CHAPTER II

DESIGNS AND DEATH OF AMANTIUS AND THEOCRITUS

AMANTIUS was the imperial chamberlain, and a man of very great influence; but as it was not lawful for any emasculated person to attain the sovereignty of the Romans, he was desirous that the imperial crown should be given to Theocritus, one of his creatures. He, therefore, sends for Justin, and gives him a large sum of money, with orders to distribute it amongst the persons most fit for this purpose, and able to invest Theocritus with the purple. But with the money he either bought over the people, or purchased the good-will of what are termed the Excubitores—for both accounts are given—and so attained the empire. Soon afterwards he took off Amantius and Theocritus, with some others.