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39-405: It derives its name from the warlike Isaurian tribe and the twin settlements Isaura Palaea (Ἰσαυρα Παλαιά, Latin: Isaura Vetus 'Old Isaura') and Isaura Nea (Ἰσαυρα Νέα, Latin: Isaura Nova 'New Isaura'). The Isaurians were fiercely independent mountain people who marauded and created havoc in neighboring districts under Macedonian and Roman occupations. The permanent nucleus of Isauria

78-467: A generous sum of money with which to purchase their own. These changes to imperial policy seem to have worked well; taxpayers often paid smaller tax bills than they had before, while government revenue increased. The increase in revenue allowed the emperor to pay soldiers a higher wage, which attracted native Roman soldiers to the military, as opposed to the barbarian and Isaurian mercenaries which some previous emperors had been forced to rely on. Anastasius

117-455: A message under one of three couches and had his nephews take seats in the room. He believed that the nephew who sat on the couch with the message would be his heir. However, two of his nephews sat on the same couch, and the one with the concealed message remained empty. After putting the matter to God in prayer, he determined that the first person to enter his room the next morning would be the next emperor, and that person turned out to be Justin ,

156-585: A woman known as Magna, Paulus was father to Irene, who married Olybrius . This Olybrius was the son of Anicia Juliana and Areobindus Dagalaifus Areobindus . The daughter of Olybrius and Irene was named Proba. She married Probus and was mother to a younger Juliana. This younger Juliana married another Anastasius, maternal grandson of Theodora , and was mother of Areobindus, Placidia, and a younger Proba, who married Flavius Anastasius, born in 530, and mothered Areobindus, born in 550, and Placidia, born in 552 and wife of John Mystacon . Another nephew of Anastasius

195-636: Is noteworthy that Ariadne chose Anastasius over Zeno's brother Longinus , who was arguably the more logical choice; this upset the Isaurians. It was also not appreciated by the circus factions, the Blues and the Greens . These groups combined aspects of street gangs and political parties and had been patronised by Longinus. After Anastasius took the throne they rioted repeatedly, causing serious damage and loss of life. Religiously, Anastasius' sympathies were with

234-401: Is often cited for his "prudent management" of the empire's finances. Amidst these reforms, though, Anastasius continued the practice of selling official positions. He sold so many that he has been accused of having facilitated the creation of a civilian aristocracy. This claim is strengthened by the growth in influence of families that often held high level positions in the government, such as

273-753: The Anastasian Wall , extending from the Propontis to the Black Sea . He converted his birthplace, Dyrrachium, into one of the most fortified cities on the Adriatic with the construction of Durrës Castle . Anastasius was a convinced Miaphysite , but his ecclesiastical policy was moderate. He endeavoured to maintain the principle of the Henotikon of Zeno and the peace of the church. Yet, in 512, perhaps emboldened after his military success against

312-454: The Apiones from Egypt. This has puzzled historians, given that the emperor seems to have minimised government corruption/inefficiency in other areas. Anastasius I also gave official positions to his close friend General Celer , his brother-in-law, his brother, his nephews, and his grand-nephews. The complex monetary system of the early Byzantine Empire, which suffered a partial collapse in

351-546: The Isaurian supporters of Longinus, the brother of Zeno, who was passed over for the throne in favour of Anastasius. The Battle of Cotyaeum in 492 broke the back of the revolt, but guerrilla warfare continued in the Isaurian Mountains for several years. The resistance in the mountains hinged upon the Isaurians' retention of Papirius Castle. The war lasted five years, but Anastasius passed legislation related to

390-499: The 4th century they were still described by Ammianus Marcellinus as the scourge of the neighbouring provinces of Asia Minor, with a major series of raids occurring from AD 404 to 409, including one campaign to eradicate them led by the Eastern Roman general Arbazacius , but they were said to have been effectually subdued in the reign of Justinian I . Some Byzantine emperors were of Isaurian descent: Zeno , whose native name

429-689: The Army of Thrace and began communicating with the Pope on a potential end to the Acacian schism . Two years later, General Marinus attacked Vitalian and forced him and his troops to the northern part of Thrace. After the conclusion of the conflict, Anastasius had undisputed control of the empire until his death in 518. The Anonymous Valesianus gives a (most likely fictional) account of Anastasius attempting to predict his successor. Anastasius did not know which of his three nephews would succeed him and so he put

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468-855: The Charjou desert, north of the River Oxus . Four solidi from his reign have been recovered as far from the Roman Empire as China. China might seem an unlikely trading partner, but the Romans and the Chinese were probably able to do business via Central Asian merchants travelling along the Silk Roads . Some Roman trading partners attempted to replicate the coins of Anastasius. The currency created by Anastasius stayed in use and circulated widely for long after his reign. A 40- nummi coin of Anastasius

507-653: The Diocese of Isaura Nova was early joined with that of Leontopolis, the more recent name of Isaura Palaea which is mentioned in all the "Notitiae". Isaura Palaea Isaura Palaea ( Ancient Greek : Ἴσαυρα Παλαιά , romanized :  Isaura Palaia ), in Latin Isaura Vetus , both meaning 'Old Isaura', and perhaps identical to Isauropolis , was a Roman and Byzantine era town in southern Turkey . The city has been identified with modern Zengibar Kalesi , Bozkır , Konya Province . In antiquity

546-464: The Imperial treasury with 23,000,000 solidi , which is 320,000 pounds of gold or 420 long tons (430 t). The illiterate peasant-born Justin then became the next emperor. Meanwhile, his nephew and future heir Justinian engrossed himself in the life of Constantinople. Anastasius is famous for showing an uncommon interest in administrative efficiency and issues concerning the economy. Whenever it

585-645: The Isaurians (early in the 1st century BC), they regarded Cilicia Trachea as part of Isauria, which thus extended to the Mediterranean Sea; and this extension of the name continued to be in common use for two centuries. The whole basin of the Calycadnus was reckoned Isaurian, and the cities in the valley of its southern branch formed what was known as the Isaurian Decapolis . The Isaurians were brought partially under control (76–75 BC) by

624-560: The Macedonians among the ashes and ruins. The town was rebuilt, but was destroyed a second time by the Roman, Servilius Isauricus ( c.  75 BCE ), and thenceforth it remained a heap of ruins. Strabo states that the place was ceded by the Romans to Amyntas of Galatia . It was rebuilt by Amyntas at a new location and called Isaura Nea ('New Isaura'). From 492-496 the area was fought over between emperor Anastasius I and

663-575: The Monophysites. Consequently, as a condition of his rule, the patriarch of Constantinople required that he pledge not to repudiate the Council of Chalcedon . Ariadne married Anastasius on 20 May 491, shortly after his accession on 11 April. He gained popular favour by a judicious remission of taxation, in particular by abolishing the hated tax on receipts, which was mostly paid by the poor. He displayed great vigour and energy in administering

702-644: The Persians, Anastasius deposed the Metropolitan of Chalcedon and replaced him with a Monophysite. That violated his agreement with the Patriarch of Constantinople and precipitated riots in Chalcedon. The following year, the general Vitalian started a rebellion, quickly defeated an imperial army and marched on Constantinople. With the army closing in, Anastasius gave Vitalian the title of Commander of

741-460: The Romans later received Amida in exchange for gold. The Persian provinces also suffered severely, and a peace was concluded in 506. Anastasius afterward built the strong fortress of Daras , which was named Anastasiopolis, to hold the Persians at Nisibis in check. The Balkan provinces were denuded of troops, however, and were devastated by invasions of Slavs and Bulgars . To protect Constantinople and its vicinity against them, Anastasius built

780-460: The Romans. During the war of the Cilician and other pirates against Rome, the Isaurians took so active a part that the proconsul P. Servilius deemed it necessary to follow them into their rugged strongholds, and compel the whole people to submission, an exploit for which he received the title of Isauricus (75 BC). In the year AD 6, Cassius Dio mentions that the Isaurians were marauding through

819-528: The affairs of the empire. His reforms improved the empire's tax base and pulled it from financial depression and bleak morale. By the end of his reign, it is claimed that the treasury had 320,000 lb gold reserve. Under Anastasius, the empire engaged in the Isaurian War against the usurper Longinus and the Anastasian War against Sassanid Persia. The Isaurian War (492–497) was stirred up by

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858-598: The chief of his guards. Anastasius died childless in Constantinople on 9 July 518. He was 90 and a half years old according to the later chronicles of John Malalas ( c. 491–578) and the Chronicon Paschale ( c. 630). The early 6th-century historian Victor of Tunnuna states that he died at the age of 88, a figure accepted by most modern historians. He became the last emperor known to be consecrated as divus on his death. Anastasius left

897-793: The city was in Isauria (Ἰσαυρία) district of Lycaonia in today's southern Turkey (modern Konya Province ). Its site is identified as near Bozkır . Before the Romans the town was a strongly fortified city of the Isaurians , located at the foot of Mt. Taurus . It was besieged by Perdiccas , the Macedonian regent after Alexander the Great 's death, the Isaurians set the place alight and let it perish in flames rather than submit to capture. Large quantities of molten gold were found afterwards by

936-462: The death of Zeno (491), there is strong evidence that many Roman citizens wanted an emperor who was an Orthodox Christian and a Roman proper. In the weeks following Zeno's death, crowds gathered in Constantinople chanting "Give the Empire an Orthodox emperor!" Under such pressure, Ariadne , Zeno's widow, turned to Anastasius. Anastasius was in his sixties at the time of his ascension to the throne. It

975-675: The economy in the mid-490s, which suggests that the war did not absorb all of the energy and resources of the government. After five years, the Isaurian resistance was broken. Large numbers of Isaurians were forcibly relocated to Thrace to ensure that they would not revolt again. During the Anastasian War of 502–505 against the Sassanid Persians , the Sassanids captured the cities of Theodosiopolis and Amida , although

1014-483: The empire endured for centuries. Anastasius was a Miaphysite Christian and his personal religious tendencies caused tensions throughout his reign in the empire that was becoming increasingly divided along religious lines. He is venerated as a saint by the Syriac Orthodox Church on 29 July. Anastasius was born at Dyrrachium ; the date is unknown, but is thought to have been no later than 431. He

1053-428: The houses of Dorla , prove the site. It was the latter, and not the former town, that Servilius reduced by cutting off the water supply. J. R. S. Sterrett explored in the highland of Isauria in 1885 but it was not exhaustive. The site was identified by W. M. Ramsay in 1901. Ramsay discovered there more than fifty Greek inscriptions, the greater number Christian, as well as magnificent tombs. These monuments date from

1092-751: The local rebels, in what was to become known as the Isaurian War . The Seljuq Turks managed to take control of the area in the late 11th century, after the Battle of Manzikert . [REDACTED]  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Smith, William , ed. (1854–1857). "Isaura". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography . London: John Murray. 37°11′24″N 32°14′42″E  /  37.190126°N 32.24503°E  / 37.190126; 32.24503 Anastasius I Dicorus Anastasius I Dicorus ( ‹See Tfd› Greek : Ἀναστάσιος , translit.   Anastásios ; c.  431 – 9 July 518)

1131-416: The mid-5th century, was revived by Anastasius in 498. The new system involved three denominations of gold, the solidus and its half ( semissis ) and third ( tremissis ); and five denominations of copper, the follis (worth 40 nummi ) and its fractions down to a nummus . It would seem that the new currency quickly became an important part of trade with other regions. A follis coin has been found in

1170-439: The northern slope of Taurus. A province called at first Isauria-Lycaonia, and later Isauria alone, extended up to the limits of Galatia, but not past Taurus on the south. Pisidia , part of which had hitherto been included in one province with Isauria, was also detached, and made to include Iconium; Isauria received the eastern part of Pamphylia . The coastal Metropolis of Seleucia was designated as Isauria's provincial capital. In

1209-447: The province of Asia until they were faced with open war and were defeated. The Isaurians were afterwards placed for a time under the rule of Amyntas, king of Galatia ; but it is evident that they continued to retain their predatory habits and virtual independence. In the 3rd century they sheltered the rebel emperor Trebellianus . In the early 4th century, all Cilicia was detached by order of Diocletian for administrative purposes from

Isauria - Misplaced Pages Continue

1248-632: The third, fourth, and fifth centuries. It is argued that Paul evangelised in Claudiopolis , the only Roman colony in the region by that time. The Isaurian church was originally under the authority of the Patriarch of Antioch , but was attached to the Patriarch of Constantinople in the late 7th or early 8th century. Because Aetius, fl 451. is called in inscriptions bishop of Isauropolis and Isaura Palaea and as no Notitia episcopatuum makes mention of Isaura, or Isauropolis, Ramsay supposes that

1287-567: Was Eastern Roman emperor from 491 to 518. A career civil servant, he came to the throne at the age of 61 after being chosen by Ariadne , the wife of his predecessor, Zeno . His reign was characterized by reforms and improvements in the empire's government, finances, economy and bureaucracy. The resulting stable government, reinvigorated monetary economy and sizeable budget surplus allowed the empire to pursue more ambitious policies under his successors, most notably Justinian I . Since many of Anastasius' reforms proved long-lasting, his influence over

1326-467: Was Flavius Probus , consul in 502. Anastasius' sister, Caesaria, married Secundinus , and gave birth to Hypatius and Pompeius . Flavius Anastasius Paulus Probus Moschianus Probus Magnus , consul in 518, was a great-nephew of Anastasius. His daughter Juliana later married Marcellus , a brother of Justin II . The extensive family may well have included several viable candidates for the throne. Following

1365-697: Was Tarasicodissa Rousoumbladadiotes; his son, Leo II ; and perhaps Leontius , who reigned from 695 to 698. The empire used Isaurians as soldiers, generals and at one point they even formed part of the emperor's personal guard, the Excubitores . However, the population of Constantinople considered the Isaurians as barbarians, and emperor Anastasius I had to fight a long war against Isaurian rebels ( Isaurian War , 492–497). The ruins of Isaura Palaea are mainly remarkable for their fine situation, fortifications and tombs. Those of Isaura Nea have disappeared, but numerous inscriptions and many sculpture stelae, built into

1404-455: Was born into an Illyro-Roman family. Anastasius had one black eye and one blue eye ( heterochromia ), and for that reason he was nicknamed Dicorus ( ‹See Tfd› Greek : Δίκορος , translit.   Díkoros , "two- pupiled "). Before becoming emperor, Anastasius was a particularly successful administrator in the department of finance. Anastasius is known to have had a brother named Paulus , who served as consul in 496. With

1443-522: Was north of the Taurus range which lies directly south of Iconium and Lystra . Lycaonia had all the Iconian plain; but Isauria began as soon as the foothills were reached. Its two original towns, Isaura Nea and Isaura Palaea , lay, one among these foothills (Doria) and the other on the watershed ( Zengibar Kalesi ), located at approximately 37°29′N 32°12′E near Bozkir. In the 4th century BC, Isauria

1482-472: Was possible in governmental transactions, he altered the method of payment from goods to hard currency. This practice decreased the potential for embezzlement and the need for transportation and storage of supplies. It also allowed for easier accounting. He also applied this practice to taxes, mandating that taxes be paid with cash rather than with goods. He eliminated the practice of providing soldiers with their arms and uniforms; instead he allotted each soldier

1521-425: Was the wild district about Isaura Palaea and the heads of the Calycadnus . When the capital, Isaura (also known as Isaura Vetus or Isaura Palaea ), a strongly fortified city at the foot of Mt. Taurus, was besieged by Perdiccas , the Macedonian regent after Alexander the Great 's death, the Isaurians set the place alight and let it perish in flames rather than submit to capture. When the Romans first encountered

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