The Prophetic Legend of Emperor Marcian in Byzantine Historiography

Abstract

The article examines the intersection of social hierarchy, captivity, and divine symbolism through the legend of Emperor Marcian (r. 450–457) as narrated by Procopius of Caesarea (6th c), Evagrius Svholasticus (6th c.), and Theophanes the Confessor (8th-9th c.). While generally, the social status of prisoners of war in Byzantium and among its adversaries largely determined their treatment and future fate, the case of Marcian represents a paradox. According to the narrative, the future emperor was captured as a low-ranking soldier by the Vandal king Gaiseric, but spared after a prophetic omen foretelling his rise to the throne: as an eagle shaded him from the sun.

The study argues that this legend should be understood as a Byzantine tradition aimed at legitimizing Marcian’s unexpected rise to power following the death of Theodosius II in 450 CE through divine signs. In particular, the eagle signifies a protective and providential intervention, marking Marcian as divinely chosen for imperial authority. Captivity, in this context, functions as a ritual of divine selection and salvation, echoing the biblical motif of the righteous sufferer whose temporary imprisonment becomes a sign of divine election and future glorification, as in the cases of Joseph in Egypt or Daniel in Babylon.