Marcellus (brother of Justin II)
Encyclopedia
Marcellus was a brother of Byzantine emperor Justin II
(r. 565–578) and general under his uncle, Justinian I
(r. 527–565).
Marcellus was the son of Vigilantia
, the sister of Justinian, and Dulcidio (or Dulcissimus), and thus the brother of Justin II and Praejecta
. He was married to Juliana, the daughter of Anastasius Paulus Probus Moschianus Probus Magnus, consul
of 518 and a relative of the Emperor Anastasius I
(r. 491–518). Juliana was a staunch Monophysite, and despite her family relation to Justin II, during his reign she was persecuted for her faith, being confined to a monastery in Chalcedon
and made to perform the most menial tasks until she agreed to communicate
, thereby (at least outwardly) renouncing her faith.
In 544, Marcellus was appointed a general, along with Constantinianus, in the ongoing Lazic War
(541–562) against Sassanid Persia, replacing the killed generals Justus (a cousin of Justinian and thus Marcellus' uncle) and Peranius
. According to Procopius
(Wars, II.28), at this time Marcellus was still very young, "just arriving at the age of manhood". No activities of his are recorded there however, and the war soon ended by a truce.
Marcellus reappears in 562, when a large horde of Bulgars
invaded the Balkans
and raided Thrace
as far as the neighbourhood of Constantinople
, and Justinian appointed Marcellus to lead an army against them. He is mentioned again (as a patricius) in late 565, when he played an important role, alongside Baduarius
, in the ceremonies marking the accession of Justin II.
The date of his death is unknown; in ca. 582/583, his property was divided by the new emperor Maurice
(r. 582–602) among the latter's father Paul
and his brother Peter
.
Justin II
Justin II was Byzantine Emperor from 565 to 578. He was the husband of Sophia, nephew of Justinian I and the late Empress Theodora, and was therefore a member of the Justinian Dynasty. His reign is marked by war with Persia and the loss of the greater part of Italy...
(r. 565–578) and general under his uncle, Justinian I
Justinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
(r. 527–565).
Marcellus was the son of Vigilantia
Vigilantia
Vigilantia was a sister of Byzantine emperor Justinian I , and mother to his successor Justin II .- Name :The name "Vigilantia" is Latin for "alertness, wakefulness". Itself deriving from "vigilia" and "vigil"...
, the sister of Justinian, and Dulcidio (or Dulcissimus), and thus the brother of Justin II and Praejecta
Praejecta
Praejecta or Praiecta was a niece to Byzantine emperor Justinian I by blood and of his empress Theodora by marriage.She was a daughter of Vigilantia and Dulcidio , respectively the sister and brother-in-law of Justinian. She was also a sister of later emperor Justin II Praejecta or Praiecta was a...
. He was married to Juliana, the daughter of Anastasius Paulus Probus Moschianus Probus Magnus, 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...
of 518 and a relative of the Emperor Anastasius I
Anastasius I (emperor)
Anastasius I was Byzantine Emperor from 491 to 518. During his reign the Roman eastern frontier underwent extensive re-fortification, including the construction of Dara, a stronghold intended to counter the Persian fortress of Nisibis....
(r. 491–518). Juliana was a staunch Monophysite, and despite her family relation to Justin II, during his reign she was persecuted for her faith, being confined to a monastery in Chalcedon
Chalcedon
Chalcedon , sometimes transliterated as Chalkedon) was an ancient maritime town of Bithynia, in Asia Minor, almost directly opposite Byzantium, south of Scutari . It is now a district of the city of Istanbul named Kadıköy...
and made to perform the most menial tasks until she agreed to communicate
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
, thereby (at least outwardly) renouncing her faith.
In 544, Marcellus was appointed a general, along with Constantinianus, in the ongoing Lazic War
Lazic War
The Lazic War or Colchic War, also known as the Great War of Egrisi in Georgian historiography, was fought between the Byzantine Empire and Sassanid Persia for control of the region of Lazica, in what is now western Georgia...
(541–562) against Sassanid Persia, replacing the killed generals Justus (a cousin of Justinian and thus Marcellus' uncle) and Peranius
Peranius
Peranius was a Georgian prince from Iberia and a military commander in Roman service. According to Procopius, he was the eldest son of the Iberian king Gurgenes. Gurgenes can be identified with Vakhtang I Gorgasali of the Georgian sources; and Peranius might have been his brother rather than a son...
. According to Procopius
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea was a prominent Byzantine scholar from Palestine. Accompanying the general Belisarius in the wars of the Emperor Justinian I, he became the principal historian of the 6th century, writing the Wars of Justinian, the Buildings of Justinian and the celebrated Secret History...
(Wars, II.28), at this time Marcellus was still very young, "just arriving at the age of manhood". No activities of his are recorded there however, and the war soon ended by a truce.
Marcellus reappears in 562, when a large horde of Bulgars
Bulgars
The Bulgars were a semi-nomadic who flourished in the Pontic Steppe and the Volga basin in the 7th century.The Bulgars emerge after the collapse of the Hunnic Empire in the 5th century....
invaded the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
and raided Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
as far as the neighbourhood 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 Justinian appointed Marcellus to lead an army against them. He is mentioned again (as a patricius) in late 565, when he played an important role, alongside Baduarius
Baduarius
Baduarius was an East Roman aristocrat, the son-in-law of Byzantine emperor Justin II . Theophanes the Confessor erroneously calls him a brother.- Life :...
, in the ceremonies marking the accession of Justin II.
The date of his death is unknown; in ca. 582/583, his property was divided by the new emperor Maurice
Maurice (emperor)
Maurice was Byzantine Emperor from 582 to 602.A prominent general in his youth, Maurice fought with success against the Sassanid Persians...
(r. 582–602) among the latter's father Paul
Paul (father of Maurice)
Paul was the father of Maurice, Byzantine Emperor. He served as head of the Byzantine Senate.- Background :According to Evagrius Scholasticus, Maurice and his family could trace their lineage from "elder Rome". The future Emperor had been born in Arabissus, Cappadocia. The family's hometown was...
and his brother Peter
Peter (curopalates)
Petrus |Cappadocia]] – 27 November 602 in Constantinople or Chalcedon) was a brother of the Byzantine Emperor Maurice, who reigned from 582 to 602.-Background:...
.