Turkey / Byzantium: Marcian (392-457), Eastern Roman emperor, from the book Romanorvm imperatorvm effigies: elogijs ex diuersis scriptoribus per Thomam Treteru S. Mariae Transtyberim canonicum collectis, 1583

Marcian (392-457) was the son of a soldier from either Illyricum or Thracia, and spent much of his early life as an unremarkable soldier. He served under the powerful Alan generals Ardabur and Aspar in Africa, where he was taken prisoner by the Vandals for a time. Returning to Constantinople, he became a senator and was later chosen as consort to Pulcheria, sister of the recently deceased Emperor Theodosius II. Marcian became the next emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire in 450.

One of Marcian's first edicts upon ascension was to repudiate the embarassing tributes paid to Attila the Hun, refusing to pay any more subsidies to the Huns. Luckily for Marcian, Attila decided to ravage the Western Roman Empire instead, knowing he could not take Constantinople. Marcian was able to reform the finances and deal with threats in Syria, Egypt and Armenia, as well as mediate the Council of Chalcedon in 451.

Marcian eventually died in 457 from disease, possibly gangrene, which he contracted when on a long religious journey. Though his reign was short, Marcian was considered one of the greatest of the early Eastern Roman emperors, and he, along with Pulcheria, were recognised as saints by the Eastern Orthodox Church.

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