Leo II
“I am emperor, I want my rusks NOW!”
Roman Emperor Leo II had a busy old year in 474. He succeeded his grandfather Leo I as emperor in around January 474. A few weeks later, he was obliged to share that position with his own dad Zeno and before the year was out, Baby Leo was found dead in his playpen.
Leo wasn't the first child emperor of Rome in that century. Theodosius II and Valentinian III had both got plonked on the throne at very similar ages. These particular rulers had been dominated by a sister or a mother. Leo's mother Ariadne and her own mother, the fearsome Dowager Empress Verina may have intended to rule through little Leo and exclude his natural father Zeno on the grounds that he was a barely civilized citizen of the empire, coming from a tribe of bandits in Asia Minor who were called the Isaurians.[1]
Birth[edit]
Leo II was born in Constantinople in 467, a birth stage-managed by Eastern Roman Emperor Leo I, who needed allies against his nominal military subordinate Aspar. He chose a soldier called Zeno[2] to fulfil that position and in exchange for actual money, Leo pimped his daughter Ariadne to make sweaty love to Zeno. Within a year, a grandson was born and was given his grandfather's name.
Aspar gave Zeno no family leave and eventually drove him from Constantinople.[3] Zeno took Ariadne with him, but had to leave the kid behind with Grandpa. Leo Junior carried on bashing his rattle.
Family feuds[edit]
In 471, Aspar and his family were killed 'by imperial decree' and Leo I purged his staff. Zeno returned and all seemed well until 473, when Leo I officially promoted his grandson to the status of Caesar, a sort of 'Deputy Emperor'. Zeno wasn't mentioned, nor was he in 474 when Leo I died and Leo II was proclaimed solo emperor.
The new emperor was initially under the control of his grandmother Verina but within a month, Ariadne had decided she didn't want to run the empire with her mother. Zeno regained his power at court and quickly sidelined Verina. Within days, Zeno was crowned co-emperor with Leo, ending the toddler's solo reign. Everything seemed to have been resolved (except for the bitter Verina). With any luck, Leo would grow into a strong and healthy boy and start eating more solids.
Death[edit]
In fact, there was no luck. Leo II died suddenly in November 474. Verina put the gossip around that her son-in-law had got bored with sharing his throne with a kid and had 'done away with him'. Apart from a few coins minted that year, that's all we know about Emperor Leo II. Let's shake those rattles once again.
Legacy[edit]
Broken toys, a set of milk teeth and a pile of dirty diapers.
References[edit]
| Preceded by: Leo I |
Roman Emperor 474 |
Succeeded by: Zeno (in the East) |
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