Marcian

Marcian was born about the year 392 in Thrace or Illyria. Tall of stature and marked by a foot impediment, he entered military service young at Philippopolis. His father had been a soldier; Marcian rose in the ranks and, by the time of the Roman war with Persia in 421–422, was likely a tribune. Illness kept him from the field in Lycia, where he was cared for by Tatianus and his brother Julius. He later became domesticus, the trusted personal assistant, of the powerful magister militum Aspar, serving him and Aspar's father Ardabur for some fifteen years. In the early 430s he campaigned in Africa under Aspar and was taken captive by the Vandals. Tradition records that while a prisoner he met King Gaiseric, who foretold that he would one day wear the imperial crown—an account later writers repeated, though modern judgment treats it as court propaganda.

When Emperor Theodosius II died suddenly in a riding accident on 28 July 450, the East faced a succession without a designated heir. Aspar advanced Marcian. After a month of negotiation, Pulcheria, sister of Theodosius and guardian of the Theodosian line, consented to marry him, on the understanding that he would reverse her brother's religious policy and summon a general council of the Church. She kept the vow of virginity she had made long before. Marcian was proclaimed emperor by the army at the Hebdomon on 25 August 450, taking the name Imperator Caesar Flavius Marcianus Augustus. The eunuch Chrysaphius, who had dominated the late reign, was removed. Zeno received the rank of patrician; Aspar's son Ardabur was advanced in the East.

Almost at once Marcian revoked the treaties and gold subsidies paid to Attila the Hun. He declared that gifts might be given to a friend, but raids would be met with arms. While Attila invaded the West in 451 and again Italy in 452, Marcian struck across the Danube into the Hunnic heartland, defeating the enemy on their own ground and cutting their supplies. Famine and plague in northern Italy, together with Eastern pressure, forced Attila to withdraw. After Attila's death in 453 the Hunnic confederation fractured. Marcian settled Germanic peoples as foederati within Roman lands, restored a measure of peace on the frontiers, and conducted lesser campaigns against Saracens in Syria and Blemmyes in Egypt.

In matters of faith he acted decisively. With Pulcheria he convened the great Council of Chalcedon in 451. The fathers defined that the one Lord Jesus Christ is perfect in Godhead and perfect in manhood, acknowledged in two natures without confusion, change, division, or separation. The definition upheld the teaching of Saint Leo the Great and the tradition of the Church, though it caused lasting sorrow among many miaphysite Christians in Syria and Egypt. Marcian thus stood as a defender of the orthodox confession of the Incarnate Word.

He died on 27 January 457, leaving the imperial treasury with a surplus of some seven million solidi—an achievement after years of Hunnic tribute and war. Aspar passed over Marcian's son-in-law Anthemius and secured the elevation of Leo I. The Church remembers Marcian among those rulers who used power to serve the truth of Christ and the peace of the empire.

May Saint Marcian obtain for us courage to confess the two natures of Christ and fidelity in the duties God assigns us today.