Theodosius (son of Maurice)
Encyclopedia
Theodosius was the eldest son of Byzantine Emperor Maurice
(r. 582–602) 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 favoured Phocas
instead. Sent in an abortive mission to secure aid from Sassanid Persia by his father, Theodosius was captured and executed by Phocas's supporters a few days after his father. Several rumours spread that he had survived the execution, and became popular to the extent that a man purported to be Theodosius was entertained by the Persians as a pretext for launching a war against Byzantium.
Constantina
. He was born on August 4, 583 (according to the contemporary John of Ephesus
and other chroniclers) or 585 (according to the later histories of Theophanes the Confessor
and Kedrenos
). He was the first son to be born to a reigning emperor
since Theodosius II
in 401, and was accordingly named after the previous ruler. The papal envoy, or apocrisiarius
, to Constantinople
, the future Pope Gregory the Great, acted as his godfather. The scholar Evagrius Scholasticus
composed a work celebrating Theodosius' birth, for which he was rewarded by Maurice with the rank of consul
.
A few years after his birth, possibly in 587, Theodosius was raised to the rank of Caesar
and thus became his father's heir-apparent, while on March 26, 590, he was publicly proclaimed as co-emperor.
In November 601 or early February 602, Maurice married Theodosius to a daughter of the patrician Germanus
, a leading member of the Byzantine Senate
. The historian Theophylact Simocatta
, the major chronicler of Maurice's reign, also records that on February 2, 602, Germanus saved Theodosius from harm during food riots in Constantinople.
Later in the same year, during the revolt of the Danubian
armies in autumn, Theodosius and his father-in-law were hunting in the outskirts of Constantinople. There they received a letter from the mutinous troops, in which they demanded Maurice's resignation, a redress of their grievances, and offered the crown to either of the two. They presented the letter to Maurice, who rejected the army's demands. The emperor however began suspecting Germanus of playing a part in the revolt. Theodosius promptly informed his father-in-law of this and advised him to hide, and on 21 November Germanus fled first to a local church and then to the Hagia Sophia
, seeking sanctuary from the Byzantine emperor's emissaries.
On the very next day however, Maurice and his family and closest associates fled the capital before the advancing rebel army under Phocas
, and crossed over to Chalcedon
. From there, Theodosius was dispatched along with the praetorian prefect Constantine Lardys
to seek the aid of Khosrau II
, the ruler of Sassanid Persia. Maurice however soon recalled him, and on his return Theodosius fell into the hands of Phocas' men and was executed at Chalcedon. His father and younger brothers had been executed a few days earlier on November 27.
, to spare his life. In this story, Theodosius then fled, eventually reaching Lazica, where he died. Theophylact Simocatta reports that he thoroughly investigated these rumours and found them false.
However, the general Narses
, who rose against Phocas in Mesopotamia
, exploited these rumours: he produced a false Theodosius, and claimed to be fighting in his name. The imposter was then presented to Khosrau II by Narses. The Persian ruler in turn used him as a pretext for his own invasion of Byzantium, claiming that it was done in order to avenge the murder of Maurice and his family and place the "rightful" heir Theodosius on the throne.
issue (apparently cut in 591/592 to celebrate his proclamation as co-emperor) from the Carthage
mint.
Maurice (emperor)
Maurice was Byzantine Emperor from 582 to 602.A prominent general in his youth, Maurice fought with success against the Sassanid Persians...
(r. 582–602) 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
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...
, he was briefly proposed as successor to Maurice by the troops, but the army eventually favoured Phocas
Phocas
Phocas was Byzantine Emperor from 602 to 610. He usurped the throne from the Emperor Maurice, and was himself overthrown by Heraclius after losing a civil war.-Origins:...
instead. Sent in an abortive mission to secure aid from Sassanid Persia by his father, Theodosius was captured and executed by Phocas's supporters a few days after his father. Several rumours spread that he had survived the execution, and became popular to the extent that a man purported to be Theodosius was entertained by the Persians as a pretext for launching a war against Byzantium.
Life
Theodosius was the first child of Maurice and his wife, the AugustaAugusta (honorific)
Augusta was the imperial honorific title of empresses. It was given to the women of the Roman and Byzantine imperial families. In the third century, Augustae could also receive the titles of Mater castrorum and Mater Patriae .The title implied the greatest prestige, with the Augustae able to...
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...
. He was born on August 4, 583 (according to the contemporary John of Ephesus
John of Ephesus
John of Ephesus was a leader of the non-Chalcedonian Syriac-speaking Church in the sixth century, and one of the earliest and most important of historians who wrote in Syriac.-Life:...
and other chroniclers) or 585 (according to the later histories of Theophanes the Confessor
Theophanes the Confessor
Saint Theophanes Confessor was a member of the Byzantine aristocracy, who became a monk and chronicler. He is venerated on March 12 in the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Church .-Biography:Theophanes was born in Constantinople of wealthy and noble iconodule parents: Isaac,...
and Kedrenos
Kedrenos
George Kedrenos or Cedrenus was a Byzantine historian. In the 1050s he compiled A concise history of the world, which spanned the time from the biblical account of creation to his own day. Kedrenos is one of the few sources that discuss Khazar polities in existence after the sack of Atil in 969...
). He was the first son to be born to a reigning emperor
Born in the purple
Traditionally, born in the purple was a term used to describe members of royal families although the term was later expanded to include all children born of prominent or high ranking parents. The parents must be prominent at the time of the child's birth so that the child is always in the spotlight...
since 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...
in 401, and was accordingly named after the previous ruler. The papal envoy, or apocrisiarius
Apocrisiarius
An apocrisiarius, the Latinized form of apokrisiarios , sometimes Anglicized as apocrisiary, was a high diplomatic representative during Late Antiquity and the early medieval period. The corresponding Latin term was responsalis...
, to 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:...
, the future Pope Gregory the Great, acted as his godfather. The scholar Evagrius Scholasticus
Evagrius Scholasticus
Evagrius 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...
composed a work celebrating Theodosius' birth, for which he was rewarded by Maurice with the rank of 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...
.
A few years after his birth, possibly in 587, Theodosius was raised to the rank of Caesar
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
and thus became his father's heir-apparent, while on March 26, 590, he was publicly proclaimed as co-emperor.
In November 601 or early February 602, Maurice married Theodosius to a daughter of the patrician 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...
, a leading member of the Byzantine Senate
Byzantine Senate
The Byzantine Senate or Eastern Roman Senate was the continuation of the Roman Senate, established in the 4th century by Constantine I. It survived for centuries but was increasingly irrelevant until its eventual disappearance in the 13th century....
. The historian Theophylact Simocatta
Theophylact Simocatta
Theophylact Simocatta was an early seventh-century Byzantine historiographer, arguably ranking as the last historian of Late Antiquity, writing in the time of Heraclius about the late Emperor Maurice .-Life:His history of the reign of emperor Maurice is in eight books...
, the major chronicler of Maurice's reign, also records that on February 2, 602, Germanus saved Theodosius from harm during food riots in Constantinople.
Later in the same year, during the revolt of the Danubian
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
armies in autumn, Theodosius and his father-in-law were hunting in the outskirts of Constantinople. There they received a letter from the mutinous troops, in which they demanded Maurice's resignation, a redress of their grievances, and offered the crown to either of the two. They presented the letter to Maurice, who rejected the army's demands. The emperor however began suspecting Germanus of playing a part in the revolt. Theodosius promptly informed his father-in-law of this and advised him to hide, and on 21 November Germanus fled first to a local church and then to the Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey...
, seeking sanctuary from the Byzantine emperor's emissaries.
On the very next day however, Maurice and his family and closest associates fled the capital before the advancing rebel army under Phocas
Phocas
Phocas was Byzantine Emperor from 602 to 610. He usurped the throne from the Emperor Maurice, and was himself overthrown by Heraclius after losing a civil war.-Origins:...
, and crossed over to Chalcedon
Chalcedon
Chalcedon , sometimes transliterated as Chalkedon) was an ancient maritime town of Bithynia, in Asia Minor, almost directly opposite Byzantium, south of Scutari . It is now a district of the city of Istanbul named Kadıköy...
. From there, Theodosius was dispatched along with the praetorian prefect Constantine Lardys
Constantine Lardys
Constantine, surnamed Lardys was one of the senior-most officials of the late reign of the Byzantine emperor Maurice .One of the leading members of the Byzantine Senate and a patrikios, he had held the powerful post of praetorian prefect of the East some time during the latter part of Maurice's...
to seek the aid of Khosrau II
Khosrau II
250px|thumb|Khosrau II 250px|thumb|Khosrau II 250px|thumb|Khosrau II (Khosrow II, Chosroes II, or Xosrov II in classical sources, sometimes called Parvez, "the Ever Victorious" – (in Persian: خسرو پرویز), was the twenty-second Sassanid King of Persia, reigning from 590 to 628...
, the ruler of Sassanid Persia. Maurice however soon recalled him, and on his return Theodosius fell into the hands of Phocas' men and was executed at Chalcedon. His father and younger brothers had been executed a few days earlier on November 27.
Rumours of survival and pseudo-Theodosius
Subsequently, rumours emerged of Theodosius's survival and spread far and wide. It was alleged that his father-in-law Germanus had bribed his executioner, a leading Phocas supporter named AlexanderAlexander (supporter of Phocas)
Alexander , was a Byzantine rebel against emperor Maurice and leading supporter of emperor Phocas . He is better known for executing the co-emperor Theodosius. The main source about his is Theophylact Simocatta. Martindale, Jones & Morris , p. 46-47- Biography :Alexander is first mentioned in a...
, to spare his life. In this story, Theodosius then fled, eventually reaching Lazica, where he died. Theophylact Simocatta reports that he thoroughly investigated these rumours and found them false.
However, the general Narses
Narses (general under Maurice)
Narses was a Byzantine general of Armenian ancestry active during the reigns of the emperors Maurice and Phocas in the late sixth and early seventh centuries. He commanded the army in Mesopotamia under Maurice; when Phocas overthrew Maurice and seized the throne, Narses refused to recognize the...
, who rose against Phocas in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia (Roman province)
Mesopotamia was the name of two distinct Roman provinces, the one a short-lived creation of the Roman Emperor Trajan in 116–117 and the other established by Emperor Septimius Severus in ca. 198, which lasted until the Muslim conquests of the 7th century....
, exploited these rumours: he produced a false Theodosius, and claimed to be fighting in his name. The imposter was then presented to Khosrau II by Narses. The Persian ruler in turn used him as a pretext for his own invasion of Byzantium, claiming that it was done in order to avenge the murder of Maurice and his family and place the "rightful" heir Theodosius on the throne.
Coinage
Theodosius does not appear on most of the regular coinage of Maurice's reign, with two exceptions: the copper nummi of the Cherson mint, which show him along with his father and mother, and a special silver siliquaSiliqua
The siliqua is the modern name given to small, thin, Roman silver coins produced from 4th century and later. When the coins were in circulation, the Latin word siliqua was a unit of weight defined as one-twentyfourth of the weight of a Roman solidus .The term siliqua comes from the siliqua graeca,...
issue (apparently cut in 591/592 to celebrate his proclamation as co-emperor) from the Carthage
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
mint.