Flavius Armatus (d. 477; Also Harmatus and Harmatius; Greek: Ἁρμάτιος, Armatios, and Ἁρμάτος, Armatos) was a Byzantine military commander, magister militum under Emperors Leo I, Basiliscus and Zeno, and consul. He was instrumental to the rebellion of Basiliscus against Zeno, and in his subsequent fall. Events Huneric becomes king of Vandals Aelle king of the South Saxons, arrives in England, with his three sons, near Cymenshore. ... Byzantine Empire (native Greek name: - Basileia tōn Romaiōn) is the term conventionally used since the 19th century to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire of the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... Magister militum (Latin for Master of the Soldiers) was a top-level command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine. ... Leo I coin. ... Flavius Basiliscus was a rival Byzantine Emperor 475 _ 476. ... Zeno on a coin celebrating his victories. ... Consul (abbrev. ...

Origin and early career

Armatus was nephew of Basiliscus and of Empress Verina, the wife of Leo I. It is known that Armatus had a son, also him named Basiliscus. During the last part of Emperor Leo's reign, Armatus, as magister militum per Thracias, successfully sedated a revolt in Thrace, cutting the hands of the Thracian prisoners and sending them to the rebels. It is possible that the rebels were men of the Thracian Goth Theoderic Strabo, a military commander under Leo, and hence this revolt would have been the one started by Strabo between the death of Aspar (471) and the end of Leo's rule (473).^[1][2] Flavius Basiliscus was a rival Byzantine Emperor 475 _ 476. ... Aelia Verina (died 484) was the wife of Byzantine emperor Leo I, and the mother-in-law of Zeno, who was married to her daughter Ariadne. ... Thrace (Greek Θράκη, Thrákē, Latin: Thracia or Threcia, Turkish Trakya, Bulgarian Тракия, Trakiya) is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. ... Invasion of the Goths: a late 19th century painting by O. Fritsche portrays the Goths as cavalrymen. ... Flavius Ardabur Aspar (? - 471), an Alan, was the magister militum (Master of Soldiers) of the Byzantine Empire. ...

Rise of Basiliscus

Solidus issued by Basiliscus during his short reign. Armatus supported his relative Basiliscus in his revolt against Emperor Zeno.

Armatus supported the rebellion of Basiliscus in 475, probably gaining also the support of Verina, who was the mother-in-law of deposed Emperor Zeno, for the rebels. During the short reign of Basiliscus, Armatus exercised noteworthy influence on both the emperor and and his wife and Augusta Zenodis. There were rumours about a relationship between Armatus and Zenodis. Zenodis convinced Basiliscus to appoint Armatus of the office of magister militum praesentialis. Armatus was also awarded of the consulship of 476, together with Basiliscus.^[3][2] Julian solidus, ca. ... Flavius Basiliscus was a rival Byzantine Emperor 475 _ 476. ... Zeno on a coin celebrating his victories. ... Augustus (plural augusti) is Latin for majestic or venerable. The feminin form is Augusta. ... Consul (abbrev. ... Events August - The usurper Basiliscus is deposed and Zeno is restored as Eastern Roman Emperor. ...

Armatus was a sort of dandy, who was interested only in his own hair and other body training, and Theoderic Strabo despised him for this reason. Strabo, therefore, grew unsatisfied of Basiliscus, whom he had helped in his uprising against Zeno, because he had given the title of magister militum praesentialis, a rank as high as Strabo's own, to such a man.^[3][2]

After the honours and wealth received by his uncle Basiliscus, Armatus thought to be the bravest of the men, dressing as Achilles and parading around his house near the Hippodrome,^[4]. During his wandering, the people called him "Pyrrus",^[5] either because he was of reddish complexion or deceiving him.^[3][2] The Wrath of Achilles, by François-Léon Benouville (1821-1859) (Musée Fabre) In Greek mythology, Achilles, also Akhilleus or Achilleus (Ancient Greek ) was a hero of the Trojan War, the central character and greatest warrior of Homers Iliad, which takes for its theme, not the War...

Fall of Basiliscus and Armatus' death

Tremissis issued by Emperor Zeno after he had regained his throne. Armatus was the commander of the army sent by Basiliscus to counter Zeno's advance, but accepted a bribe by the former emperor and betrayed his uncle.

In summer 476, Zeno moved from Isauria to regain his throne, and bribed both the Basiliscus' generals Illus and Throcondus to join him. Basiliscus gathered all of the troops from Thracia, the city of Constantinople and even the palace guard, and, after binding Armatus with a loyalty oath, send them to meet and defeat Zeno. When Armatus met Zeno, however, he was bribed in joining the Isaurian emperor, with the promise of the appointment of the title of magister militum praesentalis for life, the awarding of Armatus' son, Basiliscus, of the title of caesar, and of the qualification as heir to Zeno.^[2] Image File history File links Zeno AV Tremissis. ... Image File history File links Zeno AV Tremissis. ... Tremissis was a currency of the Late Ancient Rome, equal to one-third of solidus. ... Zeno on a coin celebrating his victories. ... Flavius Basiliscus was a rival Byzantine Emperor 475 _ 476. ... Caesar (p. ...

After his restoration, Zeno fulfilled his promises, letting Armatus keep his title of magister militum praesentalis (possibly even raising him to the rank of patricius) and appointing his son Basiliscus Caesar in Nicaea. In 477, however, the Isaurian Zeno changed his mind, probably by instigation of Illus, an Isaurian general who had helped Basiliscus' rise and later changed side to Zeno, and who would have gained by the fall of Armatus. Armatus was killed by order of Zeno. The murderer was Armatus' own friend Onoulphus,^[6] who, as a poor barbarian, had been welcomed by Armatus, then made comes, then commander of Illyricum; Armatus even lent him a great deal of money to pay for a banquet. The citizens of Constantinople rejoiced after his death. Zeno confiscated all of the properties of Armatus, deposed his son Basiliscus, and had him ordained priest.^[2][7][1] Patricians (patricii) were originally the elite caste in ancient Rome. ... Iznik (formerly Nicaea) is a city in Anatolia (now part of Turkey) which is known primarily as the site of two major meetings (or Ecumenical councils) in the early history of the Christian church. ... Events Huneric becomes king of Vandals Aelle king of the South Saxons, arrives in England, with his three sons, near Cymenshore. ... Isauria, in ancient geography, is a rugged isolated district in the interior of South Asia Minor, of very different extent at different periods, but generally covering much of what is now south-central Turkey, or the core of the Taurus Mountains. ... Comes (genitive: comitis) is the Latin word for companion, either individually or as a member of a collective known as comitatus (compare comitatenses), especially the suite of a magnate, in some cases large and/or formal enough to have a specific name, such as a cohors amicorum. ... This article is about an ancient civilization in southeastern Europe; see also Illyria (software), Illyria (character in the TV series Angel). ... Map of Constantinople. ...

Relationship between Armatus and Odoacer

Coin issued by Odoacer in the name of Zeno.

A recent publication by Stephan Krautschick has opened the study of Armatus' life to new interpretations, in particular for what regards the relationship between Armatus and Basiliscus' family and Odoacer, chieftain of the Heruli and later King of Italy. According to Krautschick, as well as to other subsequent scholars,^[8] Armatus was brother of Onoulphus and Odoacer, so that the leader of the Heruli was also nephew of Basiliscus and Verina. In particular, this interpretation leads to understand why Armatus was so keen to help Onoulphus, and that was his own brother to kill him.^[9] Image File history File links Solidus-Odoacer-ZenoRIC_3657cf. ... Image File history File links Solidus-Odoacer-ZenoRIC_3657cf. ... Odoacer solidus struck in name of Zeno. ... Zeno on a coin celebrating his victories. ... Odoacer solidus struck in name of Zeno. ... The Heruli (spelled variously in Latin and Greek) were a nomadic Germanic people, who were subjugated by the Ostrogoths, Huns, and Byzantines in the 3rd to 5th centuries. ...

The link between Armatus, Odoacer and Onoulphus is a fragment by John of Antioch (209.1), in which Onoulphus is stated to be the murderer and the brother of Armatus. Before the work of Krautschick, and also according to other scholars, the reading was emended to read that "Odoacer was the brother of the Onoulphus who killed Armatus". This amendament made the fragment of John compatible with the accounts of other historians, since neither John Malalas nor Malchus make any reference to the fact that Armatus was killed by his own brother, and no reference is made to a blood relationship between Odoacer and Basiliscus.^[10] John of Antioch was bishop of Antioch A.D. 429-441 and led a group of moderate Eastern bishops during the Nestorian controversy. ... John Malalas (or Malelas) (Syriac for orator ) (c. ...

Notes

Suda (Σουδα or alternatively Suidas) is a massive 10th century Byzantine Greek historical encyclopædia of the ancient Mediterranean world. ... Suda (Σουδα or alternatively Suidas) is a massive 10th century Byzantine Greek historical encyclopædia of the ancient Mediterranean world. ... Neoptolemus Kills Priam Neoptolemus Murdered at Delphi In Greek mythology, Neoptolemus, also Neoptólemos or Pyrrhus, was the son of the warrior Achilles and the princess Deidamea. ... Evagrius Scholasticus, an ecclesiastical historian, who wrote six books, embracing a period of 163 years, from the second Council of Ephesus AD 431 to the 12th year of the emperor Maurice I, AD 594. ... Cyzicus was an ancient town of Mysia in Asia Minor, situated on the shoreward side of the present peninsula of Kapu-Dagh (Arctonnesus), which is said to have been originally an island in the Sea of Marmara, and to have been artificially connected with the mainland in historic times. ... This article is about theological views like those of Arius. ... The Alans, Alani, Alauni or Halani were an Iranian nomadic group among the Sarmatian people, warlike nomadic pastoralists of varied backgrounds, who spoke an Iranian language and to a large extent shared a common culture. ... Flavius Ardabur Aspar (? - 471), an Alan, was the magister militum (Master of Soldiers) of the Byzantine Empire. ... Events Euric, king of the Visigoths, defeats an attempted invasion of Gaul by the Celtic magnate Riothamus. ...

References

Primary sources

• "Ἁρμάτιος (Armatios)". Suda. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
• "Ἁρμάτος (Armatos)". Suda. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
• Evagrius Scholasticus (1846). “3.XXIV Death of Armatus”, Historia Hecclesiae, transl. E. Walford, London: Samuel Basgster and Sons. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.

Suda (Σουδα or alternatively Suidas) is a massive 10th century Byzantine Greek historical encyclopædia of the ancient Mediterranean world. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ... Suda (Σουδα or alternatively Suidas) is a massive 10th century Byzantine Greek historical encyclopædia of the ancient Mediterranean world. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ... Evagrius Scholasticus, an ecclesiastical historian, who wrote six books, embracing a period of 163 years, from the second Council of Ephesus AD 431 to the 12th year of the emperor Maurice I, AD 594. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ...

Secondary sources

• Armory, Patrick (1997). People and Identity in Ostrogothic Italy, 489-554. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521526353, pp. 282-283.
• Demandt, A. (1989). Die Spätantike: römische Geschichte von Diocletian bis Justinian 284-565 n. Chr., p. 178.
• Krautschick, Stephan (1986). "Zwei Aspekte des Jahres 476". Historia (35): pp. 344-371.
• Macgeorge, Penny (2003). Late Roman Warlords. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0199252440, pp. 284-285.
• Martindale, J.R. (1980). The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521201594, pp. 148-149.