Anastasius II (; died 719), born Artemius (), was the Byzantine emperor from 713 to 715. His reign was marked by significant religious and political decisions aimed at stabilizing the Empire. One of his notable actions was reversing the previous appointment of a Monothelete patriarch of Constantinople, instead reinstating Orthodoxy by appointing Germanus I to the position. This move was made in an effort to gain the favor of Pope Constantine.

Anastasius II dedicated his efforts to fortifying the Empire and fostering a period of stability. However, his reign was cut short when he was deposed by Theodosius III during the Byzantine campaign against the Umayyad Caliphate in 715. Undeterred, four years later, in 719, Anastasius launched a rebellion against Leo III the Isaurian in a bid to reclaim the imperial throne.

Initially, Anastasius received support from Tervel of Bulgaria, who provided soldiers and funds for his cause. However, the situation took a turn when Anastasius failed to enter Constantinople, and the Bulgarian forces he had brought with him complied with a request from Leo III to hand over Anastasius and his allies. Consequently, Anastasius was executed alongside other members of the rebellion in 719.

Biography

Anastasius, originally named Artemios (; male form of Artemis) held prominent positions as a bureaucrat and Imperial secretary (asekretis) under preceding emperors. His tenure coincided with a period of turmoil and instability in the Byzantine Empire known as The Twenty Years' Anarchy. Following the initial removal of the last hereditary ruler, Justinian II, the empire experienced a rapid succession of four rulers from 695 to 713. The fourth ruler, Philippicus, successfully deposed Justinian II for the second time.

Philippicus adopted policies that proved unfavorable to the majority of the empire's population, who adhered to Orthodoxy. Notably, he deposed the Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople in favor of a Monothelete patriarch. This decision garnered significant opposition both within the empire, particularly among the Orthodox populace, and from the church in Rome. Additionally, Philippicus diverted military resources from Anatolia to the Balkans in an attempt to defend Constantinople against the Bulgars. However, this shift left the empire's eastern front vulnerable to the Umayyad Caliphate's advancements. Consequently, Philippicus faced widespread discontent during his reign. All these things caused Philippicus’ reign to be plagued with discontent among the populace.

In 713, the troops belonging to the Opsikion Theme stationed in Thrace rose up against Emperor Philippicus. To prevent him from leading a counter-rebellion and due to the traditional requirement of physical flawlessness for an emperor, Philippicus was blinded. This act aimed to disqualify him both culturally and practically from ever reclaiming the throne. The day after the blinding, the conspirators selected Artemios as the new emperor, who subsequently adopted the regnal name Anastasius. Like his predecessor, Anastasius ascended the throne under similar circumstances, which also posed the possibility of a comparable downfall.

To consolidate this position and maintain stability within the military, crucial for thwarting future coups and retaining Imperial control, Anastasius took decisive measures. He had the officers directly responsible for plotting against Philippicus blinded and exiled. This action served as a deterrent against future rebellions, ensuring that Anastasius could maintain his rule and prevent further unrest.

Rule

During Anastasius' reign, his primary focus was on stabilizing the Byzantine Empire. One of his key objectives was to reverse the religious reforms implemented by his predecessor. In line with this goal, Anastasius supported the decisions of the Sixth Ecumenical Council and removed the Monothelete Patriarch John VI of Constantinople from his position. He replaced him with the orthodox Patriarch Germanus in 715.

Although the coups during the Twenty Years Anarchy had seen some success, rebellions carried a high risk of failure. Therefore, Anastasius must have had a compelling reason to believe that the risk was worth taking. One explanation is that he interpreted the siege of Constantinople and the minor rebellion as indications of the state's weakness, making him believe that a rebellion could succeed. Another possibility is that Anastasius genuinely believed that the Empire was in a state of crisis and that he was one of the few individuals capable of saving it. Lastly, it is plausible that Theophanes was accurate in asserting that Niketas Xylinites advised Anastasius to rebel.

With the Bulgarian forces by his side, Anastasius marched toward Constantinople. He had sent a message to Niketas Anthrakas, the commander of the city walls, requesting that the gates be opened upon his arrival. Unfortunately for Anastasius, the message was intercepted, leading to Niketas being beheaded and foiling Anastasius' plan to enter Constantinople easily. A common approach involved discussing his reign immediately following an account of his predecessor, Philippicus. In these records, Anastasius was often portrayed in a relatively favorable light compared to Philippicus. One possible explanation for the limited amount of literature dedicated to Anastasius II is that Leo III is generally regarded as the emperor who succeeded where Anastasius fell short. Consequently, more works have emerged discussing Leo III and his accomplishments, leaving less scholarly attention devoted to Anastasius II. Furthermore, the brevity of Anastasius' reign, coupled with a scarcity of primary sources, could contribute to the relative lack of historical coverage he has received.

See also

  • List of Byzantine emperors
  • Twenty Years' Anarchy

References

Bibliography

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  • "Anastasius II (A.D.713-715)." Roman Emperors An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and Their Families, November 25, 2000. <nowiki>http://www.roman-emperors.org/anastasii.htm</nowiki>.
  • Sheppard, Si, and Graham Turner, Constantinople AD 717-18: The Crucible of History, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2020.
  • Sumner, Graham V. "Philippicus, Anastasius II and Theodosius III." Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies 17 (1976).
  • Torgerson, Jesse W. "Introduction," in The Chronographia of George the Synkellos and Theophanes: The Ends of Time in Ninth-Century Constantinople, Brill, 2022.

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