Basiliscus
Sign in to saveBasiliscus (; died 476/477) was Eastern Roman emperor from 9 January 475 to August 476. He became in 464, under his brother-in-law, Emperor Leo I (457–474). Basiliscus commanded the army for an invasion of the Vandal Kingdom in 468, which was defeated at the Battle of Cape Bon. There were accusations at the time that Basiliscus was bribed by Aspar, the ; many historians dismiss this, instead concluding that Basiliscus was either incompetent or foolish for accepting Vandal King Gaiseric's offer of a truce, which the latter used to construct fireships. Basiliscus's defeat cost the Eastern Empire
AI overview
Basiliscus was an Eastern Roman military commander who briefly served as emperor from 475 to 476, best known for his catastrophic leadership of a major military campaign against the Vandals in 468 that resulted in a significant defeat for the Eastern Empire. His reign and reputation were largely defined by questions about whether his military failures stemmed from incompetence, foolishness, or potential bribery, making him a controversial figure in late Roman history.
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Person
- Born
- 0500-01-01
- Died
- 0476-01-01
via Open Library + Wikidata
Key facts
- Royalty.image
- File:Solidus of emperor Basiliscus.jpg
- Royalty.caption
- Solidus of Basiliscus, marked:
- Royalty.name
- Basiliscus
- Royalty.succession
- Roman emperor of the East
- Royalty.predecessor
- Zeno
- Royalty.successor
- Zeno
- Royalty.reign
- 9 January 475 – August 476
- Royalty.coronation
- 12 January 475
- Royalty.cor type
- byzantine
- Royalty.spouse
Article
12 sectionsContents
- Life
- Early life and family
- Military career
- Rise to power
- Reign
- Religious policies
- In popular culture
- Notes
- References
- Bibliography
- Primary sources
- Secondary sources
Basiliscus (; died 476/477) was Eastern Roman emperor from 9 January 475 to August 476. He became in 464, under his brother-in-law, Emperor Leo I (457–474). Basiliscus commanded the army for an invasion of the Vandal Kingdom in 468, which was defeated at the Battle of Cape Bon. There were accusations at the time that Basiliscus was bribed by Aspar, the ; many historians dismiss this, instead concluding that Basiliscus was either incompetent or foolish for accepting Vandal King Gaiseric's offer of a truce, which the latter used to construct fireships. Basiliscus's defeat cost the Eastern Empire of gold, causing the empire to hover above bankruptcy for 30 years. When Basiliscus returned to Constantinople, he sought refuge in the Hagia Sophia. His sister, Empress Verina, secured a pardon for him and he left the church to retire in Neapolis.
When Emperor Leo died in 474, his grandson Leo II (474) took power, but soon died; his father, Zeno (474–475, 476–491) ascended the throne in the same year, in a politically precarious position. Verina conspired to install the Patricius, her lover, as emperor. This plot was supported by Basiliscus, who succeeded in recruiting Isaurian brothers Illus and Trocundes, as well as Verina's nephew Armatus. Zeno fled on 9 January 475, either after learning of the plot or after Verina warned him that his life was in danger. Although Patricius was Verina's intended successor, Basiliscus convinced the Eastern Roman Senate to acclaim him instead.