XXIX. ANASTASY II (713–715) Chapter 1. Restoration of Orthodoxy and a new rebellion So, on June 4, 713, on Trinity Day, Constantinople suddenly found out about the change of emperor. Obviously, the candidacy of the new ruler was previously determined by a group of conspirators, most of whom represented

Anastasius was a native of Dyrrahiy in Illyric. (Evagrius: 3; 29). He was widely educated, famous for reason, respectable behavior and enjoyed the favor of Empress Ariadne. (Dashkov: “Anastasiy Dikor”). Ariadne’s husband, Emperor Zinon () died in 491, not leaving behind a single son, but only Brother Longin, a man of a mad, cruel and unrestrained. Longinus hoped to take over the throne, but Ariadne, the Senate and the whole army proclaimed Emperor Anastasius, who was at that time in the position of Seleniary (so-called ministers whose duties were to maintain order in the palace). (Theophanes: 483). Patriarch Euthymius opposed this election, calling Anastasius a heretic because of his penchant for teaching the Monophysites (). But Ariadne and the Senate forced Euthymius to agree. However, he did not admit this otherwise, as with the condition, if Anastasius made a written promise that he would accept the definition of the Chalcedon Cathedral as a symbol of faith, which he did. (Fedor: 2; 6). After which Euthymius married Anastasius to the kingdom, and he took Ariadne into his marriage. The Isaurian nobility, supporting Longinus, did not immediately admit defeat and did not tire of plotting the new emperor. In 493, Anastasius expelled from Constantinople all the Isaurians for many of the unrest that they caused. The Isaurians revolted and reached Phrygia, when Anastasius sent the commander John Skif against the rebels. John won a complete victory over the Isaurians, but they, relying on the fortresses and mountain strongholds of the Taurus, waged war for another three years. In 496, John Skiff, after a long siege, captured and executed their leaders. Many of the Isaurians were resettled in Thrace. Patriarch Euthymius, whom Anastasius suspected of conspiracy with his enemies, the bishops deposed and excommunicated. Before this, Anastasius took away his written religion from him by force. Macedonia was built in the place of Euthymius in the patriarchs. However, the emperor also did not have a relationship with him. (Theophanes: 483,485,487,488).

Evagrius writes that Anastasius, as a man disposed towards the world, resolutely did not want any innovations, especially in the situation of churches, and by all means tried to ensure that churches were not outraged. The decisions of the Council of Chalcedon were neither clearly recognized nor rejected at all, and each of the primates disposed of as he pleased. However, despite this, all the time of his reign passed in religious unrest, and the Orthodox clergy did not cease to attack the heretical views of the emperor. Anastasius did not remain in debt. (Evagrius: 3; 30). In 511, the singers in the palace church of the Archangel began to sing the thirtieth song, inserting into it, contrary to custom, the words “crucified for us,” as was customary among the Monophysites of Antioch. The Orthodox attacked them and there was a cruel contention between them. Anastasius for this was angry with the patriarch, showering him clearly and popularly with the most indecent insults through the renegade monks. Outraged by the emperor’s thoughtfulness, the patriarch in turn accused him of indulging the Manichaeans (), after which there was a complete gap between Anastasius and Macedonia. For the most part, the Moscow mob stood on the side of the Orthodox Church and more than once noisily expressed its hatred of the heretic emperor. The intensity of the struggle reached the point where Anastasius in fear locked the doors of the palace and kept the ships ready for flight. In 512, he persuaded two villains to accuse Macedonia of sodomy and heresy. Based on these allegations, the patriarch was forcibly taken out of his house, many priests, his supporters, were put in prison. Not daring to dress up an investigation over Macedonia, Anastasius exiled him without trial, and appointed Timofei as patriarch. (Theophanes: 499,503,504). In 512, because of the same words “crucified for us,” the greatest indignation occurred in Constantinople, as if the Christian faith were completely rejected by this addition. Many people were killed, many houses burned down. Frightened by the rampant mob, Anastasius entered the horse race without a crown and sent the heralds to announce to the people that he was ready to relinquish his supreme power. Seeing this, the people calmed down that hour and began to ask Anastasius to put on the crown and promised to calm down. (Evagrius: 3; 44).

The following year, a religious war spilled out of the capital. The count of the Thracian federates Vitalian declared himself the defender of Orthodoxy and with many Huns (Bulgars) occupied all of Thrace, Scythia and Moesia, reached Constantinople and began its siege. In 514, Anastasius had to accept all the demands of the rebels: he agreed to convene a new Ecumenical Council and at it dismantle all disagreements in the interpretation of the tenets of the faith, as well as return the thrones to the ousted Orthodox bishops. But as soon as Vitalian retreated, Anastasius renounced his promises. All the people and the Senate loudly reproached the emperor for the oath-crime, but he shamelessly answered them that there is a law allowing the emperor to break the oath and deceive if necessary. (Theophanes: 506). The emperor convened an extraordinary meeting of the state council, and Vitalian was declared an enemy of the people. An eighty-thousand-strong army under the command of Hypatius was sent against him. In response, Vitalian called for help the horde of Hunno-Bulgar from the Transdanubian region and with their help attacked the Byzantine camp in Odyssos. Imperial troops were brutally defeated, and Hypatius himself was captured.

Vitalian a second time approached Constantinople. Now he had at his disposal a fleet of about two hundred Danube river boats. The capital was in danger of a complete blockade. The emperor was forced to make peace with Vitalian on his terms. They were as follows: an imperial decree on orthodoxy should be issued; bishops should be reinstated in their dioceses because of their refusal to compromise with the party of the Monophysites: Vitalian was appointed "master of the soldiers" (magister militum) of Thrace and receive 5000 pounds of gold compensation.
  Although the emperor agreed to these conditions, he did not think about loyalty to them. Vitalian, for his part, did not trust the emperor and tried to find new allies in case of future unforeseen events. Most likely, at his instigation, the Huns-Sabirs invaded the Black Sea provinces of the Byzantine Empire in 515.

It is unclear whether Anastasius had any specific information regarding the negotiations between Vitalian and the Sabirs or only suspected that there were contacts between them, but he obviously decided to protect himself and in 516 removed Vitalian from the post of mister of soldiers. Instead of submitting to the imperial order, Vitalian led his troops to Constantinople for the third time, again using his army and navy. According to chronicler John Malal, among these soldiers and sailors were Goths, Huns and Scythians. The imperial troops were led by the brave and skillful commander Justin (). The imperial fleet was under the command of Marina, the finance minister, who used a chemical compound invented by Proclus of Athens (possibly a mixture of sulfur and naphtha) in order to set fire to enemy ships. (This or a similar invention later became known as the "Greek fire"). With his help, the Vitalian fleet was destroyed, after which the ground army retreated in disarray (516). (Evagrius: 3; 43).

Shortly after this victory in July 518, Anastasius died at night during a terrible thunderstorm, which gave rise to Orthodox chroniclers to claim that the emperor was killed by lightning. (Theophanes: 510).

Byzantium, Iran and the barbarians

On April 10, 491, that is, the very day after the death of Zeno, crowds of metropolitan residents gathered at a huge hippodrome in anticipation of - who will get the crimson, who will become the next ruler? The same question worried for several hours dignitaries and senators sitting in the palace together with Patriarch Euthymius.

Finally, the widow of the deceased, Ariadne, appeared in the imperial box. She walked in a ceremonial outfit surrounded by senior officials. At the sight of her, there were immediately exclamations: “Give us the Orthodox emperor!”, “Long live! Ariadne is victorious in August! ”

In these cries, the townspeople expressed their sympathy for the empress, who at that moment was the only personified continuity of the dynasty, but at the same time uneasiness broke out in them. There were so many internal problems in the country at that time, so many enemies threatened its borders, that the future of everyone depended on the personality of the new ruler of the empire and on how he would rule. But there was no legal heir, and virtually any of the dignitaries could become emperor, and the possibility of a civil war was not excluded.

When the greeting shouts subsided, one of the secretaries, standing on the steps of the box, read out Ariadne's appeal. In it, she stated that, in response to the aspirations of the people, she had already instructed dignitaries and senators, in full agreement with the brave army of the empire, to choose a ruler - a Christian and a Roman, endowed with all sorts of virtues and not subject, as far as possible, to human vices.

This choice, as the proclamation was made in the presence of the patriarch, should be honest, free from the influence of any family ties and personal likes and dislikes, as well as any private interests, since its importance to the state is invaluable and the whole life of a civilized of the world. But first, the empress claimed, the funeral of the deceased should take place, the memory of which should be sacredly honored. Therefore, you need to be patient and not rush to make a decision.

This speech was constantly interrupted by cheers from the crowd to the empress and hostile to the city prefect. Ariadne immediately rushed to announce that she had already appointed a new prefect, Julian. This testifies to how strong her position was then and how obediently she obeyed her will, although formally she had no rights. However, it was she who became the symbol and source of power. Then the empress left the hippodrome and returned to the palace, where the counselors still could not come to an agreement. It is easy to imagine that almost everyone (we know about one of them - it was the deceased’s brother, Longin) longed to be dressed in purple, so everyone looked at each other with suspicion. Therefore, the proposal of one of Ariadne’s close associates to entrust the majority with her decision was accepted with relief - as the only way out of the situation that had reached an impasse, and Patriarch Euthymius set off to convey to the empress the request of the high assembly.

Unlike dignitaries, Ariadne didn’t hesitate with a decision for a minute, because she had already decided on the choice of candidate. On her behalf, the Imperial Guard committee went to one of the private houses, which was occupied by a high-ranking court official named Anastasius. Anastasia was urgently taken to the consistory (the building where the meetings were held), and there he was supposed to spend the night - not yet as emperor, but not as a private person. However, it was ordered to keep this a secret.

Who was this man who, for several hours, ascended from the middle stages of a bureaucratic career to the very top of power?

Anastasius was born around 430 in the city of Dirrachius in Epirus (now Durrës in Albania) in a well-to-do family, but not belonging to the aristocracy. Subsequently, in an effort to give brilliance to its origin, they tried to record the great commander Pompey, who had been Caesar’s adversary five hundred years before, who fought with him just under Dyrrachium, to his ancestors. We don’t know anything about Father Anastasia, but we know that his mother was a zealous Manichaean, and his brother was an Arian. In those days of violent religious passions, such coexistence in one family of different views was of particular importance. On the one hand, disputes that could not have been fought in such a house should have aroused in Anastasia the interest in theology that remained with him for his whole life. On the other hand, from childhood he was accustomed to be tolerant of other people's views even in such sensitive issues, and this is a very valuable and extremely rare character trait at all times.

What steps Anastasius climbed in his military and civilian career, we do not know, we only know that he was one of the court officials, who were then called Silentiaries ( silentiarii) - that is, in a literal translation, those who follow the silence and order in the palace. Anastasius was the head of the Silencians, but this position was not one of the very highest and was rather an honorary title - something like the title of chamberlain in closer times to us. However, Anastasius was not a member of the Senate, and this indicates that he did not have a sufficiently large fortune.

In the capital, he was known for exemplary piety and his passion for theology. This passion manifested itself in a very original way: in the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia, where he went to worship daily, Anastasius regularly delivered his own sermons, in which the views close to monophysitism were clearly traced.

Not surprisingly, this caused the wrath of Euthymius, who since 489 was the patriarch of Constantinople and strongly supported the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon. It was at his command that the cathedral not only removed something like an impromptu pulpit from which Anastasius read his sermons, but also forbade him from even crossing the threshold of the church. On the other hand, when the patriarchal throne in Antioch was liberated, just one of Anastasius’s candidatures was considered. He also enjoyed great respect from the city dwellers; he was loved for the generosity with which he always donated to charity.

Anastasius looked very attractive. He was a tall, stately man with a magnificent posture. Two details of his appearance were especially striking. Firstly, he did not wear a beard, and the beardless emperors in the empire did not exist long ago. Secondly, at close range his eyes seemed strange - the fact is that they were of different colors: one blue and the other black.

The qualities of the mind and character traits of Anastasia were unanimously approved by contemporaries. They praised his excellent education, self-mastery and energy, which, however, were restrained by prudence. This, without a doubt, was one of the most positive figures on the Byzantine throne, although his rule, for various reasons, was not entirely successful.

In any case, it is worth noting that the empress made a worthy choice. Of course, he was not accidental. One of the sources reports that they had known each other for a long time, Anastasius was highly respected by Ariadne and could always boldly express his opinion in her presence.

But there was one obstacle. The protest was voiced by Patriarch Euthymius, who remembered very well the sermons of Anastasius, which he had heard several years ago. And he only then agreed to participate in the coronation, when the future emperor signed an obligation to accept the definition of the Chalcedon Cathedral as the Creed. This document was subsequently stored in the archives of the Hagia Sophia.

The ceremonial coronation took place on April 11 - immediately after the funeral of Zeno. Her description has been preserved, and she is worth getting to know her more, since it was a typical Early Byzantine coronation, which became a model and example for later similar ceremonies.

In the morning, having left the consistory, Anastasius, at the request of the senators, first took the oath that he would not harm any person because of personal hostility to her. He also vowed to rule honestly and in good faith. Then Anastasius went to the building next to the hippodrome, where he put on a purple tunic and the same shoes, as well as an ornate belt. And in this robe he appeared in the imperial box.

In front of him were military units with banners lowered to the ground. The soldiers raised the emperor to a shield and laid a soldier's neckband on his head - this custom arose one hundred and thirty years before the described event, when they proclaimed emperor Julian in Paris and has since become an element of the ceremony. And at that moment the banners rose and loud cheers were heard from those present.

After this military ceremony at the hippodrome, the emperor again retired to the adjacent building. There, the patriarch threw a purple cloak on him and laid a crown on his head. And already in this full vestment, the emperor again appeared in his box and delivered a speech to the army and people. Each of the soldiers was promised a certain sum of money - this has long been the custom that all rulers adhered to.

The emperor was greeted with loud, repeatedly chanted exclamations. Some of them were very significant: “Rule as always lived!” “Rule as Marcian!”, “Rule piously!”, “Bring back the glory of your army!”.

Exactly forty days later, on May 20, the emperor married Ariadne, the woman to whom he owed the throne. Thus, he legitimized his right to power, since Ariadne was the daughter of Emperor Leo I, the mother of Emperor Leo II and the widow of Emperor Zeno. And at the same time this marriage guaranteed the Empress, who by that time was already over forty, preserving all the privileges and influence that she was used to.

The beginning of a new government, which was so joyfully and solemnly welcomed, turned out to be difficult, which, however, was quite natural in the existing situation.

First of all, one had to reckon with the hostility of the Isaurians, who for many years enjoyed great influence in the country, although they constantly quarreled with each other, and the people (especially in the capital) hated them fiercely. They managed to take over most of the land in the state, occupied the highest posts, both military and administrative, and created a whole colony of their fellow tribesmen in Constantinople itself. In fact, in modern language, it was a real tribal mafia, which managed to almost completely take over, if not all the state, then at least a significant part of its army and administrative apparatus.

The Isaurian candidate for the throne was, of course, the brother of the late emperor Longinus. And it is even possible that dignitaries and senators could vote for him if he did not have such a bad reputation. He was a brazen, stupid, depraved and absolutely immoral person. He was considered the evil spirit of Zeno. He held the highest civilian and military posts (in 490 he was one of the consuls), enjoyed enormous influence in the Senate. His close friend was the all-powerful manager of positions - also an Isaurian, Longin's namesake. In order to distinguish two Longins from each other, they added that the second one was from the town of Kardaly.

Zeno's brother at first was absolutely astounded by the unexpected choice that Ariadne made. He probably believed that she would point to him and that he would marry her. But he quickly recovered from the blow dealt to him and instantly began to act. During the games at the hippodrome, held in the presence of the new emperor, hostile cries were heard from the stands against the city prefect Julian, whom Ariadne had recently appointed. Warriors of the personal imperial guard tried to restore order, but when pacifying unrest, many people died. The mob rushed to overthrow the newly erected statues of the emperor, there were even attempts to set fire to the city.

The result of this incident was the next change in the city prefect - they became their son-in-law Anastasia. However, the emperor decided that it was necessary to radically deal with the Isaurians, considering them guilty of inciting the mob to riots. Therefore, all the Isaurians were ordered to leave the capital, and Longinus, the brother of Zeno, was sent into exile already in Thebes of Egypt, where he died a few years later in complete poverty.

Longin from Kardaly also parted with his post - he had to return to his homeland, where he immediately became one of the leaders of a major uprising. Using the money and supplies that Zeno kept just in case in his native Isavria, Longin gathered and armed an army of almost 15,000 soldiers. And at first, luck was on his side. Together with him at the head of the rebels stood Lilingis, who until recently held the post of governor of the province.

However, already in 492, the Isaurians were completely defeated by government forces. Lilingis died. Nevertheless, the centers of the uprising continued to smolder in the inaccessible mountainous terrain until Longin from Kardaly was captured and beheaded. His head was triumphantly flaunted in Constantinople. The Isaurians were massively relocated to the deserted Thrace.

Thus ended the historical career of this warlike tribe of highlanders. The rule of the natives of this tribe, although it caused such irreconcilable hatred of the inhabitants of more civilized provinces, had at least the advantage that the Isaurians were able to either eliminate or keep the German element in the army within strict limits. It was this element that played a fatal role in the fate of the Western Empire and more than ten years before the events described led to its final fall.

Meanwhile, in Italy, the next action of the drama was just unfolding, entitled "crowding out one Germanic people with another."

The Ostrogoths led by Theodoric besieged Ravenna, in which Odoacer held the defense until the beginning of March 493. Finally, the city starving to death was forced to surrender. Thanks to the mediation of the bishop of Ravenna, an agreement was reached between Odoacer and Theodoric, according to which they were supposed to own Italy together.

Of course, this contract was only a fiction. On March 15, just ten days after entering the city, the Ostrogoth king himself killed Odoacre, accusing him of conspiracy. On the same day all the warriors of Odoacre were also slaughtered.

Thus began a new era in the history of Italy: the rule of the Ostrogoths, led by the king, who was later nicknamed the Great. He earned this nickname deservedly, because he rules wisely and fairly, having found - despite the mistakes made at first - the path to peaceful coexistence between his people and the Romans.

Anastasius officially recognized the authority of Theodoric in Italy only in the year 497 - since that time the king of the Ostrogoths ruled on behalf of the emperor. In Italy, the whole old administrative structure and all the administrative posts that only the Romans could occupy remained indestructible. But all military posts were reserved for the Goths. Each of the two peoples had its own laws and its own judicial system.

Ostrogoths and Romans were also divided by religion. The former were Arians, the latter adhered to orthodox Christianity. However, in practice, Theodorich showed religious tolerance, adhering to the principle: "Religion should not be imposed on anyone, since it will not be possible to force a person to believe in something against his own will." For many later European rulers, it would not be harmful to learn from the Ostrogoth leader this simple truth!

The rebellion of the Isaurians was suppressed more than in a timely manner: it became restless at the borders. Different peoples more and more often attacked the eastern and southern border lands. Most affected by them were Egypt, Libya and Pontus. Especially dangerous was the invasion of desert nomads to Syria and Palestine, which was able to repel in 498, but after a few years, all the same nomads again invaded the country.

But the worst enemy was waiting in the wings for the Danube, in its lower reaches, although at first no one even suspected the threat posed by the Bulgarians. Today we call this name a people who speak the Slavic language and live south of the Danube. But those Bulgarians (to distinguish them from modern ones, they are sometimes called Protobolgars or ancient Bulgarians) were people of Asian, Mongoloid origin. They were stunted, squat, with broad faces and slightly slanting eyes, although they had already managed to mix with other races and tribes. However, as some believe, this was evidenced by their very name, derived from the Old Turkish bulga  - to interfere. The language of the Proto-Bulgarians is considered one of the dialects of Turkish, and it came to us only in a few inscriptions found on the territory of modern Bulgaria.

In Europe, the Bulgarians appeared with the Huns as part of their nomadic hordes. After the collapse of the Hun Empire, they won their independence, and it was then that the name of this people begins to appear in Roman and Greek sources. Under the emperor Zeno, some Bulgarians served in his army as mercenaries.

The lands on which at that time (and for quite some time after that) were mainly inhabited by Bulgarians, stretched off the northern shores of the Black Sea. While the Ostrogoths lived on the Danube, the Bulgarians could not make any attacks on the lands of the empire - they were restrained by this warlike Germanic people, who preferred to plunder the empire themselves, without sharing prey with others. However, the departure of the Ostrogoths led by Theodorich to Italy made serious changes to the situation. The barrier between the border and the Bulgarians disappeared, and hordes from behind the Danube more and more boldly ravaged the Balkan provinces, inflicting severe defeats on the emperor’s troops.

Looking ahead, I want to remind you that subsequently the Proto-Bulgarians gradually occupied and settled the lands of modern Bulgaria, while gradually dissolving ethnically and linguistically among the same alien Slavs, whom they had met closely beyond the Danube. As a result, only this old name is left of the Bulgarians.

And a similar situation in history is not unique. Suffice it to recall at least the fate of the Germanic tribe of Franks. Although they conquered Roman Gaul, they very quickly adopted the language of the inhabitants of this country, becoming the Romance people. And the memory of the Franks, who in reality are no longer there, remained only in the name of the country and people.

The huge losses suffered in the battles with the Bulgarians forced the emperor to take up the construction of the so-called “long wall”. It was built of stone and equipped with towers. In the event of a surprise attack, it was supposed to serve as the first line of defense of the environs of Constantinople. However, not once in the history of mankind did the walls themselves, no matter how long and thick they were, play a decisive role if their defenders lacked the will to resist!

Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the provinces remained still defenseless against attacks, robberies, the threat of capture and death at the hands of barbarians. Already at the end of Anastasia’s reign, hordes of some invaders - perhaps it was the Bulgarians, and possibly some other people - devastated Macedonia and Epirus, reaching the Thermopylae. So the lands in the Balkans for one and a half centuries were ruined by the Visigoths, and the Huns, and the Ostrogoths, and the Bulgarians, and not only them. Once blooming territories came to complete desolation, there was almost no population left there, and this had a very negative effect on the state’s defense capabilities. Fortunately, he had extensive and rich rear areas: provinces of Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, Egypt. They provided the country with the opportunity to live and fight.

Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the capital, thanks to the walls and uninterrupted food deliveries from distant provinces, felt completely safe, lived in prosperity and created dangerous situations in the city themselves - started uprisings and staged bloody showdowns. The cause of the unrest was primarily the passions boiling on the soil of religion, as well as the irreconcilable rivalry of circus parties.

As for religion, the emperor himself was also to blame, who increasingly supported the Monophysites and adamantly held the positions of the decrees of the Enotikon, while the patriarch Euthymius and the majority of the population of Constantinople held directly opposite views. The matter ended with the fact that already in 496 the local synod deposed Euthymius under the pressure of the emperor. Instead, the patriarch was appointed Macedonia - a monk from a monastery called the Akimite monastery, which means "indefatigable," because the monks prayed there continuously, replacing each other. He later received the name Studio ( Studios), This monastic community adhered to the decrees of the Council of Chalcedon, but Macedonia made certain concessions to the monarch, pledging to show loyalty to the Enotikon.

The hippodrome, that is, the stadium, was a constant source of popular unrest. The greatest weight of the four parties was possessed by the “Blue” (or “Blue”) and “Green”. The smaller White Party eventually joined the Blue Party, and the Red Party joined the Green Party. These names corresponded to the colors in which the charioteers drove the chariots during the competition. Similar parties were not only in Constantinople, but also in other large cities, and everywhere they enjoyed enormous influence that went far beyond the stadiums. However, it was the same earlier, back in Roman times.

In a completely natural way, since there simply were no other ways and means, the circus parties became spokesmen for public positions and moods. This was manifested in loud exclamations in the stadiums, when supporters of both parties in their crowds felt completely safe, since during the competitions they occupied specially allocated seats in the stands. Here one could give vent to emotions, chanting shouts containing insults not only to rivals, but also to representatives of the authorities and even the emperor himself. However, it often did not end with shouts. For any, sometimes completely insignificant, fights began, in which those present at the stadium were first drawn in, and then unrest spilled onto the streets of the city and armed clashes began. And then it was necessary to intervene in the army, which fought with the raging supporters of one of the parties, then - both at once.

The authorities not only put up with the fact of the existence of such groups, they reckoned with them and even officially recognized these organizations. Their leaders were appointed from above or, at least, had to be approved by the administration. If necessary, members of these parties were involved for the construction of city walls or for service in the fire department.

A question arises that often attracts the attention of modern historians: what social forces stood behind these seemingly club-sports organizations, if we use modern vocabulary and organizations? And can they be qualified as political parties?

This approach cannot be considered correct, although it seems very tempting. First of all, we must remember that the circus parties did not have any clearly defined, specific and far-reaching programs. They only shouted out momentary slogans, lived with the emotions of the moment, got involved in a fight for unimportant occasions, driven by personal hostility or a simple case. Usually, all their activities in the field of politics came down to a simple, even instinctive principle - to be against! Against the ruler, against officials, or at least against what the rivals wanted.

It is assumed that the leadership of the Greens was influenced by the large land aristocracy and senators, while the Greens were rather commanded by large merchants and entrepreneurs. But these are just hypotheses, all the more so, that in reality the position and behavior of a particular party was determined, in modern language, by a crowd of fans, and these crowds consisted mainly of representatives of the poor and the poorest layers of the population, not to say - of mobile ...

In 498, the city prefect ordered to throw into the dungeon several completely unbridled supporters of the Green party: they had fun by throwing stones from the rostrum - a favorite pastime of hooligan teenagers, and not only in the Middle Ages! However, their friends immediately rebelled, demanding the release of their comrades. The emperor refused. It came to serious unrest, and this time the stones flew even into the ruler’s box - one of them almost got into Anastasia himself. The guardsmen chopped the culprit to pieces right on the spot, but the raging fans set fire to the gates of the hippodrome, and fire began to flare up both in the direction of the royal box and in the direction of the city. Many participants in the riots were detained and punished, but in order to appease the masses, they had to make concessions and change the prefect of the capital - Plato was new, which was pleasant to the members of the Green Party.

In Constantinople, as in many other cities, they continued to celebrate a pagan holiday called Brytaj. They celebrated it with singing and dancing right on the streets - it was a bit of a carnival. During the celebration, sometimes it came to street fights and clashes between supporters of both parties. In 501, more than three thousand people were killed in such a massacre, among them was the illegitimate son of the emperor. After such a bloody outcome, he was banned from celebrating throughout the empire under pain of severe punishment, and the people were extremely outraged by this. Moreover, shortly before this, Anastasius also forbade throwing people to tear wild animals into the arena during games.

But not only the capital was a witness to the unrest that began in the stadiums. In Syrian Antioch, the Greens plundered and burned a synagogue - and not so much because of disagreements on the basis of religion, but because local Jews mostly supported the Gays, and many of them died during these riots. The emperor sent a new committee to Antioch and vested with emergency powers the prefect of the city police.

However, after someone from the Green party was killed in the church right at the altar during the riot suppression, a real rebellion broke out. Numerous fires raged in the city, and the authorities, in spite of the support of the Golub, failed to restore order. The prefect of the police was killed, and the committee had to flee. And again the emperor was forced to make concessions, appointing a new East committee to calm the furious citizens.

The bloody unrest in Antioch, the main city of the Middle East, would have had much more serious consequences for the whole empire if it hadn't been for the coincidence: in the years preceding these events, a difficult war with the Persians on the borders of Armenia, Mesopotamia and Syria, which lasted several years, ended.

Mostly, peace reigned in relations between the empire and the Persians since 442, while the ruler of Persia regularly received financial assistance from Byzantium to jointly protect the borders in the Caucasus. However, Emperor Zeno already refused further payments, motivating his actions by the fact that under the 363 treaty the Persians were to return the Nisibis fortress (the modern village of Nizib in southern Turkey), which they received after the unsuccessful campaign of Julian the Apostate for only 120 years, and this period has already been is over. Anastasius, although he did not seek war with the Persians, remained faithful to the policy of his predecessor. True, he was ready to provide material assistance to the Persians, but only on credit and only after the bill was signed by the other party. However, the energetic ruler of Persia, Kavad, considered this an insult to his own dignity.

In the summer of 502, he began military operations, to begin with capturing part of Armenia. Then for several months he besieged the large border fortress of Amida (present-day Diyarbakir) and in January 503 he took it - as they used to say, because the monks entrusted with the protection of one of the towers got drunk with wine and fell asleep. Like a hundred and fifty years ago, during the time of Constance, the Persians in the captured city organized a terrible massacre.

The emperor immediately entrusted the command of the armed forces sent to confront the invaders to three generals - and the result was disastrous due to the inconsistency of actions between them. Two of the three commanders, Hypatius and Patricius, were defeated and retreated behind the Euphrates, and the third, Areobind, on the maternal side, the great-grandson of the great Aspar, after several victories won at the very beginning, was forced to take refuge in Edessa.

Edessa among Christians was considered a holy city: there was a legend that once King Abgar, having heard about the miracles performed by Jesus, invited him to his place. He, however, refused to arrive, but wrote to Abgar a letter in which he promised that he would leave his illness, and at the end of the letter he assured that Edessa would never be captured by the enemy. And these words were beaten out at the city gates. But the legend is a legend, and the capture of this city would be a huge strategic success for the Persian ruler. And in September 503 he embarked on a siege, but very soon, due to supply problems, he was forced to retreat, not even receiving the ransom that the besieged demanded.

The subsequent years of the war were more favorable for the Romans. They managed to regain Amida, and the commanders of the imperial army (among them Celer took the place of Hypatius recalled from his post) even began to attack the bordering Persian lands. And after some time, the Persian ruler, over the eastern borders of which, moreover, was threatened by the attack of nomadic tribes, found himself in a difficult situation.

And in the end, in 505, both sides, tired of the war and worried about other problems, entered into a truce, and in the fall of next year, a seven-year peace treaty, although in reality, with the tacit consent of both rulers, the peace lasted much longer, and the emperor annually paid some amounts to the Persians.

The war showed amazing loyalty and attachment to the empire of the local population, which had suffered a lot from the enemy and from its own army. The authorities tried to help the residents of these heavily damaged lands: they rebuilt the destroyed houses, gave tax benefits and even provided material assistance to the poor.

The need to build a well-fortified border fortress also became quite obvious. The small town of Dara was chosen for construction, located just a few kilometers from the Nisibis fortress, which was still in the hands of the Persians. Powerful fortifications, arms and food depots, water tanks and even baths were erected. The new fortress was named in honor of the emperor Anastasiopol - the city of Anastasia.

The Constantinople Patriarch of Macedonia had many enemies at court, accusing him of inciting conspiracies against the emperor. But all these accusations were made only to eliminate the adherent of the definitions of the Council of Chalcedon. In the end, in August 511, the synod removed him from his post, and Macedonius was sent into exile, but first he had to return the document stored in the archives of the cathedral, signed by the emperor before the coronation, in which he was obliged to support the Orthodox.

The successor to Macedonia was Anastasius Timofei, who favored the teachings of the Monophysites. For several years now, the monk Sevir, an ardent supporter of this teaching, has been preaching in the capital. He gained many supporters among the townspeople and, using the emperor’s support, repeated the words “Holy, holy, holy” in his services, adding to them, as was customary among the Monophysites, “crucified for us” - these words sounded in the liturgy in Antioch where the followers of this heresy prevailed. So, the new patriarch instructed the clergy on Sunday, November 4, 512, during the service in the church of St. Sophia to sing this whole song.

Most of the believers in the capital were Orthodox. Therefore, hostile cries sounded immediately, and it came to unrest. Pretoria Prefect Marin and city prefect Plato tried to suppress them by force. Several people were killed, many were thrown into prisons, but the riots did not stop. The next day they all continued around the cathedral, and on the third day they turned into a general uprising.

The crowds of Orthodox Christians gathered at the forum of Constantine began to overthrow the statues of Anastasius from the pedestals. There were cries demanding to proclaim Emperor Areobind. He owed his popularity to being considered a true Christian, famous for his victories during the war with the Persians, and also was related to Valentinian III through his wife Julian Anicia, who was the granddaughter of this emperor. Fortunately for Anastasia and for peace in the empire, Areobind and his wife managed to leave the palace in time, so they could not force him to become an impostor. His further fate is unknown to us; most likely, he died his death. But it is known that Juliana returned to the capital and lived here for more than ten years. She was well known as a woman who was exceptionally pious, spending most of her huge fortune on building churches.

However, her interests, but in all likelihood, were not limited only to religion. It was by her order that the work of the Greek physician and pharmacist of the 1st century BC was rewritten. e. Dioscorida called "On Medicinal Substances" ( De materia medico) This well-systematized and clearly compiled description of all the medicines known at that time had a huge impact on the whole medicine not only of the Middle Ages, but also of a later period. The manuscript, once owned by Juliana, is now kept in Vienna.

Let us return, however, to the events taking place in Constantinople in early November 512. Riots in the city did not stop. A stone hail immediately fell upon the soldiers and dignitaries, wherever they appeared. The house of the prefect Marina was burned.

Finally - it was already November 7th - Anastasius ordered to announce on the streets of the capital that he was ready to renounce power. Huge crowds immediately surged into the stadium, filling it to capacity, and soon the emperor appeared in his box - without a crown. A cry rose immediately: the people demanded that the two most hated dignitaries, the Monophysites, Marina and Plato, be left to be consumed by wild animals. So, some Christians demanded that other Christians be betrayed by the very cruel execution that the pagans once applied to those who professed a new faith! It is difficult to find more vivid evidence of what is confirmed by countless other examples: the change of religious views and beliefs had no effect on the human psyche and customs. Worse, the holy belief that you are the owner and protector of the only truth justified any fanaticism, any crimes and cruelties towards those who do not want to accept this truth - and if so, then evil must be uprooted so as not to gave others a bad example.

However, hostile cries in the stadium soon began to subside, and instead of them here and there they began to sound at first as if timid, but soon more loud and, finally, universal prayers to the emperor - do not leave, do not renounce power. The reason was simple - even the true culprits of the riots, the leaders of the Orthodox, feared a civil war, and if Anastasius really resigned all his power, refused crimson, such an outcome was inevitable. Until now, his opponents have counted on Areobind, but since he left the capital, suddenly some completely unexpected and undesirable contender could have appeared, and most likely, several candidates would have joined in the fight for the crown.

The emperor, as one would expect, favored the cries of the people. He promised to remain on the throne, but also vowed to make every effort to restore calm and order. Marin also managed to hold onto his post.

The reason for such a radical change in moods was not only the ease with which the crowd always succumbs to any emotions - either anger or humility. The matter was also that the emperor - despite his religious views, which caused hostility of the Orthodox, was very popular among the people, and he owed this popularity to his prudent financial policy.

When Anastasius came to power, the state treasury was empty: all funds were exhausted - first for extremely costly wars with the vandals, and then for the armed struggle against the Isaurians. At the same time, the population of cities and villages was exhausted under such excessive tax burden that there was no question of their further increase.

Fortunately, at the very beginning of the reign of Anastasia, a rather rich source of replenishment of the imperial treasury appeared - income from huge estates confiscated after the suppression of the Isaurian rebellion. The emperor created a special administration to manage this property. And this made it possible to abolish the tax, which was the heaviest burden for the population. This tax was called Chrysargir ( chrysargyron), and it was paid mainly by the townspeople involved in craft and trade. He was so overwhelmed and so hindered the development of any business that the news of its cancellation - and this happened already in 498 - was greeted with universal glee. So, for example, in Edessa, as we know from a randomly preserved note, the people celebrated on this occasion for a whole week, and the city authorities decided to celebrate this day annually in memory of such a happy event.

The tax collection system itself has undergone changes. Special officials, not city councils, should now be responsible for their collection. The principle of collecting tax from farmland has also become different. Basically, at that time, the owners paid this tax in money, not in kind. However, in order to ensure uninterrupted food deliveries, forced procurement of certain products at official prices was introduced. In turn, the associations of small private farms, or personally the owners of large estates, were responsible for observing the required number of these supplies. Such a scheme was to guarantee the maintenance of supplies at a constant level even if some of the farms for some reason could not fulfill their obligations. The monetary system was also improved - they began to mint copper coins of better quality.

The emperor’s adviser on finance was considered as already mentioned Marin, originally from Syria. He began his service as a modest official in one of the treasury departments and rose to the highest position - the prefect of Pretoria. He was known as a man of extraordinary intelligence, who also had great experience. It was said about him that he constantly had a lot of ideas, and so that not one of them would slip away from his memory, he would always go with the secretary - even while walking. And at night, a lamp was constantly shining near his bed, next to which lay everything necessary for recording what might seem worthy of attention to him. He then discussed his projects with the emperor and, if accepted, put them into practice.

This story is most likely just a malicious joke invented by some of his contemporaries, some ardent opponent of frequent changes in the field of finance. Of course, not every innovation was to everyone's liking, and this is quite natural, because all bold plans have their pitfalls and shadow sides. However, by and large, these innovations turned out to be saving both for the treasury and for the entire economy of the country.

Anastasius, as already mentioned, received the treasury empty, and left with a huge at that time the sum of 320,000 pounds of gold. In the entire subsequent history of Byzantium, no emperor could boast of anything like it. And it is worth emphasizing that Anastasius achieved this while introducing various tax incentives for the poorest segments of the population and not sparing funds for useful public works. These include the construction of the "long wall", which became the first line of defense of the capital, and the canal in Bithynia, connecting the sea bay near the city of Nicomedia with a lake located nearby on the shore, and the huge fortress of Dara. The emperor also always provided assistance to cities affected by military operations and natural disasters, and even to individuals. Reasonable economic policy Anastasia created a strong and healthy foundation for the excellent development of Byzantine culture and statehood over the next hundred years. Without what Anastasius did, neither the great wars of Justinian nor the bright flowering of all kinds of art would have been possible.

Anastasia’s financial policy would surely have been even more successful if it had not been for the insurrection, which was terrible and tragic in its consequences, which lasted several years and seriously threatened the very existence of the state.

At the head of the rebels was Vitalian, the commander of the so-called Allied detachments, that is, essentially mercenaries stationed on the territory of Thrace; these units included many Bulgarians. Vitalian was a man of short stature, but this only strengthened his already considerable ambition. He was courageous, energetic, cunning, and in the question of religion, which played a crucial role at that time, he was an ardent Orthodox. In 513, he took advantage of the unrest caused by his warriors' refusal to provide them in full the supplies that the "allies" considered due to them in their liking. Vitalian quickly succeeded - where by force, and where by cunning - to capture most of the territory of modern Bulgaria, and many rural inhabitants joined his army. The commander of the imperial army, Hypatius, was forced to retreat to the capital. Vitalian, with an army of nearly 50,000, approached the very walls of Constantinople. He proclaimed himself the defender of Orthodoxy from the Monophysite heresy and demanded atonement for the insults inflicted on the two patriarchs - Macedonia of Constantinople and Flavian of Antioch - who were deposed from their departments.

During the negotiations, the emperor managed to convince most of Vitalian's officers that all disputed issues, both material and religious, could be resolved amicably, and the rebels retreated to the Danube, where, however, they did not stop military operations against the imperial troops. Therefore, the capital senate officially declared Vitalian an enemy of the state. But this did nothing to help Anastasia’s army: in the fall of that year, she suffered a terrifying defeat not far from present Varna.

In 514, Vitalian assembled a large squadron of warships captured in Thracian ports and captured the European coast of the Bosphorus. The emperor had to compromise. He appointed the rebel commander in chief of the Thracian army and agreed to convene the Ecumenical Council in Iraklea next year in order to achieve the reign of peace between the churches. The envoys of the Roman bishop, who was then Gormizd, were also to participate in it.

However, this cathedral was never convened, since the emperor refused to accept the pope’s demand to agree in advance on the condemnation of the Akaki heritage. And in 515, Vitalian began new military operations at sea, captured the metropolitan area on the other side of the Golden Horn, which was later called Galatia. Finding himself in such a desperate situation, Anastasius appointed Marina the commander of his fleet.

An excellent finance adviser turned out to be - even to his own surprise, certainly - an equally talented admiral. In the battle with the fleet of Vitalian, which took place at the entrance to the Golden Horn, he won a magnificent victory. True, it is likely that a decisive role in it was played by some material that ignited the enemy ships on which he was thrown. Perhaps it was here that the “Greek fire” was first used, which later became so famous? We do not know any details about the material used, except that its inventor was a certain philosopher Proclus (but not the one who was the head of the Athenian Academy) and that he refused to accept the enormous reward of 400 pounds of gold offered to him by the emperor.

The broken rebel with the remnants of his troops retreated to Thrace and from then until his death, Anastasia behaved quietly, although he did not intend to surrender at all and still remained elusive.

The year 515, the year of victory over the rebel, was also a year of mourning for the imperial court: the wife of Anastasia, Ariadne, died. He survived it for three years and died on the night of July 8-9, 518. He was 88 years old, and 27 of them were the years of his reign. None of the Roman and Byzantine emperors lived to an equally respectable age, although some ruled longer than Anastasius - as, for example, Augustus.

In the writings of later historians, the reign of Anastasius and his personality are reflected as in a crooked mirror. The victorious Orthodox could neither forget nor forgive his sympathies for the Monophysites. However, in those days of burning religious passions it was impossible to please everyone: if you sided with some, you inevitably restored others against yourself.

The threat to the state lay in the fact that the dying ruler did not leave offspring and did not even indicate who he would like to see as his successor.

Bronze follis of Emperor Anastasius I.

Anastasius I (about 430-518), a native of Dirrachia, convinced monophysitis  who was destined to become a patriarch Antioch  . Emperor's widow Zeno   made him succeed him on the throne. Proving himself an energetic emperor, he reformed the tax system and filled the treasury, destroying the main city tax and ensuring a steady collection and receipt of the land tax in the treasury. He reformed the monetary system by issuing a bronze coin. On his orders, the Long Wall was created in Thrace for protection Of Constantinople .

Byzantium / Michel Kaplan. - M.: Veche, 2011. 389.

Anastasius I (Anastasios) (c. 430-518) - emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (491-518); usurper. According to the law of Anastasia of 1491, the columns were attached to the site if they rented it for 30 years; the collection of land tax was transferred from the hands of the Kurials to the Syndics subordinate to the praetorian prefect; canceled Chrysargir. Anastasius I supported monophysites. Suppressed popular uprisings in Constantinople (512) and in Thrace (515). Fortified Constantinople. In the years 502-505 he waged war with the Persians.

Soviet historical encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1973-1982. Volume 1. AALTONEN - AYANA. 1961.

Anastasius I Dikor - the Byzantine emperor in 491-518, originally from the city of Dirrachius in Illyric. He was a seleniary at the court of Emperor Zeno, on the day of whose funeral he was elected his successor to the kingdom. Ariadne , wife of the late emperor. At his age of 60, Anastasius was still handsome and tall, had eyes of different colors: one was blue and the other was black (for which he received his nickname “Two-Tone”), was known for his impeccable official reputation and an exemplary private life, was theologically educated and religious. Forty days after accession to the throne, on May 20, 491, Anastasius was married to Ariadne. He, like Zeno, supported monophysitism, although before the wedding to the kingdom, he confirmed in writing his acceptance of decisions Chalcedon Cathedral  . Eradicated the remnants of pagan traditions: canceled the persecution of wild animals, expelled mimes from the capital, banned the sending of pagan holidays. Patronized the circus party of the Reds. He removed the Isaurians from Constantinople, confiscated their property, abolished the privileges of Isavria, and crushed the rebellion of its population. He canceled the most devastating tax for the population - chrysargir, ordering to burn all the tax books on its fees. In exchange, Anastasius introduced chrysothelium, a monetary tax on land ownership, but canceled the collection of natural products from landowners and a set of recruits from them. In 498 he carried out a monetary reform; he added copper to silver and gold coins. In 501, a special edict banned the sale of government posts. Suppressed a series of rebellions and uprisings, including the rebellion of the commander Vitaliana  . During the reign of Anastasia, a war broke out between Byzantium and Iran, which lasted from 502 to 506. After its end, Anastasius built a powerful fortress on the Persian border near the village of Dara. Despite extensive construction activities, as a result of the innovations of Anastasia, huge funds were accumulated by the treasury at the end of his reign - 320,000 liters of gold. In the last years of the reign of Anastasius, the first devastating invasion of Slavic tribes into the territory of Byzantium took place. Anastasius died at the age of 88 during a severe thunderstorm.

Byzantine dictionary: in 2 vols. / [Comp. Total Ed. K.A. Filatova]. SPb .: Amphora. TID Amphora: RCA: Publisher Oleg Abyshko, 2011, v. 1, p. 82-83.

Anastasius I. Solid, gold.

Anastasius was a native of Dirrachius in Illyric (Evagrius: 3; 29). He was widely educated, famous for reason, respectable behavior and enjoyed the favor of Empress Ariadne ( Dashkov: “Anastasiy Dikor”) Ariadne's husband, emperor Zinon  , died in 491, without leaving a single son, but only a brother Longina , a man of a mad, cruel and unrestrained. Longinus hoped to take possession of the throne, but Ariadne, the Senate and the whole army proclaimed Emperor Anastasius, who was at that time in the position of Seleniary (so called ministers whose duties were to maintain order in the palace) ( Theophanes: 483) The patriarch Euphemius  It was opposed to this election, calling Anastasius a heretic because of his penchant for teaching the Monophysites. But Ariadne and the Senate forced Euthymius to agree. However, he did not allow this otherwise than under the condition that Anastasius provide a written promise to accept the definition of the Chalcedon Cathedral as a symbol of faith, which he did ( Fedor: 2; 6) After this, Euthymius married Anastasius to the kingdom, and he took Ariadne into his marriage. The Isaurian nobility, which supported Longinus, did not immediately admit defeat and did not get tired of plotting against the new emperor. In 493, Anastasius expelled from Constantinople all the Isaurians for many of the unrest that they caused. The Isaurians revolted and reached Phrygia, when Anastasius sent the commander John Skif against the rebels. John won a complete victory over the Isaurians, but they, relying on the fortresses and mountain strongholds of the Taurus, waged war for another three years. In 496, John Skiff, after a long siege, captured and executed their leaders. Many of the Isaurians were resettled in Thrace. Patriarch Euthymius, whom Anastasius suspected of conspiracy with his enemies, the bishops deposed and excommunicated. Before this, Anastasius took away his written religion from him by force. In place of Euphemia in the patriarchs erected Macedonia  . However, the emperor also did not have a relationship with him ( Theophanes: 483, 485, 487, 488).

Evagrius writes that Anastasius, as a man disposed towards the world, resolutely did not want any innovations, especially in the position of churches, and by all means took care that the churches were not outraged. The decisions of the Council of Chalcedon under him were neither explicitly recognized nor rejected at all - and each of the primates disposed of as he pleased. However, despite this, all the time of his reign passed in religious unrest, and the Orthodox clergy did not cease to attack the heretical views of the emperor. Anastasius did not remain in debt (Evagrius: 3; 30). In 511, singers in the palace church of the Archangel began to sing the thirteenth song, inserting into it, contrary to custom, the words "crucified for us", as was customary for the Monophysites of Antioch. The Orthodox attacked them, and there was a cruel contention between them. Anastasius for this was angry with the patriarch, showering him clearly and popularly with the most indecent insults through the renegade monks. Outraged by the emperor’s thoughtfulness, the patriarch in turn accused him of indulging the Manichaeans, after which there was a complete break between Anastasius and Macedonia. For the most part, the Moscow mob stood on the side of the Orthodox Church and more than once noisily expressed its hatred of the heretic emperor. The intensity of the struggle reached the point where Anastasius in fear locked the doors of the palace and kept the ships ready for flight. In 512, he persuaded two villains to accuse Macedonia of sodomy and heresy. Based on these allegations, the patriarch was forcibly taken out of his house, many priests, his supporters, were put in prison. Not daring to institute an investigation over Macedonia, Anastasius exiled him without trial, and appointed Timofei as patriarch (Theophanes: 499, 503, 504). In 512, from the same words “crucified for us” in Constantinople the greatest indignation arose, as if the Christian faith were completely rejected by this addition. Many people were killed, many houses burned down. Frightened by the rampant mob, Anastasius entered the horse race without a crown and sent the heralds to announce to the people that he was ready to relinquish his supreme power. Seeing this, the people immediately calmed down, began to ask Anastasius to put on the crown and promised to calm down (Evagrius: 3; 44). The following year, a religious war spilled out of the capital. Count of the Federates Vitalian declared himself the defender of Orthodoxy and, with many Huns and Bulgars, occupied all of Thrace, Scythia and Moesia, reached Constantinople and began its siege. In 514, Anastasius had to accept all the demands of the rebels: he agreed to convene a new Ecumenical Council and to disassemble all the disagreements in the interpretation of the dogmas of faith, and also return the thrones to the deposed Orthodox bishops. But as soon as Vitalian retreated, Anastasius renounced his promises. All the people and the Senate loudly reproached the emperor for the oath-crime, but he shamelessly answered them that there was a law allowing the emperor to break the oath and deceive if necessary (Theophanes: 506). An army was moved against the rebels, but Vitalian won a full victory in battle and went to the capital for the second time. In 515, Anastasius again requested peace. But, having concluded a truce, he himself treacherously violated it and suddenly attacked Vitalian’s fleet. In this naval battle, the rebels were defeated, and their leader hid (Evagrius: 3; 43).

Soon after this victory in July 518, Anastasius died at night during a terrible thunderstorm, which gave rise to Orthodox chroniclers to claim that the emperor was killed by lightning (Theophanes: 510).

All the monarchs of the world. Ancient Greece. Ancient Rome. Byzantium. Konstantin Ryzhov. Moscow, 2001

Anastasius I Dikor (430 - 518, imp. S 491)

When Zinon died, the Empress Ariadne, accompanied by higher courtiers, went to the hippodrome and addressed the people. Augusta promised to convene the Senate and the military to elect a new sovereign. Since no one was alive from Zinon’s children 1) the legitimate pretender to the throne turned out to be the brother of the deceased Longinus, an angry, rude and intemperate man. Neither the army nor the senate wanted such a ruler, and Ariadne, whose recommendation of August was decisive, proposed to make Anastasius the emperor of the palace seleniary. He came from Dyrrahiy (in Illyric), was widely educated, famous for reason, respectable behavior and enjoyed the favor of the empress. However, the choice was opposed, supporting Longinus, the party of Isaurians who had risen under Zinon. The situation in Constantinople was heated up to the limit, and when April 11, 491, Anastasius was proclaimed emperor at the hippodrome, he even had to slightly violate the established ceremony of wedding to the throne. First, Anastasius, in an embroidered golden crib, belted in red imperial campaign shoes, was raised on a shield and shown to the people and the army. At the same time, according to tradition, the Campiductor of the Lantsiarii laid on his head a chain instead of a crown (which was worn only together with the imperial clamid). And only having heard the noisy cries of approval not only of the soldiers, but also of the people, and thus having finally convinced the citizens of the support of the new Vasileus, the patriarch laid on him a mantle and a crown. Anastasius was re-presented to the audience already in full vestment, symbolizing the completion of the official coronation. People, shouting from their benches, wanted August to be many years old and to remain in purple the same moral person as he was known in private life.

Soon Ariadne married a new emperor, who, in addition to all her merits, retained her external attractiveness - he was tall, black-haired with gray hair and beautiful features. His eyes were of different colors - black and blue, which served as the basis for the nickname Dikor ("different eyes" in Greek).

Having ascended the throne, Anastasius immediately declared that he considers the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon to be the basis of faith, although he himself did not hide his sympathy for monophysitism. Longinus began to fan enmity among the inhabitants of the capital; between the adherents of Anastasia and the Isaurian party, fierce battles began, as a result of which the hippodrome and the best part of the city burned down. In total, these disputes, aggravated by the mutual hostility of the Monophysites and Orthodox Christians, lasted several years (the so-called “plebeian war”), and it happened that even the statues of the reigning couple were roped along the streets of Constantinople.

The emperor, extremely dissatisfied with the machinations of the Isaurian nobility, ordered Longin to be captured and tonsured as a monk, and he sent all his supporters out of the capital (493). In response, the Isaurians revolted. John Skif spoke against them and won a number of victories over them, after which the surviving rebels fled to the mountains of Isavria. The rebels hid there until 496, when John Skif managed to capture the leaders of the uprising, decapitate them and, as usual, send their heads as a gift to the Vasileus.

Since the time of Anastasia, there have been reports of the first raids of Avars, Slavs and Bulgarians (the name "Bulgarians" was one of the Hun tribes) on the lands of the empire. In 493, the commander Julian in the night battle “was struck by the Scythians [perhaps, referring to the Slavs. - S.D.] with a rod. ” In 499 the Getae (Bulgarians) destroyed the fifteen thousand detachment of the Romans in Thrace, Thrace was left without protection, and in 502 the Bulgarians plundered it again, and fifteen years later reached Macedonia and Epirus. It was troubled in the southern possessions, where since the end of the 5th century. the ruinous campaigns of the Arabs began.

On March 5, 493, Theodorich took possession of Ravenna, who was captured Odoacra was executed ten days later. The Goths proclaimed Theodoric king of Italy, without waiting for the consent of Constantinople to take this step (the embassy of the Roman Senate was sent to Zinon on this issue). Anastasius recognized Theodorich and sent him imperial regalia only by 497. Theodorich himself was an adherent of the policy of cooperation with the East, nominally recognizing the supremacy of Constantinople: “Our kingdom is yours [Byzantine. - SD] similarity, form of a fine example ... May there always be a thought about a united Roman empire ... "he wrote to Anastasius about 508. This was necessary for the wise Theodoric, because in Italy the times of the Ostrogothic Empire were the old Roman population, the senate and the visiting king were in a state of ongoing political struggle. The Aryan-Goths were very interested in supporting Byzantium, since both Zinon and Anastasius on faith issues clashed with the Roman Church, whose tops were formed from the ranks of the aristocracy.

In 502, the Persian Shah Kavad demanded that Anastasius pay a tribute. The emperor mockingly replied that if the shah wants to borrow money, let him send a receipt. Kavad in response moved troops to Armenia and quickly captured Theodosiopol (Erzurum). Then the Persians approached the important fortress of Amide and began its siege. The citadel showed serious resistance - at night, its defenders carried through the undermines carried away the earth from under the embankments erected by the Persians, made sorties and repelled numerous attacks of the enemy. The stone cutters of the Byzantines inflicted enormous damage on the Persian troops, the winter began and the Persians were ready to retreat, when one night one of the main fortress towers that the monks defended fell. After this, Amida was doomed, but for several days the residents of the city and the garrison fought bravely in the streets. Having occupied Amida, the Persians carried several tens of thousands of corpses from the fortress - the Romans and their own.

The heroic defense of Amida for a long time delayed the advance of the enemy inland and allowed the Byzantines to gather strength. In the spring of 503, the army under the leadership of Areovind, son of Dagalife, defeated the Persians, but by the summer the commanders of this army quarreled, and the Persians again began to defeat the Romans. Anastasius, quickly and correctly assessing the situation, changed the leadership of the army. The new commander-in-chief was Patrician Koehler, military operations were more successful, and by 506 the defeated Kavad agreed to a seven-year truce.

At the end of the war, the emperor made a detailed analysis of it, the result of which was the construction of Anastasiopol (Dara) - a powerful fortress on the Persian border. In a matter of months, not only walls and water pipes were built, but also water tanks, public buildings - even baths and churches.

Anastasia’s domestic policy was very active and was accompanied by major and far-sighted reforms.

The most important event was the cancellation in 497 - 498 years. hated by everyone, a chrysarger - a tax that existed since 314 in gold and silver, levied every five years by citizens engaged in trade and craft, and which turned into a real brake on the economy by the end of the 5th century. In fact, any property, including a donkey and a dog, was taxed with this tax. Another speaker, Livani, referring to Theodosius the Great, pointed out the harm of the chrysargir: “Let us say about the evil that surpassed all other troubles. This is an excessive burden in gold and silver, causing awe with the approach of a formidable five-year anniversary. The name is given to this source of income in a plausible way, supposedly tax is levied from merchants, but since these same merchants by the sea elude the tax, those people who barely allow their craft to feed themselves are killed. Even a darn shoe maker does not avoid this tax. More than once I saw how, having lifted my cutter to heaven, the shoemakers swore that all hope was only on him. But even this does not save them from the pickers who come to them, bark and almost bite. Under these conditions, sovereign, cases of transition to bondage become more frequent, children sold by their fathers are not deprived of their free state not so that the money received for them would go into a small box, but so that before their eyes this money goes into the hand of a persistent tax collector. "

Church historian Evagrius tells a wonderful story about the abolition of Chrisargir. According to him, Anastasius first ordered to burn all the books in which for many years the property of each (!) Citizen taxed by this tax was recorded. Officials who were fed from the gathering concealed part of the documents, hoping for a speedy revival of Chrysargir. Then the emperor called them to the palace, publicly announced the cancellation of his decision and instructed them to find and bring all the documents that have any relation to the collection procedure, supposedly to restore the books. The happy publicans by the named day complied with the order, while Anastasius ordered the one brought to be put on fire, and the ashes scattered in the wind. Upon learning of the abolition of Chrysargir, the inhabitants of the empire rejoiced for several days. To replenish the money treasury, Anastasius introduced another tax with a coin - chrysothelium, which was liable only to land ownership, and eliminated the previously collected natural tax from landowners and eliminated the supply of recruits.

In 498, a monetary reform was carried out; copper was added to silver and gold coins.

Around 500, a decree was issued stating that after thirty years of use by the tenant of the state land, this allotment becomes the property of the processor.

In 501, the emperor banned the sale of public office by a special edict.

The result of the innovations of Anastasia was that by the time the sovereign died, treasury had accumulated huge funds - 320,000 pounds of gold, and this despite the extensive construction activity!

Although the position of the empire as a whole was good under Anastasia, rebellions and unrest erupted in the state.

Around 501, during a competition at the hippodrome, a brawl occurred during which the illegitimate son Anastasia was killed. The angry emperor ordered the execution of many of its members. In 508, another rebellion began in Alexandria, this time by supporters of the Orthodox Patriarch Macedonia II. Three years later, at the Moscow hippodrome, a crowd of Orthodox chanted the slogan: “Another emperor to the Romans!” Anastasia's patience snapped, he either transplanted Macedonia’s particularly zealous adherents or expelled him from the capital, and removed the patriarch himself. In November 512, using a small change in words in one of the church hymns as a formal excuse for discontent, the inhabitants of Constantinople launched a major rebellion, which the elderly Vasilevs barely managed to prevent without much bloodshed. Anastasius went “to the horse race without a crown and sent a herald to announce to the [people gathered there] that he was ready to lay down the supreme power, but it was impossible for everyone to accept it - she did not tolerate many, and that after him only one would be the ruler of the state”. The crowd, seeing the emperor so peace-loving, heeded his reasonable arguments, calmed down and dispersed.

But the biggest rebellion against Vasileus was the revolt of Vita-liana, crushed with great difficulty and not to the end. In 513, the imperial commander Vitalian declared himself the defender of the Orthodox faith and opposed the monophysite Anastasius. The emperor was forced to hide in the outskirts near Vlachern (northeastern quarter of Constantinople), fearing Vitalian's supporters in the city. The same, having secured the support of the Bulgarians and Slavs, outraged the federals of the Danube regions, who demanded an increase in salaries. The head of the Thracian troops, Hypatius, the nephew of August, refused to do this, the federals rebelled, and Hypatius had to flee. In 514, the rebels already controlled Mysia, Scythia and Thrace, and then approached the walls of Constantinople. In the city, on the walls of houses, crosses and proclamations were convincingly hung, convincing residents of the emperor’s Orthodoxy.

Vitalian set the condition for a ceasefire to restore the deposed Macedonia II and convene a new Ecumenical Council. Anastasius hesitated a long time with the answer, meanwhile bribing the commanders of Vitalian. Finally, the emperor agreed with the demands of the rebels and Vitalian urgently withdrew the troops spread out by imperial gold.

Vasilevs began to clearly demonstrate his reluctance to fulfill the terms of the contract, while at the same time gathering forces for further struggle. In response to reproaches of deceit, he calmly remarked that the ruler, in case of need, has the right to violate any oath.

The commander Cyril went against Vitalian with a huge army, but at the very beginning of the campaign he was stabbed up in his own tent by guards bribed by the enemy. Hypatius took the place of Cyril, and soon his eighty-thousandth army was defeated, and he himself was captured. The emperor’s authority fell so much that Vitalian’s people were robbed and beaten, sent with ransom for Hypatia. The latter took the imperial title from the troops and again approached the capital, threatening to storm by land and sea.

Anastasius again asked for peace. Having concluded another agreement, he himself treacherously violated the truce by moving the fleet to Vitalian’s ships. In a naval battle (515) Vitalian was defeated and hid, and the remnants of his armies swore allegiance to the emperor.

It is noteworthy that the so-called Long Wall, built ten years earlier forty kilometers from the capital, that went 420 stages (80 km) from the Sea of \u200b\u200bMarmara near Olivria to the Black Sea near Dergon, could not serve the city as a defense.

For his monophysitism, Anastasius was nicknamed the Unholy by some historians and chroniclers, but the activities of this far from ordinary man hardly deserve such a sharp negative assessment. In any case, despite the clear unprincipledness of the emperor-utilitarian in politics, he cannot be blamed for cruelty. 2) neglect of public affairs or inability to manage a power.

Anastasius died on July 8 or 9, 518, at night, during a terrible thunderstorm, which gave rise to the Orthodox chroniclers to claim later that God punished the emperor for his sins by killing him with lightning.

Notes

1)   Zinon's eldest son from his first marriage went wild in the footsteps of his father, but excesses undermined his health, and he died young.

2)   For example, for humane reasons, he forbade people to show wild animals in circuses (which, incidentally, caused open discontent among the Romans).

Used materials of the book: Dashkov S.B. Emperors of Byzantium. M., 1997, p. 49-54.

Read on:

Patriarch of Constantinople   (biographical reference book).

(c. 430, Dyrrachius - from 9 to 10.07.518, K-pol), imp. East Roman (Byzantine) Empire (from April 11, 491). Due to the different color of the eyes (blue and black), he received the nickname Δίκορος (Greek - with two pupils). He was at the court as the decurion of the Selentiary, had a reputation as an honest man and an impeccable employee. After the death of imp. Zinon A., with the approval of the synclite and the people, was enthroned by the Dowager Empress Ariadne, who entered into marriage with him (May 20, 491); Zinon Longin, who claimed the throne, was exiled to Thebaid.

The split with Rome, which arose on the basis of the rejection in the West of the “Enotikon” by Zinon (482), and the ensuing Akaki schism determined the life of the Church in the reign of A. In 488, he was one of the candidates for the Patriarchal throne of Antioch and even preached at St. Sophia, but the Patriarch forbade his preaching, suspecting him of the sympathy of the heresy of Eutyches. Upon the accession of A. to the throne, Patriarch Euthymius demanded from him a written confession of faith with the recognition of the Universe. IV Cathedral in Chalcedon, which he introduced. However, in the future A. began to adhere to the line declared in Enotikon: he tried to reconcile the Monophysites and the Orthodox, not taking into account the decisions of the Chalkids. Cathedral and approved on it the definitions of the Articles of Faith, which led A. to break with Patriarch Euthymius, who was accused of Nestorianism and exiled (496). The new Patriarch Macedonius II, who adopted the Enotikon, initially supported a split with the pope, but soon the views of the emperor and the Patriarch sharply diverged. If Macedonius understood "Enotikon" from the standpoint of moderate law. party, A. meant the rapprochement with the Monophysites and recognition of their dominant position. In the capital, the Monophysite party intensified, led first by Philoxenus and then by Sevier (in 512 he occupied the Antioch department). Under their influence, A. finally switched to the Monophysite so-called sp. regarding Chalcis. Cathedral, demanding the same from the Patriarch of Macedonia. Right the party of the capital came to the defense of the Patriarch, and unrest began in the city against the emperor. Unrest was suppressed, Macedonius was deposed and sent to exile (511). The staging of the new Patriarch Timothy was accompanied by repressions against the Orthodox Church. parties, especially akimite monks. In response, a riot broke out in the capital, in the midst of which A. appeared at the hippodrome and expressed his readiness to lay down the imp. dignity The crowd calmed down and proclaimed glorifications to the emperor; order was established in the city. The unrest caused by clashes between the parties swept with particular force across Syria and Palestine, not even bypassing Egypt. This led to a fierce confrontation with Rome: the popes, with the exception of Anastasius II, took an implacable position in relation to the politics of the K-field. In Thrace, under the banner of the defense of Orthodoxy against A., the commander Vitalian rebelled (514).

The accession of A. put an end to the dominance of the Isaurians in the K-field: they were expelled from the capital, by 497 their resistance in Isauria itself was suppressed. Under A., \u200b\u200bthe unrest of the capital's inhabitants repeatedly occurred, caused by the rivalry of circus parties (see Dima). After A.'s death, 350 thousand pounds of gold remained in the treasury, which was the result of a sound policy in the field of financial management. The merit of A. is both the streamlining of the courts, and the reform of the prefecture. Under him, a very burdensome tax was abolished, the so-called. chrysargiron. A. also occasionally exempted from taxes the population of cities and localities affected by natural disasters and enemy invasions.

Building on Persian. the border of the fortress of Dara and the non-payment to the Persians of the sum laid under the agreement of 422, caused heavy Byzantine Persians. wars. From app. kingdoms in the reign of A. maintained a neutral relationship. Through sowing. Goths, Huns and Heruli constantly invaded the border into the country; in 517 there was also the first known invasion of the Danube Glory. tribes called in the sources of that time "geth". To the beginning VI century the Danube lands are desolate; invasion sowing. the barbarians began to stretch so deep into the empire that 70 km from the capital they had to build from Marble to Black metro station Long walls.

  Iconography

Portraits of A. are known from the coins of the time of his reign. According to R. Delbrück, A. was depicted on the flap of the so-called. Barberini diptych of ivory (1st half of the 6th century. Louvre. Paris), where the emperor triumphant on horseback is represented. However, many researchers, primarily A. Grabar, disagree with this interpretation.

Lit .: Bolotov. Lectures. T. 4. S. 331-332; Kulakovsky. History. T. 1. S. 357-423; Assumption. History. T. 1. S. 220-242; Kartashev. Cathedrals. S. 308-312; Charanis P. The Religious Policy of Anastasius (491-518). Madison, 1939. Thessaloniki, 19742; Ostrogorsky. Geschichte. S. 40f .; Peeters p. Hypatius et Vitalien // Mélanges H. Grégoire. P., 1950. T. 2. P. 5-51; Dvornik F. Pope Gelasius and the Emperor Anastasius I // BZ. 1951. Bd. 44. S. 111-116; Moeller Ch. Le “Type” de l "empereur Anastase I // Studia Patristica. 1961. Vol. 3. P. 240-247; Capizzi C. L" imperatore Anastasio I (491-518): Studio sulla sua vita, la sua opera e la sua personalità. R., 1969.

Iconography: Delbrueck R. Die Consulardiptychen und verwandte Denkmäler. B .; Lpz., 1929. N 48; Head C. Imperial Byzantine Portraits: A Verbal and Graphic Gallery. New rochelle; N. Y., 1982. P. 27-29; Byzance: L "art byzantin dans les collections publiques françaises / Musée du Louvre. P., 1992. P. 63-66, 166-167. N 20, 111; Grabard A. Emperor in Byzantine art. M., 2000. C . 29, 34, 67, 171.

M.V. Graziansky,O. E. Etingof