Editing Marcian (section)

==Early life==
Marcian was born in {{circa}} 392,{{sfn|Meijer|2004|p=153}}{{sfn|Nathan|1998}} in either [[Thracia|Thrace]]{{sfn|Vasiliev|1980|p=104}} or [[Illyricum (Roman province)|Illyria]].{{sfn|Nathan|1998}} The ancient historian [[John Malalas]] describes him as being tall and having some sort of foot impediment.{{sfn|Baldwin|1982 |p=98}} Little of Marcian's early life is known. His father had served in the military and at a young age Marcian enlisted at [[Philippopolis (Thracia)|Philippopolis]] in Thrace. By the time of the [[Roman–Sasanian War (421–422)|Roman–Sassanian War of 421–422]], Marcian had likely reached the military rank of [[Military tribune|tribune]]—the historian [[Theophanes the Confessor]] mentions him commanding a military unit. He did not see action in the war, having become ill in [[Lycia]]. There he was cared for by [[Tatianus (praefectus urbi)|Tatianus]], who would be made {{lang|la|[[praefectus urbi]]}} (prefect of Constantinople) by Marcian, and Tatianus' brother [[Iulius (praeses)|Iulius]].{{sfn|Nathan|1998}}{{sfn|Jones|Martindale|Morris|1980|pp=[https://archive.org/details/prosopography-later-roman-empire/PLRE-II/page/715/mode/2up 714–715]}}{{sfn|Friell|Williams|2005|p=84}}{{sfn|Lee|2013|p=96}} Marcian eventually rose to become the {{lang|la|[[Domesticus (Roman Empire)|domesticus]]}} (personal assistant) of [[Aspar]], the {{lang|la|[[magister militum]]}} (commander-in-chief) of the Eastern Roman Empire. Despite being half-[[Alans|Alanic]] and half-[[Goths|Gothic]], Aspar held much influence in the empire.{{sfn|Nathan|1998}}{{sfn|Lee|2013|p=96}}{{sfn|Friell|Williams|2005|pp=45, 75, 84}} In the early 430s, Marcian served under Aspar in [[Africa (Roman province)|Roman Africa]], where he was captured by [[Vandals]]. Following the imperial propaganda written during Marcian's rule,{{sfn|Thompson|1950|p=68}} [[Evagrius Scholasticus]], [[Procopius]] and later authors give a likely false account in which Marcian, while in captivity, met the Vandal king [[Gaiseric]], who predicted he would later become emperor. After his capture, Marcian is not mentioned again until the death of the eastern emperor, [[Theodosius&nbsp;II]].{{sfn|Nathan|1998}}