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Anthemius (praetorian prefect)
Encyclopedia
Flavius
Anthemius (floruit 400-414) was a high-ranking official of the late Roman Empire
. He is notable as a Praetorian prefect of the East and effective regent of the Eastern Roman Empire during the later reign of Arcadius
and the first years of Theodosius II
, as well as for the construction of the first set of the famous Theodosian Walls.
Anthemius was the grandson of Flavius Philippus
, Praetorian prefect of the East in 346. He rose to prominence during the reign of Arcadius
, when he was appointed comes sacrarum largitionum
("Count of the Sacred Treasure") around or in 400 and later magister officiorum
("Master of the Offices") in 404. He occupied the latter position during the disturbances which followed John Chrysostom
's final deposition from the patriarchate
(Easter, 404). John's enemies demanded troops from him with which to disperse the crowd. At first he refused, but then yielded, declaring that they were responsible for the consequences.
In 405 he was appointed Consul
for both Western and Eastern Roman Empire (together with Stilicho
for the Western Empire) and after the death of the Augusta Eudoxia
he succeeded Aurelian in thst year as Praetorian Prefect
of the East, becoming thus the second most powerful man in the Eastern Empire after the Emperor
. On April 28, 406, he was elevated to the rank of patricius. The esteem in which he was held can be seen from Chrysostom's letter of congratulations to him on the Praetorian Prefecture, saying that "the office was more honoured by his tenure than he by the office". During the remaining years of Arcadius' reign he ran the affairs of the Empire, continuing his predecessor's consistent anti-German policy and trying to maintain the autonomy and integrity of the Eastern Empire. This brought him into conflict with the all-powerful Stilicho, who desired to take back the Prefecture of Illyricum and subordinate the Eastern Empire to the West. At the same time, Anthemius had to deal with the presence of Alaric I
and his people in the Illyricum, and the continued insurgency of the Isaurians, who were devastating the southern provinces of Asia Minor
. Furthermore, Anthemius passed a number of new laws against paganism, Judaism and heresy.
When Arcadius died in 408, his son and successor Theodosius II was an infant of seven years. Anthemius assumed the regency, and showed remarkable talent. He initiated a new peace treaty with Persia
, and, thanks also to Stilicho's death, was able to restore harmony in the relations of the imperial courts of Constantinople
and Ravenna
. He strengthened the fleet of the Danube
, which protected the provinces of Moesia
and Scythia, after the successful repulsion of an invasion in 409 by the Hunnic
king Uldin
.
He furthermore successfully regulated the grain supply of Constantinople, which came chiefly from Egypt
and was under the authority of the urban prefect. In the past, shortages had occurred due to the lack of available ships, resulting in famines, the most recent one being in 408. In 409 therefore, Anthemius reorganized the grain transport and granted tax remits to the transporters, took measures to procure grain from elsewhere, and created an emergency fund for the procurement and distribution of corn to the citizens. He also took measures to ensure the regular collection of taxes (409), but in 414, he also gave a tax remit of all arrears for the years 368-407.
The one work of Anthemius' that is still standing today is the main wall of the Theodosian Walls. In the early 5th century, Constantinople had begun to outgrow the bounds set by Constantine I
, and so Anthemius initiated the construction of a new wall, about 1,500 m to the west of the old, which stretched for 6.5 kilometers between the Sea of Marmara
and the suburb of Blachernae
near the Golden Horn
. The wall was finished in 413 and almost doubled the size of the city, a feat for which Bury called him "in a sense, the second founder of Constantinople".
In 414, Anthemius suddenly disappeared from the scene, and the regency was assumed by the Augusta Pulcheria
, while the prefecture was assumed by Aurelian. His fate is unknown, but through his daughter's marriage to magister militum
Procopius, he became grandfather to the later Western Emperor Anthemius
. He was also the father of Anthemius Isidorus
, Consul in 436.
Flavius
Flavius was a gens of ancient Rome, meaning "blond". The feminine form was Flavia.After the end of the popular Flavian dynasty of emperors, Flavius/Flavia became a praenomen, common especially among royalty: the adoption of this praenomen by Constantine I set a precedent for some imperial...
Anthemius (floruit 400-414) was a high-ranking official of the late Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. He is notable as a Praetorian prefect of the East and effective regent of the Eastern Roman Empire during the later reign of Arcadius
Arcadius
Arcadius was the Byzantine Emperor from 395 to his death. He was the eldest son of Theodosius I and his first wife Aelia Flaccilla, and brother of the Western Emperor Honorius...
and the first years of Theodosius II
Theodosius II
Theodosius II , commonly surnamed Theodosius the Younger, or Theodosius the Calligrapher, was Byzantine Emperor from 408 to 450. He is mostly known for promulgating the Theodosian law code, and for the construction of the Theodosian Walls of Constantinople...
, as well as for the construction of the first set of the famous Theodosian Walls.
Life
Flavius Philippus
Flavius Philippus was a Roman Empire officer under Emperor Constantius II.- Biography :Son of a sausage-maker, Philippus rose in social levels becoming a notarius. In 346, he became Praetorian Prefect of the East under Emperor Constantius, allegedly because of the influence of the court eunuchs...
, Praetorian prefect of the East in 346. He rose to prominence during the reign of Arcadius
Arcadius
Arcadius was the Byzantine Emperor from 395 to his death. He was the eldest son of Theodosius I and his first wife Aelia Flaccilla, and brother of the Western Emperor Honorius...
, when he was appointed comes sacrarum largitionum
Comes sacrarum largitionum
The comes sacrarum largitionum was one of the senior fiscal officials of the late Roman Empire and the early Byzantine Empire....
("Count of the Sacred Treasure") around or in 400 and later magister officiorum
Magister officiorum
The magister officiorum was one of the most senior administrative officials in the late Roman Empire and the early centuries of the Byzantine Empire...
("Master of the Offices") in 404. He occupied the latter position during the disturbances which followed John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom , Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic...
's final deposition from the patriarchate
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople , part of the wider Orthodox Church, is one of the fourteen autocephalous churches within the communion of Orthodox Christianity...
(Easter, 404). John's enemies demanded troops from him with which to disperse the crowd. At first he refused, but then yielded, declaring that they were responsible for the consequences.
In 405 he was appointed Consul
Roman consul
A consul served in the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic.Each year, two consuls were elected together, to serve for a one-year term. Each consul was given veto power over his colleague and the officials would alternate each month...
for both Western and Eastern Roman Empire (together with Stilicho
Stilicho
Flavius Stilicho was a high-ranking general , Patrician and Consul of the Western Roman Empire, notably of Vandal birth. Despised by the Roman population for his Germanic ancestry and Arian beliefs, Stilicho was in 408 executed along with his wife and son...
for the Western Empire) and after the death of the Augusta Eudoxia
Aelia Eudoxia
Aelia Eudoxia was the Empress consort of the Byzantine Emperor Arcadius.-Family:She was a daughter of Flavius Bauto, a Romanised Frank who served as magister militum in the Western Roman army during the 380s. The identity of her father is mentioned by Philostorgius...
he succeeded Aurelian in thst year as Praetorian Prefect
Praetorian prefect
Praetorian prefect was the title of a high office in the Roman Empire. Originating as the commander of the Praetorian Guard, the office gradually acquired extensive legal and administrative functions, with its holders becoming the Emperor's chief aides...
of the East, becoming thus the second most powerful man in the Eastern Empire after the Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
. On April 28, 406, he was elevated to the rank of patricius. The esteem in which he was held can be seen from Chrysostom's letter of congratulations to him on the Praetorian Prefecture, saying that "the office was more honoured by his tenure than he by the office". During the remaining years of Arcadius' reign he ran the affairs of the Empire, continuing his predecessor's consistent anti-German policy and trying to maintain the autonomy and integrity of the Eastern Empire. This brought him into conflict with the all-powerful Stilicho, who desired to take back the Prefecture of Illyricum and subordinate the Eastern Empire to the West. At the same time, Anthemius had to deal with the presence of Alaric I
Alaric I
Alaric I was the King of the Visigoths from 395–410. Alaric is most famous for his sack of Rome in 410, which marked a decisive event in the decline of the Roman Empire....
and his people in the Illyricum, and the continued insurgency of the Isaurians, who were devastating the southern provinces of Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
. Furthermore, Anthemius passed a number of new laws against paganism, Judaism and heresy.
When Arcadius died in 408, his son and successor Theodosius II was an infant of seven years. Anthemius assumed the regency, and showed remarkable talent. He initiated a new peace treaty with Persia
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
, and, thanks also to Stilicho's death, was able to restore harmony in the relations of the imperial courts of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
. He strengthened the fleet of the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
, which protected the provinces of Moesia
Moesia
Moesia was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans, along the south bank of the Danube River. It included territories of modern-day Southern Serbia , Northern Republic of Macedonia, Northern Bulgaria, Romanian Dobrudja, Southern Moldova, and Budjak .-History:In ancient...
and Scythia, after the successful repulsion of an invasion in 409 by the Hunnic
Huns
The Huns were a group of nomadic people who, appearing from east of the Volga River, migrated into Europe c. AD 370 and established the vast Hunnic Empire there. Since de Guignes linked them with the Xiongnu, who had been northern neighbours of China 300 years prior to the emergence of the Huns,...
king Uldin
Uldin
Uldin or Uldes was one of the primary chieftains of the Huns located beyond the Danube during the reigns of the Eastern Roman Emperors Arcadius and Theodosius II...
.
He furthermore successfully regulated the grain supply of Constantinople, which came chiefly from Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and was under the authority of the urban prefect. In the past, shortages had occurred due to the lack of available ships, resulting in famines, the most recent one being in 408. In 409 therefore, Anthemius reorganized the grain transport and granted tax remits to the transporters, took measures to procure grain from elsewhere, and created an emergency fund for the procurement and distribution of corn to the citizens. He also took measures to ensure the regular collection of taxes (409), but in 414, he also gave a tax remit of all arrears for the years 368-407.
The one work of Anthemius' that is still standing today is the main wall of the Theodosian Walls. In the early 5th century, Constantinople had begun to outgrow the bounds set by Constantine I
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
, and so Anthemius initiated the construction of a new wall, about 1,500 m to the west of the old, which stretched for 6.5 kilometers between the Sea of Marmara
Sea of Marmara
The Sea of Marmara , also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, and in the context of classical antiquity as the Propontis , is the inland sea that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, thus separating Turkey's Asian and European parts. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Black...
and the suburb of Blachernae
Blachernae
Blachernae was a suburb in the northwestern section of Constantinople, the capital city of the Byzantine Empire. It was the site of a spring and a number of prominent churches were built there, most notably the great Church of St. Mary of Blachernae , built by Empress Pulcheria in circa 450,...
near the Golden Horn
Golden Horn
The Golden Horn is a historic inlet of the Bosphorus dividing the city of Istanbul and forming the natural harbor that has sheltered Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and other ships for thousands of...
. The wall was finished in 413 and almost doubled the size of the city, a feat for which Bury called him "in a sense, the second founder of Constantinople".
In 414, Anthemius suddenly disappeared from the scene, and the regency was assumed by the Augusta Pulcheria
Pulcheria
Aelia Pulcheria was the daughter of Eastern Roman Emperor Arcadius and Empress Aelia Eudoxia. She was the second child born to Arcadius and Eudoxia. Her oldest sister was Flaccilla born in 397, but is assumed she had died young. Her younger siblings were Theodosius II, the future emperor and...
, while the prefecture was assumed by Aurelian. His fate is unknown, but through his daughter's marriage to magister militum
Magister militum
Magister militum was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine. Used alone, the term referred to the senior military officer of the Empire...
Procopius, he became grandfather to the later Western Emperor Anthemius
Anthemius
Procopius Anthemius was Western Roman Emperor from 467 to 472. Perhaps the last capable Western Roman Emperor, Anthemius attempted to solve the two primary military challenges facing the remains of the Western Roman Empire: the resurgent Visigoths, under Euric, whose domain straddled the Pyrenees;...
. He was also the father of Anthemius Isidorus
Anthemius Isidorus
Flavius Anthemius Isidorus was a politician of the Eastern Roman Empire, the maternal uncle of the Western emperor Anthemius.- Biography :...
, Consul in 436.
Sources
- John Bagnell Bury, History of the Later Roman Empire Vol. I, Macmillan & Co., Ltd. 1923