The following is a list of usurpers in the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantine Empire, from the start of the reign of Arcadius in 395 to the fall of Constantinople in 1453.
Usurper emperors
The following is a listing of Byzantine emperors who rose to the throne due to their own initiative through a revolt or coup d'état.
Basiliscus (r. 475–476) Phocas (r. 602–610) Heraclius (r. 610–641) Leontius (r. 695–698) Tiberius III (r. 698–705) Philippicus (r. 711–713) Anastasius II (r. 713–715) Theodosius III (r. 715–717) Leo III the Isaurian (r. 717–741) Nikephoros I (r. 802–811) Leo V the Armenian (r. 813–820) Michael II (r. 820–829) Basil I (r. 867–886) John I Tzimiskes (r. 969–976) Isaac I Komnenos (r. 1057–1059) Nikephoros III Botaneiates (r. 1078–1081) Alexios I Komnenos (r. 1081–1118) Andronikos I Komnenos (r. 1183–1185) Isaac II Angelos (r. 1185–1195 and 1203–1204) Alexios III Angelos (r. 1195–1203) Alexios IV Angelos (r. 1203–1204) Alexios V Doukas (r. 1204) Andronikos III Palaiologos (r. 1328–1341) John VI Kantakouzenos (r. 1341–1354) Andronikos IV Palaiologos (r. 1376–1379) John VII Palaiologos (r. 1390 and 1403-1408)
Unsuccessful usurpers in the 5th and 6th centuries
List of would-be emperors eventually defeated by the ruling sovereign, listed by reign. The noted date is the attempted usurpation.
Zeno: 474–491 Patricius (475) – The lover of Empress Dowager Verina, who served as a central co-conspirator in the plot that ousted Zeno in 475. He expected to be named emperor, but Basiliscus executed him shortly after seizing power to eliminate a potential rival. Armatus (476–477) – General and nephew of Basiliscus who defected to Zeno in exchange for his son being named Caesar, but was executed shortly after Zeno's restoration on suspicion of plotting his own usurpation. Marcian (479) – Leo I's son–in–law, who resented the accession of Zeno. Captured the imperial palace but was in turn captured. Spent the rest of his life imprisoned in a fortress in Isauria. Romulus and Anthemius (479) – The brothers of Marcian (and sons of Western Emperor Anthemius) who co-led the major 479 uprising in Constantinople. They mobilized the urban populace against Zeno's Isaurian guards before being captured and exiled. Leontius (484–488) – An Isaurian commander who was called on to put down the rebel Illus but declared himself emperor instead. He died after a four-year siege of the fortress of Papurius.
Anastasius I: 491–518 Longinus (491–492) – The brother of Emperor Zeno, who expected to succeed to the throne upon Zeno's death. When Anastasius was chosen instead, Longinus incited the Isaurian War in an attempt to depose him, but was defeated, captured, tonsured, and exiled to Egypt. Longinus of Cardala & Longinus of Selinus (491–498) – Isaurian military commanders who co-led the major Isaurian revolt following Zeno's death. They mobilized Isaurian forces in Anatolia against Anastasius in an effort to seize power, holding out for years before being captured and executed. Areobindus (512) – Proclaimed emperor during a riot at Constantinople, but refused to accept the nomination. Vitalian (513–515) – Count of the foederati in Thrace who launched a massive three-year rebellion against Anastasius. Driven by religious opposition to Anastasius' Monophysite policies and personal rivalries, Vitalian marched on Constantinople three separate times in an attempt to depose or subjugate the emperor before his fleet was destroyed.
Justin I: 518–527 Theocritus (518) – The comes domesticorum who attempted to buy support for the throne on the death of Anastasius I. Amantius (518) – The influential court eunuch and praepositus sacri cubiculi who masterminded the plot to install his protégé Theocritus. When Justin seized the throne instead, Amantius plotted against the new emperor and was promptly executed alongside Theocritus. Vitalian (520) – The powerful military commander who had previously led major rebellions against Anastasius I. Although Justin brought him back into favor and made him consul and general, Vitalian remained a dangerous political rival with vast troop backing and ambitions for power. He was assassinated inside the Great Palace in 520, a plot widely attributed to Justin’s nephew and heir, Justinian.
Justinian I: 527–565 Julianus ben Sabar (529–531) – Leader of a Samaritan revolt, proclaimed "King of Israel". Managed to control the entire Samaria before being defeated. Hypatius (532) – A nephew of Anastasius I who was acclaimed emperor during the Nika riots. Pompeius (532) – Hypatius's brother, acclaimed co-Emperor alongside him during the Nika Riots; captured and executed. Stotzas (536–545) – A Byzantine soldier who was elected the leader of rebel troops in the recently conquered Vandal Kingdom of Africa. Aiming to establish a new kingdom, he was defeated on a number of occasions before finally being defeated and mortally wounded in 545. John Cottistis (537) – Usurper in Mesopotamia, he was an infantry soldier who was acclaimed emperor by his troops, but was killed after four days by imperial forces at Dara. Guntarith (545–546) – Byzantine commander who assassinated Justinian’s governor (Areobindus), seized Carthage, and briefly ruled Africa as an independent tyrant before being assassinated. Stotzas the Younger (545–546) – Succeeded Stotzas as leader of the rebel army in North Africa and allied with Gontharis before the rebellion was finally crushed. Artabanes (548–549) – The Armenian general Artabanes, along with Chanaranges and Justin (son of Germanus), plotted to assassinate Justinian and place Germanus on the throne. The plot was exposed by Germanus and the conspirators were arrested. Marcellus (562) – A late palace conspiracy involving court officials, bankers, and guards who planned to assassinate the elderly Justinian in his bedchamber. The plot was exposed and foiled at the last minute of the attempted plot. Ablabius (562) – A co-conspirator in Marcellus’s 562 plot who attempted to physically enter the palace armed with a dagger to murder Justinian, but was apprehended at the door.
Justin II: 565-578
Justin (566) – A popular general and cousin of Justin II who was a leading candidate for the throne upon Justinian's death. Shortly after Justin II took power, he had his cousin reassigned to Alexandria, where Justin was murdered in his bed, removing a primary rival to the throne. Empress Sophia & Justinian (577–578) – Following Justin II's formal adoption of Tiberius as Caesar, the Dowager Empress Sophia conspired with Justinian (brother of the murdered Justin) to overthrow Tiberius and secure power for themselves before Tiberius succeeded as sole emperor.
Maurice: 582-602
Monagriades (588) – Troops on the Persian frontier led a major mutiny against Maurice’s general Priscus after pay cuts were announced, briefly rejecting imperial command and electing their own leaders before being pacified.
Unsuccessful usurpers in the 7th century
Phocas: 602-610
Peter (602) – Maurice’s brother and general who was briefly proclaimed emperor by loyalist troops during the chaotic collapse of the Balkan front in a desperate attempt to counter Phocas's advance, but he was captured and executed. Narses (603) – The magister militum per Orientem (commander of the eastern field army) who refused to recognize Phocas’s usurpation. He rebelled at Edessa, called upon Sasanian King Khosrow II for aid, and sparked the devastating Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628. Empress Constantina (603–605) – The widow of Emperor Maurice who organized palace plots with city elites and Germanus to overthrow Phocas. Her conspiracies were discovered, leading to her torture and execution alongside her daughters. Pseudo-Theodosius (603-10) – A man claiming to be Theodosius, the eldest son and co-emperor of Maurice who had supposedly escaped Phocas’s executions. Backed by King Khosrow II as the "legitimate" heir, this pretender was used as a puppet to justify the Sasanian invasion of the Roman provinces. Germanus (605) – A high-level palace plot involving Patrician Germanus, Maurice's widow Maria, and several leading senators to depose Phocas. The conspiracy was uncovered, leading to widespread purges and executions of the capital's aristocratic elite. Priscus (607) – Phocas's own son-in-law and top military commander. After Phocas publicly humiliated him over statues built in his honor, Priscus secretly began plotting with foreign governors to overthrow the emperor. Heraclius the Elder (608–610) – The Exarch of Africa who openly revolted against Phocas, withheld crucial tax revenue and grain shipments to Constantinople, and financed the military campaign that eventually overthrew Phocas.
Heraclius: 610–641 Comentiolus (610–611) – the brother of Phocas, he refused to acknowledge Heraclius' accession and planned to enforce his claim to the throne. He was eventually assassinated. John of Conza (617) – described as a tyrannus (a term meaning usurper), he captured Naples but was defeated and killed by Eleutherius, the Exarch of Ravenna. Eleutherius (619) – the Exarch of Ravenna, he was a eunuch who set up his capital at Rome, but was murdered by his own troops. John Athalarichos (635) – The illegitimate son of Heraclius, he plotted to overthrow his father, but the scheme was uncovered prior to execution. He was mutilated and exiled.
Vahan (636) – The commander of the Byzantine forces at the decisive Battle of Yarmouk. Faced with catastrophic collapse against the Rashidun armies, his troops mutinied and proclaimed Vahan emperor on the battlefield in a desperate bid for new leadership. He was killed shortly thereafter in the chaos of the Byzantine retreat. Titus (640) – An imperial general in Mesopotamia who led a military mutiny against Heraclius’s administration. Appalled by the severe exactions and excesses committed by imperial forces against the local Syrian population, he revolted and took control of the region before being suppressed.
Constans II: 641–668 Maurikios Chartoularios (642) – the dux of Rome, he attempted to establish an independent state in Italy. Executed by the Exarch of Ravenna. Valentinus (644) – the father–in–law of Constans II, he appeared at Constantinople with a contingent of troops, and demanded to be crowned emperor. He was overwhelmed by a hostile crowd and murdered. Gregory (646–647) – the Exarch of Carthage, his support of Chalcedonian orthodoxy pushed him into conflict with Constans. Killed in battle against the Arabs. Olympius (650–652) – the Exarch of Ravenna, he supported the Pope against Constans' religious policies. Marching into Sicily, he died of plague. Theodoros Pasagnathes (651–652) – a patrikios who rebelled in Armenia. Theodore Rshtuni (653–655) – The Armenian Ishkhan (Prince) who broke his allegiance to Constans II, allied with the Umayyad Caliphate, and led a major Armenian revolt that effectively severed Byzantine central control over Armenia. Eleutherios (665–666) – the leader of a local rebellion that overthrew the exarch Gennadius in Carthage. Saborios (667–668) – the strategos of the theme of the Armeniacs, he raised a revolt in Anatolia, but died when his out of control horse smashed his head against a city gate.
Constantine IV: 668–685 Mizizios (668–669) – Commander of the Opsikion, he was chosen by the court at Sicily to replace the murdered Constans II. He was eventually executed by forces loyal to Constantine IV. John of Sicily (c. 669) – The son of Mizizios, who led a brief follow-up rebellion in Sicily lasting around seven months before being defeated by imperial loyalists.