Romulus (son of Anthemius)
Encyclopedia
Romulus was a member of the House of Theodosius, son of Western Roman Emperor Anthemius
.
(Western Roman Emperor in 467-472) and of Marcia Euphemia
. His brothers were Anthemiolus
, Marcian
and Procopius Anthemius
, his sister was Alypia
. He was a member of the House of Theodosius, as his maternal grandfather, the Eastern Emperor Marcian
, had married Pulcheria
, granddaughter of Theodosius I
.
In 479, Romulus and his brother Marcian and Procopius rebelled against the new Eastern Emperor, Zeno
. They asked for the help of Theodoric Strabo
, then gathered in Constantinople
troops composed by both citizens and foreigners in the house of a Caesarius, south of the Forum of Theodosius
, and from there they marched at the same time on the imperial palace and on the house of Illus
, an Isaurian general supporter of Zeno. The emperor almost fell in the hands of the rebels, who, during the day, overwhelmed the imperial troops, who were hit also by the citizens from the roofs of their houses. During the night, however, Illus succeeded in moving inside Constantinople an Isaurian unit whose quarters were in the nearby Chalcedonia and in corrupting Marcian's soldiers, who allowed Zeno to flee. On the following morning Romulus and his brothers, understanding that his situation was desperate and that the reinforcements of the Gothic general Theodoric Strabo
would have not arrive in time, took refuge in the church of the Holy Apostles
, but were arrested.
They were sent to Caesarea in Cappadocia. With the help of some monks, they tried to escape, but Marcian failed, while Romulus and Procopius fled to Rome
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;...
.
Biography
Romulus was the son of AnthemiusAnthemius
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;...
(Western Roman Emperor in 467-472) and of Marcia Euphemia
Marcia Euphemia
Aelia Marcia/Marciana Euphemia was the wife of Anthemius, Western Roman Emperor.-Family:Marcia/Marciana Euphemia was the only known daughter of Marcian, Byzantine Emperor. The identity of her mother is unknown. Her stepmother was Pulcheria, second wife of her father. Pulcheria had taken a...
. His brothers were Anthemiolus
Anthemiolus
Anthemiolus was the son of the Western Roman Emperor Anthemius and Marcia Euphemia, daughter of the Eastern Roman emperor Marcian....
, Marcian
Marcian (usurper)
Marcian was a member of the House of Leo and an usurper against Emperor Zeno in 479.- Biography :Marcian was a member of several Roman imperial families...
and Procopius Anthemius
Procopius Anthemius
Flavius Procopius Anthemius was a politician of the Eastern Roman Empire, son of Western Roman Emperor Anthemius.- Biography :Procopius was the son of Anthemius and of Marcia Euphemia, daughter of the Easter Roman Empire...
, his sister was Alypia
Alypia (daughter of Anthemius)
Alypia was a noblewoman of the Western Roman Empire, daughter of the Western Roman Emperor Anthemius.- Life :Alypia was the only daughter of Anthemius and Aelia Marcia Euphemia, and grand-daughter of the Eastern Roman Emperor Marcian....
. He was a member of the House of Theodosius, as his maternal grandfather, the Eastern Emperor 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...
, had married 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...
, granddaughter of Theodosius I
Theodosius I
Theodosius I , also known as Theodosius the Great, was Roman Emperor from 379 to 395. Theodosius was the last emperor to rule over both the eastern and the western halves of the Roman Empire. During his reign, the Goths secured control of Illyricum after the Gothic War, establishing their homeland...
.
In 479, Romulus and his brother Marcian and Procopius rebelled against the new Eastern Emperor, 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...
. They asked for the help of Theodoric Strabo
Theodoric Strabo
Theodoric Strabo was an Ostrogoth chieftain who was involved in the politics of the Byzantine Empire during the reigns of Byzantine Emperors Leo I, Zeno and Basiliscus...
, then gathered in 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:...
troops composed by both citizens and foreigners in the house of a Caesarius, south of the Forum of Theodosius
Forum of Theodosius
The Forum of Theodosius was an area in Constantinople. It was originally built by Constantine I and named the Forum Tauri...
, and from there they marched at the same time on the imperial palace and on the house of Illus
Illus
Illus was a Byzantine general, who played an important role in the reigns of the Byzantine Emperors Zeno and Basiliscus.Illus supported the revolt of Basiliscus against Zeno, then switched sides, supporting the return of Zeno...
, an Isaurian general supporter of Zeno. The emperor almost fell in the hands of the rebels, who, during the day, overwhelmed the imperial troops, who were hit also by the citizens from the roofs of their houses. During the night, however, Illus succeeded in moving inside Constantinople an Isaurian unit whose quarters were in the nearby Chalcedonia and in corrupting Marcian's soldiers, who allowed Zeno to flee. On the following morning Romulus and his brothers, understanding that his situation was desperate and that the reinforcements of the Gothic general Theodoric Strabo
Theodoric Strabo
Theodoric Strabo was an Ostrogoth chieftain who was involved in the politics of the Byzantine Empire during the reigns of Byzantine Emperors Leo I, Zeno and Basiliscus...
would have not arrive in time, took refuge in the church of the Holy Apostles
Church of the Holy Apostles
The Church of the Holy Apostles , also known as the Imperial Polyandreion, was a Christian church built in Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, in 550. It was second only to the Church of the Holy Wisdom among the great churches of the capital...
, but were arrested.
They were sent to Caesarea in Cappadocia. With the help of some monks, they tried to escape, but Marcian failed, while Romulus and Procopius fled to Rome