LEO I., Emperor of Constantinople, born in Thrace of obscure events, entered the military service and rose to high rank. At the Leath Of the Emperor Marcianus in A.D. 457, he commanded a body of roops near Selymbria, and was proclaimed emperor by the soldiers, t the instigation of Aspar, a Gothic, chief, who commanded the uxiliaries. The senate of Constantinople confirmed the choice, and he patriarch Anatolius crowned him. This is said to have been the first instance of an emperor receiving the crown from the hands of a Leo followed the measures of Marcianus against the Eutychians, rho had been condemned as heretics, and who had recently excited a umult at Alexandria, had killed the bishop, and placed one sElurue in is stead. Asper for a time screened zElurns ; hut Leo at last had im exiled, and an orthodox bishop put in his place. The Hung, aving entered the province of Dacia, were defeated by the imperial mops, and a son of Attila was killed in the battle. Soon after, Leo, s concert with Anthemius, emperor of the West, prepared a numerous eet, with a large body of troops on board, for the recovery of Africa, •hieh was occupied by the Vandals. Part of the expedition attacked
nd took the island of Sardinia ; the rest landed in Libya, and took 'ripolis and other towns ; but the delay and mismanagement of the ommander, who was Leo's brother-in-law, gave time to Geneerie to lake his preparations. Coming out of the harbour of Carthage by ight, with fireehips impelled by a fair wind, he set fire to many of Ire imperial ships, dispersed the rest, and obliged the expedition to iave tho coast of Africa.
Leo gave his daughter Ariaduo in marriage to Zeno, an Issurian, whom he made patrician and captain of his guards, in order to balance the power of Aspar, whose fidelity he had reason to suspect, an( whom he afterwards caused to be put to death as a conspirator. Tin auxiliary Goths rose to avenge Aspar's death, and it was with difficult that Leo overpowered them. Leo died in January 474, bequeathini the throne to his grandson Leo, the child of Zeno and Ariadne.