Germanus (Caesar)
Encyclopedia
Germanus was a Caesar
of the Byzantine Empire
. He married Charito, a daughter of Tiberius II Constantine
and Ino Anastasia
.
According to The Emperor Maurice and His Historian: Theophylact Simocatta on Persian and Balkan warfare (1988) by Michael Whitby, Germanus was a patrician and governor of the praetorian prefecture of Africa
. He was chosen by the dying Tiberius II as a viable heir for his throne in 582. "In a dual ceremony on 5 August Germanus ... and Maurice were elevated to the rank of Caesar and betrothed to Tiberius' two daughters, Charito and Constantina
.".
Whitby regards the arrangement as indicating Tiberius' plans to have two co-rulers as successors. He suggests that the dying emperor might even been trying to reintroduce the concept of a Western and Eastern Roman Emperor. With Germanus and Maurice chosen for their respective connections to the western and eastern provinces of the Empire. Whitby identifies this Germanus with a similarly named son born to Germanus (d. 550) and Matasuntha.
According to a statement in Jordanes
' Getica, the senior Germanus was a descendant of the noble Roman clan of the Anicii
. The exact nature of his connection however, if it is anything more than a literary device to indicate noble descent, is unclear. Theodor Mommsen
hypothesized that his mother could have been a daughter of Anicia Juliana
. Matasuntha was a daughter of Eutharic
and Amalasuntha
. She was a sister of Athalaric
, King of the Ostrogoths. Their maternal grandparents were Theodoric the Great
and Audofleda
. Whitby suggests that a dual origin from the Anicii and Ostrogoth royalty would indeed give the new Caesar a strong claim to ruling Africa and the Praetorian prefecture of Italy
. However, the common name "Germanus" may hint to these figures being related to each other but there are insufficient evidence for identifications.
The Chronicle of John of Nikiû
records on the death of Tiberius: "He died in peace in the third year of his reign. It was owing to the sins of men that his days were so few; for they were not worthy of such a Godloving emperor, and so they lost this gracious and good man. Before he died he gave orders that his son-in-law, named Germanus, should be raised to the imperial throne. Now he had formerly been patrician. But owing to his humility of heart he refused to be emperor. Thereupon Maurice, who was of the province of Cappadocia
, was made emperor." Whitby considers this to be the only primary source for Tiberius preferring Germanus over Maurice. He feels it has more to do with John's bias against Maurice than accuracy. John of Nikiû vehemently criticizes the religious policies of Maurice and even calls him a pagan
The narrative of John of Nikiû is contradicted by the Historia Francorum of Gregory of Tours
which also records Byzantine events. He depicts Maurice as hand-picked to be heir, first by dowager empress Sophia
and then by Tiberius II.
Germanus disappears from sources following his marriage. He may have resurfaced as the patricius Germanus
mentioned in the 600s, whose daughter married Maurice's eldest son Theodosius
. Once again, the identification is uncertain.
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
of the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. He married Charito, a daughter of Tiberius II Constantine
Tiberius II Constantine
Tiberius II Constantine was Byzantine Emperor from 574 to 582.During his reign, Tiberius II Constantine gave away 7,200 pounds of gold each year for four years....
and Ino Anastasia
Ino Anastasia
Ino , renamed Aelia Anastasia was the Empress consort of Tiberius II Constantine of the Byzantine Empire, and Augusta from 578 until her death.-Early life and marriages:...
.
According to The Emperor Maurice and His Historian: Theophylact Simocatta on Persian and Balkan warfare (1988) by Michael Whitby, Germanus was a patrician and governor of the praetorian prefecture of Africa
Praetorian prefecture of Africa
The praetorian prefecture of Africa was a major administrative division of the Eastern Roman Empire, established after the reconquest of northwestern Africa from the Vandals in 533-534 by emperor Justinian I...
. He was chosen by the dying Tiberius II as a viable heir for his throne in 582. "In a dual ceremony on 5 August Germanus ... and Maurice were elevated to the rank of Caesar and betrothed to Tiberius' two daughters, Charito and Constantina
Constantina (empress)
Constantina was the Empress consort of Maurice of the Byzantine Empire.-Family:Constantina was a daughter of Tiberius II Constantine and his wife Ino Anastasia. Her parentage was recorded in the chronicles of Theophylact Simocatta, Paul the Deacon and John of Biclaro.The Georgian Chronicle...
.".
Whitby regards the arrangement as indicating Tiberius' plans to have two co-rulers as successors. He suggests that the dying emperor might even been trying to reintroduce the concept of a Western and Eastern Roman Emperor. With Germanus and Maurice chosen for their respective connections to the western and eastern provinces of the Empire. Whitby identifies this Germanus with a similarly named son born to Germanus (d. 550) and Matasuntha.
According to a statement in Jordanes
Jordanes
Jordanes, also written Jordanis or Jornandes, was a 6th century Roman bureaucrat, who turned his hand to history later in life....
' Getica, the senior Germanus was a descendant of the noble Roman clan of the Anicii
Anicia (gens)
The gens Anicia was a plebeian family at Rome, mentioned first towards the end of the 4th century BC The first of the Anicii under to achieve prominence under the Republic was Lucius Anicius Gallus, who conducted the war against the Illyrii during the Third Macedonian War, in 168 BC.A noble family...
. The exact nature of his connection however, if it is anything more than a literary device to indicate noble descent, is unclear. Theodor Mommsen
Theodor Mommsen
Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen was a German classical scholar, historian, jurist, journalist, politician, archaeologist, and writer generally regarded as the greatest classicist of the 19th century. His work regarding Roman history is still of fundamental importance for contemporary research...
hypothesized that his mother could have been a daughter of Anicia Juliana
Anicia Juliana
Anicia Juliana was a Roman imperial princess, the daughter of the Western Roman Emperor Olybrius, of the Anicii, by Placidia the younger, daughter of Emperor Valentinian III and Licinia Eudoxia....
. Matasuntha was a daughter of Eutharic
Eutharic
Eutharic Cilliga was a Visigothic prince from Iberia who, during the early 6th century, served as Roman Consul and "son in arms" alongside the Byzantine emperor Justin I...
and Amalasuntha
Amalasuntha
Amalasuntha was a queen of the Ostrogoths from 526 to 534....
. She was a sister of Athalaric
Athalaric
Athalaric was the King of the Ostrogoths in Italy. He was a son of Eutharic and Amalasuntha. His maternal grandfather was Theodoric the Great. He succeeded his grandfather as king in 526....
, King of the Ostrogoths. Their maternal grandparents were Theodoric the Great
Theodoric the Great
Theodoric the Great was king of the Ostrogoths , ruler of Italy , regent of the Visigoths , and a viceroy of the Eastern Roman Empire...
and Audofleda
Audofleda
Audofleda was a Gothic queen. She was the sister of Clovis I, King of the Franks. She married Theodoric the Great, King of the Ostrogoths , around 493 AD . Theodoric sent an embassy to Clovis to request the marriage...
. Whitby suggests that a dual origin from the Anicii and Ostrogoth royalty would indeed give the new Caesar a strong claim to ruling Africa and the Praetorian prefecture of Italy
Praetorian prefecture of Italy
The praetorian prefecture of Italy ) was one of four large Praetorian prefectures into which the Late Roman Empire was divided. It comprised the Italian peninsula, the Western Balkans, the Danubian provinces and parts of North Africa...
. However, the common name "Germanus" may hint to these figures being related to each other but there are insufficient evidence for identifications.
The Chronicle of John of Nikiû
John of Nikiû
John of Nikiû was an Egyptian Coptic bishop of Nikiû/Pashati in the Nile Delta and appointed general administrator of the monasteries of Upper Egypt in 696...
records on the death of Tiberius: "He died in peace in the third year of his reign. It was owing to the sins of men that his days were so few; for they were not worthy of such a Godloving emperor, and so they lost this gracious and good man. Before he died he gave orders that his son-in-law, named Germanus, should be raised to the imperial throne. Now he had formerly been patrician. But owing to his humility of heart he refused to be emperor. Thereupon Maurice, who was of the province of Cappadocia
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province.In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine...
, was made emperor." Whitby considers this to be the only primary source for Tiberius preferring Germanus over Maurice. He feels it has more to do with John's bias against Maurice than accuracy. John of Nikiû vehemently criticizes the religious policies of Maurice and even calls him a pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
The narrative of John of Nikiû is contradicted by the Historia Francorum of Gregory of Tours
Gregory of Tours
Saint Gregory of Tours was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours, which made him a leading prelate of Gaul. He was born Georgius Florentius, later adding the name Gregorius in honour of his maternal great-grandfather...
which also records Byzantine events. He depicts Maurice as hand-picked to be heir, first by dowager empress Sophia
Sophia (empress)
Aelia Sophia was the Empress consort of Justin II of the Byzantine Empire from 565 to 578. She was specifically interested in economic matters and was involved in financial matters during Justin's reign...
and then by Tiberius II.
Germanus disappears from sources following his marriage. He may have resurfaced as the patricius Germanus
Germanus (patricius)
Germanus, called "patricius" , was a leading member of the Byzantine Senate during the reign of Maurice.-Family:Other that a wife called Leontia by Theophanes the Confessor, there is no named relative of Germanus. His name has led to a possible identification with a similarly named son of Germanus...
mentioned in the 600s, whose daughter married Maurice's eldest son Theodosius
Theodosius (son of Maurice)
Theodosius was the eldest son of Byzantine Emperor Maurice and was co-emperor from 590 until his deposition and execution during a military revolt in November 602. Along with his father-in-law Germanus, he was briefly proposed as successor to Maurice by the troops, but the army eventually...
. Once again, the identification is uncertain.