Ariadne (empress)

Family

Ariadne was the eldest daughter of Leo I and Verina; her mother was a sister of Basiliscus. Her younger sister Leontia was first betrothed to Patricius, a son of Aspar, but the engagement was likely annulled after Aspar and his son Ardabur were assassinated in 471. Leontia then married Marcian, a son of Emperor Anthemius, and the couple led a failed revolt against Zeno in 478–479, after which they were exiled to Isauria. An unnamed younger brother was born in 463 but died five months later, known only from a horoscope by Rhetorius and a hagiography of Daniel the Stylite.

Marriage

Ariadne was born before the death of Marcian (reigned 450–457). In January 457 Marcian died of a disease, allegedly gangrene, survived by his daughter Marcia Euphemia and son-in-law Anthemius. Leo, then tribune of the Mattiarii, was proclaimed emperor with Aspar's support and crowned on 7 February 457 by Patriarch Anatolius of Constantinople, making Ariadne a member of the imperial family. In 461 Leo founded the Excubitors, recruiting mainly Isaurians, as a counterweight to Aspar's Germanic soldiers.

In 466 the Isaurian officer Tarasicodissa presented evidence of treason by Ardabur, leading Leo to rely more on the Excubitors. In 467 the alliance was sealed by Ariadne's marriage to Tarasicodissa, who changed his name to Zeno. Their only known son, Leo II, was born within the year.

Son's reign

In 471 Aspar and Ardabur were murdered in the Great Palace on Leo's order, earning Leo the nickname 'Macelles' (the Butcher). Zeno became Leo's main military supporter. Leo II was proclaimed Caesar in October 473 as the closest male relative of Leo I. On 18 January 474 Leo I died of dysentery, and his grandson succeeded him. When Leo II fell ill and died on 17 November, Zeno became sole emperor with Ariadne as empress.

Empress of Zeno

Zeno's reign was unpopular: his barbarian origins caused antipathy, the Germanic military under Theodoric Strabo resented the Isaurian officers, and Zeno alienated general Illus. In 475 Basiliscus and Verina conspired against Zeno. A popular revolt, supported by Theodoric Strabo, Illus, and Armatus, took Constantinople. Verina convinced Zeno to flee; he escaped to Isauria with some Isaurians and the treasury.

Basiliscus was acclaimed Augustus on 9 January 475 at the Hebdomon palace, and the mob killed nearly all Isaurians left in the city. Basiliscus soon estranged his allies: he executed Patricius, the magister officiorum and Verina's lover, causing Verina to later intrigue against him. Theodoric and Armatus were promoted to magister militum and magister militum praesentialis and vied for power. Illus's support wavered after the Isaurian massacre.

In 476 Illus and Armatus defected to Zeno. The Senate opened the city gates, allowing Zeno to resume the throne, and Ariadne remained empress.

Did You Know?

• Anastasius was in his sixties at the time of their marriage, and the couple were childless.
• Ariadne died in Constantinople in 515 and was buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles; Anastasius was buried beside her in 518.