Trocundus

Flavius Appallius Illus Trocundus^[1] (Greek: Τρὁκονδος; died 485) was a general of the Eastern Roman Empire, involved in the rise and fall of Emperor Basiliscus and the rebellion against Emperor Zeno.

Trocundus was the brother of Illus, another Roman general, both from the region of Isauria.

Biography

Support and betrayal of Basiliscus

In 475, the Eastern Roman Emperor Zeno, successor of Emperor Leo I, was deposed by Basiliscus, the brother of Leo's widow Verina. Zeno, expelled from Constantinople, fled to the mountains of Isauria, his home country. Basiliscus sent to chase him two of his generals, the brothers Trocundus and Illus, who were both of Isaurian origin. They defeated the ex-Emperor in July 476, and blocked him on a hill called "Constantinople" by local populations.^[2]

While Illus and Trocundus besieged Zeno, Basiliscus was losing the support of the aristocracy and the Church in the capital because of his religious position; he also lost Illus and Trocundus' support, as he allowed the population of the capital to massacre all Isaurian who had not left the city with Zeno. Illus and Trocundus were instigated by the Senate of Constantinople to betray Basilisus. Since they had captured Zeno's brother, Longinus, and therefore they thought they could control Zeno.^[3]

The two generals Isaurian therefore had every reason to accept the promises and gifts of their fellow former-Emperor. They decided to betray Basiliscus and march together to the forces of Zeno on Constantinople, where Basiliscus was deposed (476) and later killed.

Rebellion against Zeno

During the reign of Zeno, the two brothers received many honours. Trocundus was consul in 482, his brother was consul and Patricius. But, because of the hostility of Verina, the relationship between the Emperor and the two general degenerated. Illus and Trocundus left Constantinople for Asia Minor: here, in 483 or 484, revolted against Zeno and acclaimed Emperor Leontius, a Syrian and an officer of high reputation.

The rebels were defeated by the army of Zeno, formed by Romans and Ostrogoths led by Theodoric the Amal and John the Scythian (then a consul), near Antioch. Leontius, Illus and Trocundus were forced to take refuge in the fortress of Papurius, where they were besieged by the army of Zeno. Trocundo tried to escape the blockade, in order to raise an army in opposition to Zeno, but was captured and killed. Leontius and Illus, ignoring the fate of the general, waited in Papurius for almost four years, but then were betrayed by the brother-in-law of Trocundus, who had been sent from Constantinople to that end, captured and beheaded (488).

Notes

1. ↑ His name is also spelled Trocundes, Tricundius and Trocondus.
2. ↑ Suda, "Ζήνων".
3. ↑ Williams, p. 185.

Bibliography

• Smith, William, "Illus", Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, Volume 2, pp. 569–570
• Stephen Williams and Gerard Friell, The Rome that did not fall, Routledge, 1999. ISBN 0-415-15403-0