Basiliscus: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Flavius Basiliscus was a rival Byzantine Emperor 475 - 476. Consul in 465, and commander of the disastrous expedition against Gaiseric in 468. He was also brother of Verina, wife of Leo I.

The antipathy towards Zeno led to a palace coup which ousted Zeno, and made Basiliscus Emperor. Due to his mismanagement as emperor, when the deposed emperor Zeno returned from exile and besieged Constantinople, the Senate of Constantinople opened the gates of the city to Zeno, allowing him to resume the throne. According to the historians, Basiliscus fled to sanctuary in a church, surrendering himself and his family after extracting a solemn promise from Zeno not to shed their blood. Zeno enclosed them in a dry cistern, where they died from exposure.