Cambridge Ancient Hi.. - Index of

the successors of theodosius 51
This already complicated sequence of developments then took yet
another tortuous turn in 479 when Strabo’s backing of another usurper –
on this occasion the unsuccessful Marcian – once more alienated him from
Zeno. However, Strabo’s subsequent attempts to capture Constantinople
(480) failed, and in the course of withdrawing into Greece the following
year he fortuitously died. This simplified Zeno’s problem, but in the face
of the growing challenge from Illus and Leontius, Zeno now sought a new
rapprochement with Theoderic the Amal, as a result of which the latter gained
land for his people and a generalship and prestigious consulship for
himself. He further consolidated his position by organizing the elimination
of Strabo’s son and successor Recitach, thereby opening the way for the
amalgamation of the Thracian Goths with his own. Although Theoderic
provided Zeno with help in his campaign against Illus, Zeno continued to
harbour doubts about Theoderic’s intentions and loyalty, and only arrived
at a definitive solution to this problem, greatly protracted by the instability
of Zeno’s own position, through the time-honoured tactic of setting one
barbarian against another, in this case persuading Theoderic to lead his
people to Italy (489) and challenge the Scirian general Odoacer who had
been ruling the peninsula since deposing the last western emperor in 476. 112
In the sphere of religious policy, Zeno’s reign was chiefly notable for his
attempt to resolve the controversies arising from Chalcedon. The usurper
Basiliscus had tried to win support for his regime in Egypt and Palestine by
issuing an edict condemning Chalcedon, but this had the effect of provoking
riots in the capital – Constantinople and the Balkans were for the most
part staunchly pro-Chalcedonian. These riots, which had much more direct
implications for the viability of his regime, forced Basiliscus to retract the
edict, but the damage was already done. 113 Zeno showed a keen appreciation
of the lessons to be learned from Basiliscus’ failure when in 482 he
issued his famous juggling-act known as the Henotikon or ‘formula of
union’, through which he hoped to please everyone. It affirmed the condemnation
of both Nestorius and Eutyches, approved one of Cyril’s most
important formulations (the so-called Twelve Anathemas), spoke of the
one Christ without mentioning ‘natures’ or other terminology which had
been a stumbling block in the past, and denounced any who had advanced
different views at Chalcedon or any other council.
Zeno’s interest in establishing ecclesiastical harmony in the east is not
hard to understand: his hold on power had been tenuous from the start and
a breakthrough here offered the prospect of consolidating much-needed
support for his regime. The Henotikon did not in fact meet with a rapturous
reception in all quarters, but it achieved short-term success where it mattered
112 Heather, Goths and Romans ch. 9; Moorhead (1984) 261–3. For Constantinople’s sometimes troubled
relations with Theoderic as ruler of Italy, see Moorhead (1992a) ch. 6.
113 V. Dan. Styl. 70–85;Evagr.HE iii.7.
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