Editing Basiliscus (section)

{{short description|Roman emperor in the East from 475 to 476}}
{{other uses|Basiliscus (disambiguation)|Basilisk (disambiguation)}}
{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox Royalty
| image        = Solidus of Basiliscus and Marcus.png
| alt          = A coin bearing the image of Basiliscus on the [[obverse]], and Basiliscus (left) with Marcus (right) on the [[Reverse (coin)|reverse]]
| caption      = A gold [[Solidus (coin)|solidus]] bearing the image of Basiliscus and his son and co-emperor [[Marcus (son of Basiliscus)|Marcus]]
| name         = Basiliscus
| succession   = [[Roman emperor]] of the [[Byzantine Empire|East]]
| predecessor  = [[Zeno (emperor)|Zeno]]
| successor    = Zeno
| reign        = 9 January 475 – August 476
| coronation   = 12 January 475{{sfn|Pingree|1976}}
| cor-type     = [[Coronation of the Byzantine emperor|Coronation]]
| spouse       = [[Zenonis]]
| issue        = [[Marcus (son of Basiliscus)|Marcus]]
| full name    = 
| dynasty      = [[Leonid dynasty|Leonid]]
| reg-type     = {{nowrap|Co-emperors}}
| regent       = [[Marcus (son of Basiliscus)|Marcus]]<br />[[Julius Nepos]] {{small|([[Western Roman Empire|West]], 475)}}<br />[[Romulus Augustulus|Romulus]] {{small|(West, 475–476)}}
| title        = [[List of Byzantine emperors|Emperor of the Romans]]
| death_date   = 476/477
| death_place  = [[Limnae (Cappadocia)|Limnae]]<br />(modern-day [[Cappadocia]], [[Turkey]])
| regnal name  = {{langx|la|[[Imperator]] [[Caesar (title)|Caesar]] Basiliscus [[Augustus (title)|Augustus]]}}<br/>{{langx|grc|[[Autokrator|Αὐτοκράτωρ]] καῖσαρ Βασιλίσκος αὐγουστος}}{{sfn|Rösch|1978|pp=166}}
}}

'''Basiliscus''' ({{langx|grc|Βασιλίσκος|Basilískos}}; died 476/477) was [[Eastern Roman emperor]] from 9 January 475 to August 476. He became {{lang|la|[[Magister militum#Per Thracias|magister militum per Thracias]]}} in 464, under his brother-in-law, Emperor [[Leo I (emperor)|Leo I]] ({{reigned}}457–474). Basiliscus commanded the army for an invasion of the [[Vandal Kingdom]] in 468, which was defeated at the [[Battle of Cape Bon (468)|Battle of Cape Bon]]. There were accusations at the time that Basiliscus was bribed by [[Aspar]], the {{lang|la|[[magister militum]]}}; many historians dismiss this, instead concluding that Basiliscus was either incompetent or foolish for accepting Vandal King [[Gaiseric]]'s offer of a truce, which the latter used to construct [[fireship]]s. Basiliscus's defeat cost the Eastern Empire {{convert|130000|lb}} of gold, causing the empire to hover above bankruptcy for 30 years. When Basiliscus returned to [[Constantinople]], he sought refuge in the [[Hagia Sophia]]. His sister, Empress [[Verina]], secured him a pardon and he left the church to retire in [[Neapolis (Thracian Chersonese)|Neapolis]].

When Emperor Leo died in 474, his grandson [[Leo II (emperor)|Leo II]] ({{reigned}}474) took power, but soon died; his father, [[Zeno (emperor)|Zeno]] ({{reigned}}474–475, 476–491) ascended the throne in the same year, in a politically precarious position. Verina conspired to install the {{lang|la|[[magister officiorum]]}} [[Patricius (Caesar) | Patricius]], her lover, as emperor. This plot was supported by Basiliscus, who succeeded in recruiting Isaurian brothers [[Illus]] and [[Flavius Appalius Illus Trocundes|Trocundes]], as well as Verina's nephew [[Armatus]]. Zeno fled on 9 January 475, either after learning of the plot or after Verina warned him that his life was in danger. Although Patricius was Verina's intended successor, Basiliscus convinced the [[Eastern Roman Senate]] to [[Acclamation|acclaim]] him instead.

Basiliscus quickly lost the support of his subjects and of his allies in court. Verina was alienated by the execution of Patricius, while the people objected to a combination of heavy taxes, heretical policies, and a natural disaster viewed as divine wrath for said heretical views. In an attempt to increase support, Basiliscus embraced the [[miaphysite]]s, restoring [[Pope Timothy II of Alexandria|Timothy Ailuros]] as the [[Patriarch of Alexandria]] and [[Peter the Fuller]] as [[Patriarch of Antioch]]. He heeded their advice and issued an [[encyclical]] on 9 April 475 which promoted the first three ecumenical councils of the church: [[First Council of Nicaea|Nicaea]], [[First Council of Constantinople|Constantinople]], and [[Council of Ephesus|Ephesus]], and condemned the [[Council of Chalcedon]] and the [[Tome of Leo]]. The [[Patriarch of Constantinople]], [[Acacius of Constantinople|Acacius]], strongly opposed him, and together with [[Daniel the Stylite]], turned the population of Constantinople against Basiliscus.

Zeno, besieged by Illus and Trocundes in his homeland of [[Isauria]], convinced the two generals to defect, and soon the three of them marched their troops toward the capital. Basiliscus ordered Armatus to intercept them, but Armatus also switched sides after Zeno promised to give him the position of {{lang|la|magister militum praesentalis}} for life, and make his son [[Basiliscus (Caesar)|Basiliscus]] {{lang|la|[[caesar (title)|caesar]]}}. With Armatus' defense force deliberately kept out of his way, Zeno entered Constantinople unopposed in August 476. Basiliscus and his family hid in a church until Zeno promised not to execute them; exiled to [[Limnae (Cappadocia)|Limnae]] in [[Cappadocia]], they were either beheaded or imprisoned in a dried-up [[cistern]] and left to starve to death.