Byzantine Emperor. He was known as "The Great Thracian" by his supporters and "Leo the Butcher" by his opponents. He was born in AD 401 and began his career in the Roman Army, finally achieving the rank of count. He was placed on the Imperial throne by Aspar, the commander-in-chief of the army, who intended to rule through him. However, Leo soon forged an alliance with the Isaurians and became strong enough to escape the influence of Aspar, who he eventually had killed in AD 471. His reign saw repeated invasion attempts by the Goths and Huns, but Constantinople remained secure due its strong defensive walls. He held considerable influence over the Western Empire and it was he who appointed Anthemius as Western Emperor in AD 467. In AD 468, he ordered a disastrous attack on the Vandals which resulted in the loss of six hundred ships and cost one hundred and thirty thousand pounds of gold, but he is generally regarded by historians as a capable ruler. He died of dysentery at age seventy-three in AD 474 after almost twenty years in power.
Byzantine Emperor. He was known as "The Great Thracian" by his supporters and "Leo the Butcher" by his opponents. He was born in AD 401 and began his career in the Roman Army, finally achieving the rank of count. He was placed on the Imperial throne by Aspar, the commander-in-chief of the army, who intended to rule through him. However, Leo soon forged an alliance with the Isaurians and became strong enough to escape the influence of Aspar, who he eventually had killed in AD 471. His reign saw repeated invasion attempts by the Goths and Huns, but Constantinople remained secure due its strong defensive walls. He held considerable influence over the Western Empire and it was he who appointed Anthemius as Western Emperor in AD 467. In AD 468, he ordered a disastrous attack on the Vandals which resulted in the loss of six hundred ships and cost one hundred and thirty thousand pounds of gold, but he is generally regarded by historians as a capable ruler. He died of dysentery at age seventy-three in AD 474 after almost twenty years in power.
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