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Line 1: − + − '''Zeno of Elea''' (ca 490 BC - ?) was a [[Greeks|Greek]] [[philosopher]] and follower of [[Parmenides]] who devised a number of famous arguments (his Paradoxes) directed against the opponents of Parmenides.+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + − + − One of [[Zeno's paradox]]es claims that it is impossible ever to reach a destination, such as a house that is a mile away. For in order to walk that mile, you must first walk half a mile, leaving half a mile to go. But before you can complete that remaining half a mile, you must first walk a quarter of a mile, leaving a quarter of a mile to go... and so on. Thus, apparently, you can get closer and closer and closer to your destination but can never actually quite get there. + − A possible mathematical solution is that the time it takes to make each partial step approaches [[zero]] as the number of steps approaches [[infinity]], and they cancel each other out.+ − + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
ported away old page to Zeno of Elea as the Emperor outranked the philosopher
[[Image:ZenoofElea.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Zeno of Elea artwork]]
{| class="infobox" style="float:right; width:300px; margin:0 0 1em 1em; border:1px solid #aaa; background:#f9f9f9;"
|-
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center; font-size:120%; padding:4px;" | Zeno
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | [[File:Coin - Zeno - A - Bust of Zeno facing, helmeted with pearl-diadem, cuirassed, holding spear - D N ZENO PERP AVG - Dominus Noster Zeno Perpetuus Augustus.jpg|250px|Coin depicting Emperor Zeno]]
|-
! Title
| [[Roman Emperor|Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire]]
|-
! Reign
| 9 February 474 – 9 January 475; restored August 476 – 9 April 491
|-
! Predecessor
| [[Leo II]]; [[Basiliscus]] (usurper)
|-
! Successor
| [[Anastasius I Dicorus]]
|-
! Born
| c. 425–430, [[Isauria]], Asia Minor
|-
! Died
| 9 April 491, [[Constantinople]]
|-
! Spouse
| [[Ariadne (empress)|Ariadne]]
|-
! Known for
| The ''[[Henotikon]]''; relations with the [[Ostrogoths]]; restoration of imperial authority
|}
Zeno formulated several mind-boggling questions, ''Zeno's paradoxes.'' They were a challenge to philosophers. For the most part, today they are considered to have been solved by the [[mathematics|mathematical]] [[concept]] known as the ''limit.''
'''Zeno''' (c. 425–430 – 9 April 491), also known as '''Zeno the Isaurian''', was [[Roman Emperor|emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire]] from 474 until his death, apart from an interruption between 475 and 476 when he was driven from the throne by the usurper [[Basiliscus]]. His reign was marked by court intrigues, military revolts, religious controversy, and the transformation of political authority in the western provinces. He issued the ''[[Henotikon]]'' in an attempt to reconcile competing Christian factions and arranged for the Ostrogothic king [[Theodoric the Great]] to invade Italy, removing a major military threat from the Balkans.<ref>Hugh Elton, [https://roman-emperors.sites.luc.edu/zeno.htm "Zeno (AD 474–491)"], ''De Imperatoribus Romanis''.</ref>
==Early life and rise to power==
Zeno was born in [[Isauria]], a mountainous region of southern [[Asia Minor]] within the Roman Empire. His original name is commonly given as Tarasicodissa. The Isaurians had a reputation for military toughness, but their growing influence within the imperial army and government also made them unpopular with sections of the population and the aristocracy of [[Constantinople]].
[[Category:Ancient Greek Philosophers]]
Zeno entered imperial service under [[Leo I (emperor)|Leo I]], becoming a prominent military commander. In 466, he brought evidence to the imperial court that helped expose the treachery of Ardabur, the son of the powerful general [[Aspar]]. Zeno subsequently rose in rank and married Leo I's daughter, [[Ariadne (empress)|Ariadne]], in the later 460s. Through this marriage and his military career, he became a leading figure in imperial politics.<ref>[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Zeno "Zeno"], ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 11th edition (1911).</ref>
Leo I died in January 474, leaving the throne to his young grandson [[Leo II]], the son of Zeno and Ariadne. On 9 February 474, Leo II elevated his father to the rank of co-emperor. When the boy died later that year, Zeno became sole emperor.
==The usurpation of Basiliscus==
Zeno's accession was unpopular among some inhabitants of Constantinople, partly because of hostility towards his Isaurian followers. His mother-in-law, Empress [[Verina]], also resented his position and became involved in a conspiracy against him.
In January 475, Zeno was forced to flee Constantinople and seek refuge in Isauria. Verina's brother, [[Basiliscus]], seized the throne and ruled in his place. During Basiliscus's reign, disputes over religious policy and the administration of the empire further undermined his standing.
Zeno remained in exile for approximately twenty months. Basiliscus alienated important political and religious constituencies, while Zeno retained supporters among the military. In 476, Zeno returned to Constantinople and recovered the throne, facing little effective resistance. Basiliscus was captured and subsequently died in exile.<ref>J. B. Bury, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/BURLAT/12*.html "The Reign of Zeno, and the German Viceroyalty in Italy"], ''History of the Later Roman Empire'', vol. 1, ch. XII.</ref>
The restoration secured Zeno's position, but further conspiracies and military revolts continued to threaten his government.
==Relations with the Western Roman Empire==
Zeno's reign coincided with the final collapse of imperial rule in the western provinces. In 476, the Germanic military commander [[Odoacer]] deposed the western emperor [[Romulus Augustulus]] and assumed control of Italy. The event is conventionally used to mark the fall of the [[Western Roman Empire]], although the Eastern Roman Empire continued for nearly a thousand years.
Zeno did not immediately recognize the disappearance of the western imperial office as a permanent constitutional settlement. He continued to regard [[Julius Nepos]], who had been driven from Italy in 475, as the legitimate western emperor until Nepos was assassinated in 480. Meanwhile, Zeno granted Odoacer the title of patrician, acknowledging his authority in Italy without appointing him emperor.
The new political arrangement left Zeno with limited practical control over the West. His government instead concentrated on preserving the Eastern Roman Empire and managing the military powers that threatened its frontiers.<ref>[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Zeno "Zeno"], ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 11th edition (1911).</ref>
==The Ostrogoths and the invasion of Italy==
The [[Ostrogoths]] were a major military and political challenge during Zeno's reign. Their leaders, [[Theodoric Strabo]] and [[Theodoric the Great]], commanded rival Gothic groups whose military strength could be directed either against the empire or in its service.
Zeno attempted to manage the threat through diplomacy, military appointments, and rivalry between the Gothic leaders. However, the Ostrogoths remained dangerous, particularly when dissatisfied with imperial payments or political concessions.
In 488, Zeno encouraged Theodoric the Great, the son of Theodemir, to lead his Ostrogoths into Italy against Odoacer. The expedition removed a powerful Gothic army from the Balkans and redirected its ambitions towards Italy. Theodoric eventually defeated Odoacer and established Ostrogothic rule over the peninsula in 493, two years after Zeno's death.
The campaign had lasting consequences for Italy and the post-Roman West. It also illustrates Zeno's use of external military powers to address strategic problems that his own government could not easily resolve by direct force.<ref>Hugh Elton, [https://roman-emperors.sites.luc.edu/zeno.htm "Zeno (AD 474–491)"], ''De Imperatoribus Romanis''.</ref>
==The revolt of Illus==
Zeno also faced a serious revolt led by [[Illus]], an Isaurian general who had previously been one of his important supporters. Despite their shared regional origins, the relationship between the emperor and the general deteriorated amid political rivalries and the continuing intrigues surrounding Verina.
In 484, Illus supported the elevation of [[Leontius (usurper)|Leontius]] as a rival emperor. The revolt attracted opposition to Zeno's government and required a prolonged military response. Zeno's forces eventually defeated the rebels, who took refuge in a fortress at Papurius in Isauria.
The rebellion ended in 488 when Illus and Leontius were captured and executed. Its suppression eliminated a significant rival to Zeno's authority, although the emperor's reliance on military commanders continued to reflect the difficulties of governing an empire divided by regional and court factions.<ref>Hugh Elton, [https://roman-emperors.sites.luc.edu/zeno.htm "Zeno (AD 474–491)"], ''De Imperatoribus Romanis''.</ref>
==The Henotikon and religious controversy==
Religious division was one of the most enduring problems of Zeno's reign. The central dispute concerned the [[Council of Chalcedon]] of 451, which had defined Christ as acknowledged in two natures, divine and human. Many Christians accepted the council's definition, while others rejected it, particularly in [[Egypt]] and parts of the eastern provinces.
In 482, Zeno issued the ''[[Henotikon]]'', meaning "Act of Union" or "Instrument of Union." Prepared with the involvement of [[Acacius of Constantinople|Acacius]], the Patriarch of Constantinople, the document sought to reconcile opposing Christians through a common profession of faith based on the earlier councils and the teachings associated with [[Cyril of Alexandria]].
The ''Henotikon'' condemned [[Nestorianism]] and the teachings associated with [[Eutyches]], but avoided an unambiguous endorsement of the Council of Chalcedon. Zeno hoped that this compromise would restore ecclesiastical unity and reduce religious tensions, especially in Egypt.
The measure failed to achieve lasting reconciliation. Many Chalcedonian Christians objected to the ambiguity of the document, while opponents of Chalcedon did not all accept the compromise. [[Pope Felix III]] rejected the policy and condemned Acacius, contributing to the [[Acacian Schism]] between Rome and Constantinople. The schism continued after Zeno's death and was not resolved until 519, during the reign of [[Justin I]].<ref>Bradley K. Storin, [https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/cambridge-edition-of-early-christian-writings/emperor-zeno-the-henotikon/6A00BDA77B1F1F44645435DB7C291169 "Emperor Zeno, The Henotikon"], ''The Cambridge Edition of Early Christian Writings'' (2022).</ref>
Zeno's policy illustrates the difficulty of using imperial authority to settle doctrinal disagreements. His government sought political unity through religious compromise, but the resulting controversy intensified divisions between Constantinople and Rome and failed to unite the major Christian factions.
==Relations with the Vandals and Persia==
Zeno also pursued diplomacy to reduce external threats. In 474, he negotiated a peace with [[Gaiseric]], king of the [[Vandals]], following Vandal attacks on Roman territory. The settlement brought a long period of relative peace between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Vandal kingdom in North Africa.
Relations with the [[Sasanian Empire|Persian Empire]] remained another major concern. Although conflict with Persia was a recurring danger during Zeno's reign, he avoided the large-scale war that would have placed further demands on imperial resources.
These diplomatic arrangements, together with his management of the Goths, helped Zeno preserve the Eastern Roman state despite persistent political instability and military pressure.<ref>J. B. Bury, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/BURLAT/12*.html "The Reign of Zeno, and the German Viceroyalty in Italy"], ''History of the Later Roman Empire'', vol. 1, ch. XII.</ref>
==Death and legacy==
Zeno died in Constantinople on 9 April 491 after a reign interrupted by the usurpation of Basiliscus. He was succeeded by [[Anastasius I Dicorus]], who was selected with the support of Empress Ariadne, Zeno's widow.
Zeno's reputation among contemporary and later writers was often unfavourable. His opponents portrayed him as weak or incompetent, reflecting the bitter political and religious disputes of his reign. Nevertheless, he survived multiple usurpations and revolts, preserved the Eastern Roman Empire, and left behind a functioning government.
His most enduring religious legacy was the ''Henotikon'', which failed to reconcile the Church's competing factions and contributed to the Acacian Schism. In the West, his decision to send Theodoric the Great against Odoacer helped shape the political settlement of Italy after the end of western imperial rule.
Zeno's reign was therefore a transitional period in Roman history. The Eastern Roman Empire survived the political collapse of the West, while imperial diplomacy and military intervention helped establish the successor kingdoms that emerged in its former territories.
==See also==
* [[Anastasius I Dicorus]]
* [[Leo I (emperor)|Leo I]]
* [[Leo II]]
* [[Basiliscus]]
* [[Odoacer]]
* [[Theodoric the Great]]
* [[Council of Chalcedon]]
* [[Henotikon]]
* [[Acacian Schism]]
* [[Eastern Roman Empire]]
==References==
<references />
[[Category:Roman Emperors]]
[[Category:Byzantine Emperors]]
[[Category:491 deaths]]