Procopius Anthemius
Encyclopedia
Flavius Procopius Anthemius (floruit 469-515) was a politician of the Eastern Roman Empire, son of Western Roman Emperor Anthemius
.
and of Marcia Euphemia
, daughter of the Easter Roman Empire. His brothers were Anthemiolus
, Marcian
and Romulus
; he also had a sister, Alypia
.
He lived at Constantinople
, at Easter Emperor Leo I
's court, while his father shortly ruled on the Western Roman Empire
(467-472), unsuccessfully trying to restore the Roman power in the Western provinces beyond Italy and Gaul. During this time, his brother Anthemiolus died while leading an attack against the Visigoths (in 471) and his sister Alypia married the powerful magister militum of barbarian origin Ricimer
.
In 474, Leo died. He had left no sons and two daughters, the elder Ariadne
, born before Leo was raised to the throne and married to the Isaurian general Zeno
, and the younger Leontia, born when Leo was already emperor and married to Procopius' brother, Marcian.
The people of Constantinople despised the Isaurians, whom they considered barbarians; furthermore, Leontia's status as "porphyrogenita" gave her some sort of precedence to the throne, according to the faction that opposed Zeno. For this reason Marcian tried to overthrow Zeno. With the help of Procopius and Romulus, he 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 Marcian, 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 was arrested with his brothers.
They were sent to Caesarea in Cappadocia. With the help of some monks, they tried to escape, but Marcian failed, while Procopius fled in Thrace to Theodoric Strabo (who refused to handle him to Zeno) and then at Rome
.
Later Procopius returned to Constantinople, under emperor Anastasius I
(491-518). Empress Ariadne asked to Anastasius, whom she had married after Zeno's death, to appoint Procopius praetorian prefect
; Anastasius refused, saying that the office required more learning that Procopius had. Nonetheless in 515 he held the consulship.
Procopius might be the Anthemius husband of Herais and father of a Zeno betrothed to a nephew of emperor Zeno; this Anthemius was probably a patricius.
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
Procopius 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;...
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...
, daughter of the Easter Roman Empire. 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 Romulus
Romulus (son of Anthemius)
Romulus was a member of the House of Theodosius, son of Western Roman Emperor Anthemius.- Biography :Romulus was the son of Anthemius and of Marcia Euphemia. His brothers were Anthemiolus, Marcian and Procopius Anthemius, his sister was Alypia...
; he also had a sister, Alypia
Alypia
Alypia is a genus of moths of the Noctuidae family.-Species:* Alypia australis Schaus, 1920* Alypia langtoni Couper, 1865* Alypia lulesa Köhler, 1940* Alypia mariposa Grote & Robinson, 1868* Alypia octomaculata...
.
He lived at 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:...
, at Easter Emperor Leo I
Leo I (emperor)
Leo I was Byzantine Emperor from 457 to 474. A native of Dacia Aureliana near historic Thrace, he was known as Leo the Thracian ....
's court, while his father shortly ruled on the Western Roman Empire
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire was the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly referred to today as the Byzantine Empire....
(467-472), unsuccessfully trying to restore the Roman power in the Western provinces beyond Italy and Gaul. During this time, his brother Anthemiolus died while leading an attack against the Visigoths (in 471) and his sister Alypia married the powerful magister militum of barbarian origin Ricimer
Ricimer
Flavius Ricimer was a Germanic general who achieved effective control of the remaining parts of the Western Roman Empire, during the middle of the 5th century...
.
In 474, Leo died. He had left no sons and two daughters, the elder Ariadne
Ariadne (empress)
Aelia Ariadne was the Empress consort of Zeno and Anastasius I of the Byzantine Empire.-Family:Ariadne was a daughter of Leo I and Verina. Her mother was a sister of Basiliscus....
, born before Leo was raised to the throne and married to the Isaurian general 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...
, and the younger Leontia, born when Leo was already emperor and married to Procopius' brother, Marcian.
The people of Constantinople despised the Isaurians, whom they considered barbarians; furthermore, Leontia's status as "porphyrogenita" gave her some sort of precedence to the throne, according to the faction that opposed Zeno. For this reason Marcian tried to overthrow Zeno. With the help of Procopius and Romulus, he 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 Marcian, 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 was arrested with his brothers.
They were sent to Caesarea in Cappadocia. With the help of some monks, they tried to escape, but Marcian failed, while Procopius fled in Thrace to Theodoric Strabo (who refused to handle him to Zeno) and then at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Later Procopius returned to Constantinople, under 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....
(491-518). Empress Ariadne asked to Anastasius, whom she had married after Zeno's death, to appoint Procopius praetorian prefect
Praetorian prefect
Praetorian prefect was the title of a high office in the Roman Empire. Originating as the commander of the Praetorian Guard, the office gradually acquired extensive legal and administrative functions, with its holders becoming the Emperor's chief aides...
; Anastasius refused, saying that the office required more learning that Procopius had. Nonetheless in 515 he held the consulship.
Procopius might be the Anthemius husband of Herais and father of a Zeno betrothed to a nephew of emperor Zeno; this Anthemius was probably a patricius.