On This Day In Roman History, February 7
Flavius Valerius Leo Augustus, also known as Leo I, is crowned Emperor of the Byzantine Empire on February 7, 457 CE. As mentioned on my January 18th entry (see further reading section below for link) Leo I was the first Roman Emperor to involve the Patriarch of Constantinople in his coronation. Leo also notably was the first Eastern Emperor to legislate in Greek rather than Latin. His rise to power began from a military career, where he achieved the rank of comes (Latin for companion). Leo's early reign was defined by an Eastern Roman patrician of either Alanic or Gothic descent named Flavius Ardabur Aspar. This Germanic general had been essentially assigning puppet Emperors (Theodosius II, Marcian and Leo I), wielding his military and political prestige to great extent in the Eastern Roman Empire from the early 420's until his death in 471. Leo would eventually implicate both Aspar and his eldest son, Ardabur, in a plot that would claim both of their lives.
Did you know?
Leo and his wife Verina had three children, of which the youngest was a daughter named Leontia. This Leonatia would go on to be wed to Marcian, the son of Emperor Anthemius and Marcia Euphemia. Marcian and Leontia would go on to lead the failed revolt against Zeno in 478. They would later be exiled to Isauria for this action, now in the modern day Konya Province of Turkey.
Pictured: Bust of Byzantine Empreror Leo I (reigned 457–474 AD). Alabaster (antique head) and marble (modern restoration), ca. 470 AD. Photo by Marie-Lan Nguyen, via Wikimedia Commons.
I have seen a large amount of discussion on this particular bust, and people mainly seem confused on its strange appearance. It should be noted that during this time the classical Latin or Western style(s) was changing and becoming something completely different in the East. This particular bust probably contained precious gems for the eyes or pupils, or a painted wax/ soft stone. This bust may have been in full color but no modern studies (that I could find) have proven this one way or another, For an interesting read on color and design of sculptures in classical antiquity, check out the second link in the further reading section below.
Opinion
In my other opinion section on Leo, I praised his work that probably did temporarily suspend the demise of the Western Empire. Today it is my opinion that this Thracian dude really must have been politically influential to throw off the shackles of the entrenched power Aspar held over him. The two Emperors before him (Theodosius II and Marcian) could not do what he did. To be fair, Aspar had a large amount of influence not over these Emperors, but over the East and its culture as a whole. Leo would mark the end of the Germanic domination of Eastern Roman policy.
Sources
Fleury, C., Parode, B., Ziegler, D., & A. (1758). Historia Ecclesiastica. August. Vind.: Wolff.
Mitchell, S. (2007). A history of the later Roman Empire: AD 284-641: the transformation of the ancient world. Malden, MA: Blackwell.
Norwich, J. J. (1989). Byzantium: the early centuries. New York: Knopf.
Williams, S., & Friell, J. G. (1999). The Rome that did not fall: the survival of the East in the fifth century. London: Routledge.
Further Reading:
Special Thanks: Michael Houghan
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