1. Aelia Verina was the Eastern Roman empress as the wife of Leo I She was a sister of Emperor Basiliscus.
21 Facts About Verina
1. 2.
Verina's father Edeko was leader of the Sciri but it is unclear if he was born in the tribe or married into it.
3.
Verina married Leo, a Thraco-Roman officer of the East Roman army.
4.
Verina was survived by his daughter Euphemia and his son-in-law Anthemius.
5.
Verina was able to pick Leo, a candidate among his own subordinate officers, probably counting on his continued loyalty.
6.
Verina recruited the majority of its members from among the sturdy and warlike Isaurians.
7.
Verina had originally supported Zeno while the young emperor Leo II was still alive.
8.
Not long after her grandson's death, Verina turned against her son-in-law.
9.
Verina still retained imperial status with a portion of the palace for herself, but she still harbored ambitions for her former position.
10.
Verina conspired against Zeno with her lover Patricius, her brother Basiliscus, the Isaurian general Illus, and general Theodoric Strabo, forcing Zeno to flee Constantinople in 475.
11.
John of Antioch and the hagiography of Daniel the Stylite imply that Verina was tricked in supporting the conspiracy.
12.
Candidus and John of Antioch report that Verina was hoping to use the conspiracy to replace Zeno with Patricius, restoring herself to the position of empress in the process.
13.
Consequently, Verina later intrigued against Basiliscus, seeking revenge for her lover's execution.
14.
Verina was, in her mind, directly or indirectly responsible for the death of Patricius.
15.
Illus recuperated from the attack in his native Isauria and reportedly refused to return to Constantinople while Verina was still residing in the Palace.
16.
Verina was then sent first to Dalisandus and secondly to Cherris in Isauria.
17.
Verina was married to Leontia, the second daughter of Leo I and Verina.
18.
In 480, Verina was still confined in Isauria under the custody of Illus.
19.
John Malalas describes that Verina joined the new alliance with fervor, corresponding with various cities and trying to win their support for the revolt.
20.
Verina notably did not join Leontius and Illus in their campaign for Antioch but was sent to the fortress of Papyrius in Isauria.
21.
Verina died early in the siege; whether her death was violent or not is uncertain.