Ino, like so many of the Roman Empresses, remains a mere name to which
are attached a number of singular and romantic adventures, but a
little consideration of her behaviour in these adventures affords an
occasional glimpse of her personality. A simple and, no doubt, quite
uncultivated provincial matron, she had gladly exchanged the troubled
splendours of a palace for the tranquil plainness of her former home
in Daphnudium. The faithful Tiberius had occasionally visited her in
her retirement, and it was doubtless understood that when the death of
Justin made him free to defy Sophia she should return to the Court. The
day had arrived, and her humble home in the provinces was now besieged
by nobles and officers who were eager to escort her across the sea
to the bronze-roofed palace. “Come in the morning, and we will start
immediately,” Ino told them. In the morning, however, they found that
Ino and her daughters, disliking the pomp of an escort and the scenes
which their passage would cause, had quietly departed during the night,
and they followed in very evil temper to Constantinople.
Tiberius and the Senators and nobles met Ino at the city quay, and
she was presently clothed in the gold tunic and purple mantle of the
Empress. In a covered litter, accompanied by a crowd of eunuchs and
chamberlains, she proceeded from the palace to the great church of St
Sophia between the living hedges of the populace. It was here that her
name was changed to Anastasia. Since the introduction of Empresses with
provincial or pagan names a custom had arisen of changing the name at
coronation, and the right to do so had been genially accorded to the
people. On this occasion the ceremony was more animated than usual.
The greens, standing under their banner at their appointed station,
raised the cry of “Helena”; from the next station the blues raised the
counter-cry of “Anastasia,” and “so fiercely did they contend,” says
the bishop, “with rival shouts for the honour of naming her that a
great and terrible riot ensued and all the people were in confusion.”
The blues seem to have been in the majority, and from her baptism of
blood Ino emerged with the royal name of Anastasia; from the cathedral
she presently returned to the sacred palace as Empress or “Queen”
Antastasia.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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