Leo I

Leo I (457-474 CE) was a Roman Emperor of the Byzantine Empire and was the first Byzantine Emperor to be crowned by the Patriarch of Constantinople.
He attempted to retake Vandal North Africa with Anthemius undertaking one of the greatest military amphibious operations of Classical Antiquity, but was defeated at the Battle of Cape Bon (468 CE).

1. BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

NAME:
- Leo I
- also known as Leo the Great and Saint Leo.
- Leonid Dynasty
LEO I’ DATES OF REIGN AS EMPEROR:
- 7 February 457 CE to 18 January 474 CE.
- Emperors in the West:
  - Majorian (457-461 CE)
  - Severus III (461-465 CE)
  - Anthemius (467-472 CE)
  - Olybrius (472 CE)
  - Glycerius (473-474 CE)
LEO I’ DATE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
- Born c.401. Died 18 January 474 CE. Aged 73.
PLACE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
- Born in Dacia. Died in Constantinople
LEO I’ PREDECESSOR:
- Marcian
LEO I’ SUCCESSOR:
- Leo II
HEIR TO THE THRONE BECAUSE:
- Proclaimed Emperor by Aspar, the Magister Militum of the East.
WIVES AND CHILDREN:
- Verina
  - Ariadne and Leontia
DIED PEACEFULLY OR ASSASSINATED:
- Died of Dysentery.
LEO I WAS FAMOUS BECAUSE:
- He was the first Byzantine Emperor to be crowned by the Patriarch of Constantinople. This Tradition of being crowned by the Head of the Church was later followed by all Medieval European Monarchs.
- He attempted to retake Vandal North Africa with Anthemius but was defeated at the Battle of Cape Bon (468 CE).
WHERE BURIED:
- Unknown
EVENTS:
- Battle of Cape Bon (468 CE)
MONUMENTS:

Leo I rose to power through the ranks of the Roman Army, and was proclaimed Emperor by the Magister Militum of the East, Aspar in 457 CE.
His Coronation was the first to be performed by the Patriarch of Constantinople, confirming the role of the Christian Church in Government. All European Medieval Kingdoms were to imitate the Byzantine Coronation procedure.

In 467 CE, Leo I appointed Anthemius as Roman Emperor of the West.
In 468 CE, Leo I and Anthemius set off to retake North Africa from the Vandals with a large expedition. It was one of the greatest military amphibious operations of Classical Antiquity, with 1,113 vessels (Cedrenus) and 50,000 men.
Various writers recorded the Battle including Procopius who estimated 100,000 men.

Aspar was the powerful German General who was Magister Militum of the East who had brought Theodosius II, Marcian and Leo I to power.
However, Leo I had him executed in 471 CE, ending the influence of the Germans in the Eastern Empire.