, who accompanied him, refused
to secure the return of the hostages by oath, this plan failed; but
CH. XVI.


## p. 476 (#506) ############################################

476
Ascendancy of Illus
(479
Adamantius went with a small escort to a wild spot near Dyrrachium
and invited Theodoric to meet him. Theodoric came and stood on the
opposite bank of a river, and Adamantius offered him a settlement in
the district of Pautalia in Dardania, where he would act as a check on
his namesake and be between the Thracian and Illyrian armies. Theo-
doric refused to move before spring, but offered, if supported by a Roman
army, to destroy the Thracian Goths on condition that he might then
be made magister militum and live in Constantinople, or, if preferred, to
go to Dalmatia and restore Nepos. Adamantius however declined to
make terms until he left Epirus. Meanwhile Sabinianus, having received
reinforcements, captured 5000 Goths, and Zeno was encouraged to break
off negotiations. For the next two years Sabinianus held the Goths in
check.
On 25 Sept. 4791 the walls of Constantinople were greatly damaged
by an earthquake ; Zeno in fear of the Goths begged Illus to return, in
order that his Isaurians might assist in defending the city; and the
Emperor and the chief officials came out beyond Chalcedon to meet him.
Having learned from Epinicus that Verina was the author of the plot
against his life, Illus refused to enter Constantinople unless she was
surrendered ; and Zeno, who was clearly in fear of him and was perhaps
not sorry to be rid of his mother-in-law, complied. She was conveyed by
.
Illus' brother-in-law, Matronianus, to Tarsus, where she was compelled to
become a deaconess, and kept in custody at the Isaurian Dalisandus.
Illus was made master of the offices, Epinicus was at his request recalled,
and his client, Pamprepius the philosopher, who had been expelled on
account of his open paganism and the suspicion of inciting his patron to
treason, returned with him and was made quaestor.
The predominance of Illus soon led to a vigorous attempt to throw
off the Isaurian rule. On the pretext of Verina's banishment Marcian,
the son-in-law of Leo, having secured the adhesion of the son of Triarius
and the support of a force of barbarians and a large number of citizens,
rose against Zeno and claimed the crown for himself on the ground that
Leontia was born in the purple while Ariadne was born before Leo's
accession (end of 479). During the day the insurgents, aided by the
people, who hurled missiles from the houses at the soldiers, carried all
before them ; but in the night Illus brought some Isaurians over from
Chalcedon, and on the next day the rising was suppressed, though Illus'
house was burnt. Marcian, who fled to the church of the Apostles, was
compelled to take orders and sent to Caesarea in Cappadocia, while his
brothers, Procopius and Romulus, escaped to Theodoric's camp, and
Leontia sought refuge in a convent. Marcian however escaped and with
a rustic force attacked Ancyra, but was captured by Trocundes and con-
fined in the castle of Cherris, whither his wife and daughters were now
i Theoph. 477, Marc. 480, or by indictional reckoning 479. The chronology
shews 479 to be right.


## p. 477 (#507) ############################################

479–483]
Gothic Wars
477
a
brought to join him. Immediately after the rising Theodoric the son
of Triarius appeared before Constantinople under pretence of assisting
the Emperor, thinking that, as the towers and battlements had been
overthrown by the earthquake, he could easily take it; but, finding the
Isaurians manning the wall and ready to burn the city in case of defeat,
he accepted Zeno's gifts and promises and withdrew. He refused however
to surrender the fugitives, and was thereupon superseded in the office of
magister militum by Trocundes. He then plundered Thrace, and Zeno
could only call in the Bulgarians against him. Having defeated the
Bulgarians, Theodoric again appeared before the capital (481); but,
finding the gates strongly guarded by Illus and his Isaurians, tried to
cross to Bithynia and was defeated at sea. Receiving news of a con-
spiracy against him, he returned home and put the conspirators to
death; after which he marched towards Greece to seek new territory,
but on the way was accidentally killed. His son Rekitach, who by
killing his uncles became sole ruler of his people, returned to Thrace and
continued to ravage the country. In 481 Sabinianus died a violent death,
some said by Zeno's contrivance, and Theodoric (the Amal) plundered
Macedonia and Thessaly and sacked Larissa (482). John the Scythian
.
and Moschianus were sent against him; but no great success was obtained.
In consequence of the threatened revolt of Illus Theodoric was invited to
Constantinople, made patrician and magister militum, and designated
consul, and received territory in Dacia and Lower Moesia (483). His
rival Rekitach, who was in the city at the same time, he was allowed
to assassinate, and the Thracian Goths ceased to maintain a separate
existence.
Ariadne, urged by her mother, pressed Zeno to recall Verina ; but
he referred her to Illus, who refused compliance. A third attempt upon
the life of Illus was then made by a scholarian, who succeeded in cutting
off his ear, while he was going to the palace to receive some barbarian
envoys at the Emperor's request. The assassin was put to death, and
Zeno denied on oath all knowledge of the matter ; but Illus, feeling
himself unsafe, asked for leave of absence on the ground of needing
change of air. Zeno then made him magister militum per Orientem with
the right of appointing dukes, and, taking with him Matronianus, Marsus,
who had commanded the land force in the expedition against the Vandals,
Pamprepius, and other powerful men, and a large military force, he with-
drew to Antioch (early in 482), where he set himself to gain popularity
by largesses and lavish expenditure on public buildings. The patrician
Leontius, who was sent to ask for Verina's release, was induced to remain'.
That a civil war was imminent must have been clear to both parties ;
and after the accommodation with Theodoric Zeno demanded the surrender
of Longinus, and on receiving a refusal, sent John the Scythian to super-
1 This is nowhere stated, but I infer it from a comparison of Jo. Mal. , Jordanes,
and “ Joshua. ”
CH. XVI.


## p. 478 (#508) ############################################

478
Revolt of Illus
(483—486
sede Illus, expelled his friends, and confiscated their property, which he
gave to the Isaurian cities. Illus now openly revolted, proclaimed
Marcian emperor, and sent envoys to Odovacar, who refused assistance,
and to the Persians and the satraps of the five provinces annexed in 298,
who promised support to any force that appeared in their neighbourhood
(484). It is clear that he did not intend to head a mere Isaurian revolt,
which could not have any lasting success, but to form a powerful com-
bination against the Emperor; for which purpose he held out hopes to
the heathens through Pamprepius, while he was also on friendly terms
with the Chalcedonians, who had been offended by the issue of the
Henoticon, whereby Zeno soon after his departure tried to placate the
Monophysites (482).
At first, to prevent a revolt in Isauria, Zeno sent a small force under
Illus' bastard brother, Linges, and the Isaurian Conon, who had ex-
changed a military life for the bishopric of Apamea ; whereupon Illus
for some reason dropped Marcian, and brought Verina, who as Augusta
might advance some claim to appoint an emperor, to Tarsus, where she
formally crowned Leontius (19 July)', who eight days later entered
Antioch. The inhabitants of Chalcis refused to accept the new Emperor's
busts, and he attacked the city for 45 days; while at Edessa the citizens
shut the gates against Matronianus. About the same time the great
victory of the Ephthalites precluded all hope of support from Persia.
Theodoric was now sent with a force of Romans and Goths to join
John the Scythian; but Zeno changed his mind and recalled him, though
his Goths remained with the army; and in his place Hermanric the son
of Aspar, who had once revealed a conspiracy to Zeno and had married
a daughter of his illegitimate son, was sent with a contingent of Rugians.
When the force which Illus sent against the imperial army was defeated,
he hastily summoned Leontius from Antioch (Sept. ), and they fled to
the stronghold of Cherris, to which Verina had already been sent. His
confederates then shut themselves up in different fortresses, and many of
his men deserted. Zeno recalled the Goths, who were no longer needed,
and made the Isaurian Cottomenes magister militum in place of Theodoric,
while another Isaurian, Longinus of Cardala, was made master of the
offices. Nine days after the beginning of the siege Verina died, and a
month later Marsus, and Illus left the defence to the owner of the
fortress, Indacus, Trocundes' brother-in-law. Trocundes, who had been
sent to collect reinforcements, was captured by John and beheaded, and
Zeno's brother Longinus was allowed to escape (485).
Theodoric had perhaps been occupied during 485 by a Bulgarian
invasion; but in 486 he raided Thrace, and Odovacar in spite of his
previous refusal shewed signs of wishing to assist Illus, who now in vain
made proposals for peace, while Zeno stirred up the Rugians against
,
Rev. de l'instr. publ. en Belgique, XL. 8. Hence I substitute “July” for the
“June" of Theoph.


## p. 479 (#509) ############################################

487–491]
Accession of Anastasius
479
>
Odovacar. In 487 Theodoric advanced close to Constantinople, and
an agreement was made under which he set out to wrest Italy from
Odovacar, who had defeated the Rugians, and the East was rid of the
Goths for ever (488).
All hope for the besieged was now at an end ; Pamprepius, who had
prophesied success, was put to death, and at last Indacus and others
betrayed the fort. Illus' requests with regard to the burial of his
daughter, who had died during the siege, and the treatment of his
family were granted, and he and Leontius were beheaded, and their heads
exposed at Constantinople (488). The traitors were all killed during
the assault, perhaps by the besieged. Verina's body was taken to
Constantinople and buried with Leo's. Most of the Isaurian fortresses
were dismantled. As the satraps of the five provinces had been in
communication with Illus, the hereditary tenure of the four most
important satrapies was abolished, though the satraps retained their
native forces.
Zeno had by his first wife a son, Zeno; but he had killed himself by
his excesses at an early age, and the Emperor wished to leave the crown
to his brother Longinus. The infamous character of Longinus and
the unpopularity of the Isaurians hindered him from declaring him
Caesar ; but he appointed him magister militum, in the hope that his
military authority and the strength of the Isaurians in the
army
would
secure him the succession. On 9 April 491 Zeno died of dysentery at
the age of 60.
In accordance with the precedent of 450 the choice of a successor
was left to the Augusta Ariadne; and on the next morning, by the
advice of Urbicius, she nominated the silentiary Anastasius of Dyrra-
chium, a man of 61, who had shortly before been one of the three
candidates selected for the see of Antioch. He was crowned the next day;
and, when he appeared before the people, they greeted him with the
acclamation “Reign as you have lived. ” On 20 May he married Ariadne.
The new Emperor began by the popular measures of remitting arrears
of taxation and refusing facilities to informers, and he is credited with
abolishing the sale of offices ; but his reign was constantly disturbed by
serious outbreaks. No immediate opposition was offered to his elevation;
but in Isauria a revolt on a small scale broke out, and at Constantinople
some unpopular action on the part of Julian the city-praefect led to
an uproar; and on an attempt to restore order by force the rioters threw
down the pedestals on which stood the busts of the Emperor and Empress
in front of the circus, and many were killed by the soldiers. To avoid
more bloodshed Anastasius deposed Julian, who had been appointed by
Ariadne on the day of Zeno's death, and named his own brother-in-law
Secundinus, to succeed him. Thinking that peace was impossible while
the Isaurians were in the city, he expelled them and deprived them of
the pay assigned by Zeno. Longinus the brother of Zeno was compelled
CH, XVI.


## p. 480 (#510) ############################################

480
Isaurian Revolt
[491–498
to take orders and exiled to the Thebaid, where he died, it is said of
hunger, eight years later, while his wife and daughter retired to Bithynia
and lived the rest of their life on charity. The property of the late
Emperor, even his imperial robes, was sold by auction, and the castle of
Cherris, which had not yet been occupied by the rebels, was dismantled.
Longinus of Cardala and a certain Athenodorus, who were among those
who had been expelled from the capital, joined the insurgents in Isauria,
among whom were now to be found Linginines, count of Isauria, Conon
the ex-bishop, and another Athenodorus. Reinforced by discontented
Romans and others who served under compulsion, they advanced to
Cotyaeum. Here John the Scythian and John the Hunchback, who had
succeeded Longinus as magister militum in praesenti, met and defeated
them. Linginines fell in the battle, and the Isaurians fled to their native
mountains (end of 492): but the generals waited till spring before crossing
the Taurus. In 493 Diogenes, a kinsman of Ariadne, took Claudiopolis,
but was besieged in it by the Isaurians, and his men were nearly starved.
John the Hunchback however forced the passes, and by a sudden attack,
aided by a sortie on the part of Diogenes, routed the enemy, Bishop
Conon being mortally wounded. The Isaurians were henceforth confined
to their strongholds, and a certain Longinus of Selinus, who resided
in the strong coast town of Antioch and had a large fleet, supplied
them with provisions by sea.
The Emperor's attention was now distracted by an incursion of
barbarians, perhaps Slavs, in Thrace, during which Julian, the magister
militum of Thrace, was killed. Moreover, as his Monophysite opinions
made his rule distasteful to the Chalcedonians, who were strong in
Constantinople, there was perhaps communication between them and the
insurgents, a charge on which the patriarch Euphemius was deprived in
495. At last in 497 Longinus of Cardala and Athenodorus were taken
and beheaded by John the Scythian and their heads sent to Constanti-
nople, while the head of the other Athenodorus, who was captured the
same year, was exhibited at the gates of Tarsus. Longinus of Selinus
held out till 498, and was then made prisoner by Priscus, an officer
serving under John the Hunchback, exhibited in chains at Constantinople,
and tortured to death at Nicaea. Large numbers of Isaurians were
.
settled in Thrace, and the population of Isauria, which had been greatly
thinned by the two wars, was thereby yet further reduced, so that the
necessity which had made the mountaineers the terror of Asia Minor
no longer existed. The Isaurians had done their work of saving the
East from the fate of the West; and, though they still provided useful
recruits for the army, their day of political power was over. The
importance of looking at home for soldiers instead of trusting to the
barbarians had been learned and was never forgotten.
Besides the Isaurian war Anastasius had also been troubled by in-
cursions of Blemmyes in Egypt (491); and in 498 bands of Saracens


## p. 481 (#511) ############################################

491–503]
Invasion of Kawad
481
invaded the eastern provinces. The followers of Nu‘man of Al Hira,
who owed allegiance to Persia, were after an inroad into Euphratesia
defeated by Eugenius, a duke stationed at Melitene, and parties of
Taghlibi and Ghassani Arabs under Hugr and Gabala, the latter at
least a Roman subject, were routed by Romanus, duke of Palestine, who
also recovered Jotaba, which was leased to a company of Roman traders
for a yearly tribute. In 502 a more successful raid was made by Hugr's
brother, Ma'di Kharb; but the outbreak of the Persian war made it
possible to turn the raids in another direction, and peace was made with
the Taghlibi chief, Al Harith, father of Ma'di Kharb (503). In 502
the Tzani also raided Pontus.
Immediately after the accession of Anastasius, Kawad, who became
king of Persia in 488, demanded a contribution towards the defences of
the Caucasian Gates. This was refused ; but the Armenian rising pre-
vented further action, though Anastasius refused to aid the insurgents.
Kawad took advantage of the Isaurian troubles to repeat his demand,
but was soon afterwards deposed (496). Having been restored by the
king of the Ephthalites under a promise of paying a large sum of money
(499), he again applied to Anastasius for help. The Emperor would
only agree to lend the money on a written promise of payment; and
Kawad, refusing this, entered Roman Armenia (22 Aug.