is likely a confusion with Basiliscus, the son of the Byzantine commander Armatus. Basiliscus was crowned caesar in 476 and was almost executed in 477 after his father was murdered by Zeno, but was saved by Ariadne. The confusion likely stems from the fact that Basiliscus was renamed Leo in order to avoid association with the usurper who rose against Zeno. Zeno was vastly unpopular due to a lack of dynastic prestige, with his only familial ties to the imperial throne being his marriage to Ariadne, the daughter of Leo I, and through his now-dead son Leo II. Additionally, because he was an Isaurian, he was seen as a foreigner by the Byzantine elite, and the treasury was empty on his ascension. Zeno's sole rule was opposed by the House of Leo, with Verina, the widow of Leo I, proclaiming her brother Basiliscus as emperor in January 475. Zeno fled, and Basiliscus ruled for 20 months before Zeno returned and retook the throne. Zeno's rule was marked by constant unrest, and it was only through cunning and bribery that he managed to rule for 17 years, until his death on 9 April 491. See also Family tree of Byzantine emperors List of Byzantine emperors References Notes Citations Primary sources Anonymus Valesianus II (Anonymous, 6th century). Chronicon Paschale (Anonymous, 7th century). Makhtbhanuth Zabhne (Bar Hebraeus, 13th century). Chronicle of Domninos (6th century). Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius Scholasticus (6th century). Book XIV of the Chronographia of John Malalas (6th century). Romana (Jordanes, 6th century). Chronicle of Michael the Syrian (12th century). Chronicle of Nestorianos (6th century). Chronicle of Theophanes the Confessor (8th century). Chronicle of Victor of Tunnuna (6th century). Extracts of History (Joannes Zonaras, 12th century). Bibliography McEvoy, M. A. (2019). 'Leo II, Zeno, and the transfer of power from a son to his father in AD 474', in J.-W. Drijvers and N. Lenski (eds). The Fifth Century: Age of Transformation. Edipuglia. 467 births 474 deaths 5th-century Byzantine emperors 5th-century Roman consuls Ancient child monarchs House of Leo Imperial Roman consuls Monarchs who died as children Sons of Byzantine emperors