The historians of the Eastern Roman Empire …

Years: 441 - 441

The historians of the Eastern Roman Empire give us a considerable amount of information on Chrysaphius, whose real name was Taiouma (Theophanes 151) or Tumna (Cedrenus I 601) or Tzoumas (Patria II 182; George Codinus 47) or even Ztommas (Malalas 363-6).

Chrysaphius exercises a considerable influence on Theodosius II at the end of his reign.

According to Malalas, Theodosius II loved Chrysaphius for his beauty (Malalas id and 368).

He seems to have risen from among the ranks: according to Malalas, he was a mere cubicularius (servant of the imperial bedchamber); according to the Chronicon Paschale, he was a spatharios (p. 390).

In 441, the city prefect in Constantinople is a pagan poet from Panopolis in Egypt named Cyrus, who is exceedingly popular in the city.

Thus he incurs the envy of Chrysaphius, who engineers his downfall.

Cyrus saves himself by converting to Christianity, but the malice of Chrysaphius is not so easily frustrated, and the eunuch arranges for him to be appointed bishop of Cotyaeum in Phyrgia, where the population has lynched the previous four incumbents.

In the event, Cyrus survives and will return to Constantinople in 451 after the death of Chrysaphius.

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