Zeno (consul 448)
Encyclopedia
Flavius Zeno was an influential general and politician of the Eastern Roman Empire, of Isauria
n origin, who reached the ranks of magister militum
per Orientem, consul
and patricius.
Between 447 and 451 he was magister militum per Orientem. In 447 he was put at the head of an Isaurian unit and entrusted with the defence of Constantinople
, in occasion of the attack of Attila. In that occasion he was already magister militum per Orientem (Commander-in-chief of the Eastern army) and was called to defend the capital because all of the other magistri were far away, fighting against the Huns
. As a reward of the successful defence of Constantinople, he was appointed consul for the year 448.
In 449 and in 450 he opposed the powerful eunuch Chrysaphius
, comes sacrarum largitionum
at court, who wanted to obtain Attila's favour. He opposed to the marriage of Attila's secretary, Constanttius, and Saturninus' daughter, whom he married to one of his supporters, Rufus. It is known that in 450, the imperial court feared Zeno's wrath if he were to know the treaty with Attila.
In 451 he was appointed patricius.
According to Damascius
, Zeno planned to kill an emperor, in one of the two plots organized by pagan officers, but the emperor died after falling from his horse. According to modern historians, Zeno had planned to kill Theodosius II
, but the emperor died before the plan could be carried out.
Zeno died during the reign of Marcian
(450-457). Among his supporters there was the magister militum Apollonius
; Theodoret
wrote him two letters.
According to ancient sources, Zeno's prestigious career was the reason why another Isaurian officer, Tarasis, chose the Greek name Zeno when he married into the Imperial family, thus being known as Zeno
when he rose to the throne. Some modern historians suggest that Zeno was the father of the emperor, but there is no consensus about this, and other sources suggest that Tarasis was member of Zeno's entourage.
Isauria
Isauria , in ancient geography, is a rugged isolated district in the interior of South Asia Minor, of very different extent at different periods, but generally covering what is now the district of Bozkır and its surroundings in the Konya province of Turkey, or the core of the Taurus Mountains. In...
n origin, who reached the ranks of 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...
per Orientem, 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...
and patricius.
Biography
Zeno was of Isaurian origin and had a brother, who died before 448.Between 447 and 451 he was magister militum per Orientem. In 447 he was put at the head of an Isaurian unit and entrusted with the defence 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:...
, in occasion of the attack of Attila. In that occasion he was already magister militum per Orientem (Commander-in-chief of the Eastern army) and was called to defend the capital because all of the other magistri were far away, fighting against the Huns
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,...
. As a reward of the successful defence of Constantinople, he was appointed consul for the year 448.
In 449 and in 450 he opposed the powerful eunuch Chrysaphius
Chrysaphius
Chrysaphius was a eunuch at the Eastern Roman court, who became the chief minister of Theodosius II . Effectively the ruler of the empire during his ascendancy, he pursued a policy of appeasement towards the Huns, which cost the empire far more gold than any military campaign, while amassing a...
, 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....
at court, who wanted to obtain Attila's favour. He opposed to the marriage of Attila's secretary, Constanttius, and Saturninus' daughter, whom he married to one of his supporters, Rufus. It is known that in 450, the imperial court feared Zeno's wrath if he were to know the treaty with Attila.
In 451 he was appointed patricius.
According to Damascius
Damascius
Damascius , known as "the last of the Neoplatonists," was the last scholarch of the School of Athens. He was one of the pagan philosophers persecuted by Justinian in the early 6th century, and was forced for a time to seek refuge in the Persian court, before being allowed back into the empire...
, Zeno planned to kill an emperor, in one of the two plots organized by pagan officers, but the emperor died after falling from his horse. According to modern historians, Zeno had planned to kill 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...
, but the emperor died before the plan could be carried out.
Zeno died during the reign of Marcian
Marcian
Marcian was Byzantine Emperor from 450 to 457. Marcian's rule marked a recovery of the Eastern Empire, which the Emperor protected from external menaces and reformed economically and financially...
(450-457). Among his supporters there was the magister militum Apollonius
Apollonius (magister militum)
- Biography :Apollonius was a Pagan and well-educated. Before 448 he converted to Christianity. He received two letters by Theodoret.He was magister militum praesentalis in the East at least since 443 and until 451, when he was sent to Attila as ambassador; in that occasion the King of the Huns...
; Theodoret
Theodoret
Theodoret of Cyrus or Cyrrhus was an influential author, theologian, and Christian bishop of Cyrrhus, Syria . He played a pivotal role in many early Byzantine church controversies that led to various ecumenical acts and schisms...
wrote him two letters.
According to ancient sources, Zeno's prestigious career was the reason why another Isaurian officer, Tarasis, chose the Greek name Zeno when he married into the Imperial family, thus being known as Zeno
Zeno (emperor)
Zeno , originally named Tarasis, was Byzantine Emperor from 474 to 475 and again from 476 to 491. Domestic revolts and religious dissension plagued his reign, which nevertheless succeeded to some extent in foreign issues...
when he rose to the throne. Some modern historians suggest that Zeno was the father of the emperor, but there is no consensus about this, and other sources suggest that Tarasis was member of Zeno's entourage.
Primary sources
- Evagrius ScholasticusEvagrius ScholasticusEvagrius Scholasticus was a Syrian scholar and intellectual living in the 6th century AD, and an aide to the patriarch Gregory of Antioch. His surviving work, Ecclesiastical History, comprises a six-volume collection concerning the Church's history from the First Council of Ephesus to Maurice’s...
, Historia ecclesiastica - DamasciusDamasciusDamascius , known as "the last of the Neoplatonists," was the last scholarch of the School of Athens. He was one of the pagan philosophers persecuted by Justinian in the early 6th century, and was forced for a time to seek refuge in the Persian court, before being allowed back into the empire...
, Philosophycal History - JordanesJordanesJordanes, also written Jordanis or Jornandes, was a 6th century Roman bureaucrat, who turned his hand to history later in life....
, Romana - PriscusPriscusPriscus of Panium was a late Roman diplomat, sophist and historian from Rumelifeneri living in the Roman Empire during the 5th century. He accompanied Maximinus, the ambassador of Theodosius II, to the court of Attila in 448...
, Historia - TheodoretTheodoretTheodoret of Cyrus or Cyrrhus was an influential author, theologian, and Christian bishop of Cyrrhus, Syria . He played a pivotal role in many early Byzantine church controversies that led to various ecumenical acts and schisms...
, Epistles
Secondary sources
- Jones, Arnold Hugh Martin, John Robert Martindale, John Morris, "Fl. Zenon 6", The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Volume 2, Cambridge University Press, 1980, ISBN 0521201594, pp. 1199–1200.