Home > Theophilus (emperor)

Unlike his father Michael II, he declared himself a pronounced iconoclast. In 832 he issued an edict strictly forbidding the use of icons; but the stories of his cruel treatment of recalcitrants are so extreme that some think they are exaggerated.

At the time of his accession, the Sicilians were still engaged in hostilities with the Saracens, but Theophilus was obliged to devote all his energies to the war against the caliphs of Baghdad. This war was caused by Theophilus, who afforded an asylum to a number of Persian refugees, one of whom, called Theophobus after his conversion to Christianity, married the emperor's sister Helena, and became one of his generals.

The Byzantine army was at first successful; in 837 SamosataSamosata meaning "sun", was an ancient city whose ruins still exist at the modern Turkish city of Samsat. Located in southeast Turkey on the upper Euphrates River, it was fortified so as to protect a major crossing point of the river on the east-west trad and Zapetra (Zibatra, Sozopetra), the birthplace of Motasim, were taken and destroyed. Eager for revenge, Motasim assembled a vast army, one division of which defeated Theophilus, who commanded in person, at Dasymon, while the other advanced against Amorium, the cradle of the Phrygian dynasty. After a brave resistance of fifty-five days, the city fell into Motasim's hands through treachery on September 23September 23 is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years). There are 99 days remaining. Also an important date in pagan history celebrating fall. Events 490 BC Battle of Marathon; origin of marathon long-distance race (run by Phidippides) 1459 The B, 838Events At Hingston Down, Egbert of Wessex beats the Danish and the West Welsh. Fall of Amorium. Stone of Destiny placed at Scone Palace, Scotland. Rheine is founded. The Khazars convert to Judaism. approximate date) Births Al-Tabari Physician, Philosopher. Thirty thousand of the inhabitants were slain, the rest sold as slaves, and the city razed to the ground.

Theophilus never recovered from the blow; his health gradually failed, and he died at the beginning of 842. His character has been the subject of considerable discussion, some regarding him as one of the ablest of the Byzantine emperors, others as an ordinary oriental despot, an overrated and insignificant ruler. There is no doubt that he did his best to check corruption and oppression on the part of his officials, and administered justice with strict impartiality, although his punishments did not always fit the crime.

In spite of the drain of the war in AsiaThe continent of Asia is defined by subtracting Europe and Africa from the great land mass of Africa-Eurasia. The boundaries are vague, especially between Asia and Europe: Asia and Africa meet somewhere near the Suez Canal. The boundary between Asia and E and the large sums spent by Theophilus on building, commerce, industry, and the finances of the empire were in a most flourishing condition, the credit of which was in great measure due to the highly efficient administration of the department. Theophilus, who had received an excellent education from John Hylilas , the grammarian, was a great admirer of music and a lover of art, although his taste was not of the highest. He strengthened the walls of ConstantinopleThe Walls of Constantinople surrounded the Roman and Byzantine city of Constantinople (today Istanbul in Turkey). The original walls of the city were built in the 8th century BC when Byzantium was founded by Greek colonists from Megara. At the time the ci, and built a hospital, which continued in existence till the latest times of the Byzantine EmpireThe Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire was the eastern section of the Roman Empire, with its capital at Constantinople (modern Istanbul), which remained in existence after the fall of Rome in the 5th century. The Byzantine period is usually consider.