Editing Marcian (section)

==Background==
===Reign of Theodosius II===
[[File:Theodosius II Louvre Ma1036 (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|Emperor [[Theodosius II]]]]
The Eastern Roman Empire was plagued by external threats during the reign of [[Theodosius II]]. In 429, the Vandals, led by [[Gaiseric]], began to conquer [[Africa (Roman province)|Roman Africa]]. Theodosius immediately organized a response, [[Battle of Hippo Regius (431)|sending Aspar and three other commanders to attempt to repel them in the summer of 431]]. To the north, the Huns, who had customarily attacked the empire whenever its armies were preoccupied, withdrawing as those forces returned, sent ambassadors to Theodosius in 431, demanding tribute. He agreed to their demand to pay {{convert|350|lb}} of gold each year. In 434, the Eastern Roman armies were still campaigning against the Vandals in Africa, having faced initial defeats and the withdrawal of many of the Western Roman soldiers. In the face of Eastern Roman weakness, the Huns doubled their demand, asking for {{convert|700|lb}} of gold per year, which Theodosius agreed to. The threat the Huns posed to his weakly protected empire was enough that Theodosius recalled many of his forces from Africa. With large numbers of the Eastern Roman armies home, and [[Attila]], who had just taken power in the Hunnic Confederation, busy campaigning to the north, Theodosius refused to pay the tribute and continued to refuse to until 439.{{sfn|Thompson|1950|pp=60–65}}

On 19 October 439, the Vandals defeated the weakened Eastern Roman armies and captured the major city of [[Carthage]]. Both the Western and Eastern Roman Empires began preparing a massive counter-offensive, stripping the Balkan provinces of protection. In the spring of 440, 1,100 ships set sail from Constantinople for Africa;{{sfn|Thompson|1950|pp=60–65}} sending away so many of the Eastern Roman forces was a huge gamble on Theodosius' part. He was betting the fortified cities along the [[Danube]] could delay the Huns long enough for the invasion force to gain a secure foothold in Africa, allowing troops to be withdrawn back to the northern frontier. This gamble worked until 442 when the bishop of [[Margus (city)|Margus]] led a raiding party into the Huns' territory and desecrated their royal tombs. In response to this desecration, Attila demanded that the bishop be handed over. To ensure his own safety, the bishop struck a deal with Attila, surrendering the city of Margus to him in exchange for his own life. With control of Margus, Attila had a foothold across the Danube, which he aggressively exploited, capturing and destroying the cities of [[Viminacium]], [[Singidunum]], and [[Sirmium]]. Theodosius recalled Aspar to Constantinople and launched a counter-attack. After his force was decisively defeated, Theodosius undertook to pay tribute to the Huns every year, which he did until his death in 450.{{sfn|Thompson|1950|pp=60–78}}

===Rise to the throne===
After Theodosius&nbsp;II died unexpectedly in a riding accident on 28 July 450, the Eastern Roman Empire faced its first [[succession crisis]] in 60 years. Theodosius had no sons, nor had he designated a successor.{{sfn|Nathan|1998}}{{sfn|Lee|2013|p=94}} Some later sources state that he willed the throne to Marcian on his deathbed, but this is thought to be propaganda created by Marcian's supporters after his election.{{Sfn|Nathan|1998}} Marcian had served Aspar and his father [[Ardabur (consul 427)|Ardabur]] loyally for fifteen years. Aspar conspired to have Marcian elected and was able to negotiate with other powerful figures to have him made the emperor, despite his relative obscurity.{{sfn|Lee|2013|p=96}} There was a one-month interregnum where negotiations for the succession took place, one of which was with Pulcheria, Theodosius&nbsp;II's sister, who agreed to marry Marcian;{{sfn|Lee|2013|p=96}} it is thought that Pulcheria agreed to marry Marcian on the condition that he would abandon Theodosius II{{'}}s religious policies and convoke a Church council.{{sfn|Lee|2013|p=104}} Their marriage helped to legitimize Marcian's rule, as Pulcheria's family, the [[Theodosian dynasty]], had direct ties to the throne.{{sfn|Lee|2013|p=96}} Despite being married to Marcian, Pulcheria kept the vow of [[virginity]] she had made in 413, at age 14, during her three years of marriage to him.{{sfn|Lee|2013|p=96}}{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=537}}{{sfn|Holum|1989|p=209}}

Historian [[Doug Lee (historian)|Doug Lee]] proposes that negotiations were also needed between Aspar and [[Flavius Zeno]], who was in a similar position of military power. Zeno was given the prestigious rank of [[patrician (ancient Rome)|patrician]] upon Marcian's ascension in 450, suggesting a deal whereby Zeno was rewarded for supporting Marcian instead of claiming the throne for himself;{{sfn|Lee|2013|p=96}} Zeno would ultimately die within a year of Marcian{{'}}s accession.{{sfn|Lee|2013|p=98}} Aspar{{'s}} son, [[Ardabur (consul 447)|Ardabur]], was promoted to command the army of the [[Praetorian prefecture of the East|Prefecture of the East]] as the new {{lang|la|[[magister militum per Orientem]]}}, soon after Marcian's accession.{{sfn|Nathan|1998}}{{sfn|Lee|2013|p=98}}{{sfn|Lee|2001|p=43}}

Marcian was elevated on 25 August 450, and Pulcheria's agreement to marry him likely boosted Marcian's legitimacy further.{{Sfn|Nathan|1998}}{{sfn|Burgess|1993–1994}} Like his successor [[Leo I (emperor)|Leo I]], he was proclaimed emperor by the army at the [[Bakırköy|Hebdomon]].{{sfn|Burgess|1993–1994|pp=55, 66–67}} Marcian took the regnal name of Imperator Caesar Flavius Marcianus Augustus upon his coronation.{{sfn|Babcock|2005|p=157}} The election of Marcian in 450 resulted in large changes to eastern imperial policy. [[Chrysaphius]], the [[eunuch]] and {{lang|la|[[spatharios]]}} (guard of the imperial chambers), who had exercised much influence over Theodosius, was either murdered or executed. Both Pulcheria and Zeno were opposed to Chrysaphius' influence, which may have motivated Marcian's actions. Marcian took a tougher stance against the Huns and a more direct role in ecclesiastical affairs. [[Byzantine studies|Byzantist]] [[Constance Head]] considers Marcian to be "an independent-minded emperor."{{sfn|Head|1982|p=20}} Lee states that Marcian "can appear as a stronger figure than many other fifth-century incumbents of the imperial office", but notes that "Flavius Zeno and Pulcheria had both been opponents of Chrysaphius, so the changes may be more a reflection of their influence."{{sfn|Nathan|1998}}{{sfn|Lee|2013|pp=97–98}}