and unhappy reign, full of murders, deceits, and crimes of
every sort, for fourteen years after his restoration, and died in 491.

Let us now pass to the ecclesiastical policy of Zeno's reign.

The succession to the see of Constantinople requires to be considered in
apposition with that of the see of Rome. The attempt of Anatolius had been
broken by St. Leo, who also outlived him by three years, for Anatolius died
in 458, a year after the emperor Leo had succeeded Marcian; and his
crowning of Leo is recorded as the first instance of that ceremony being
exercised. At his death Gennadius was appointed, who sat to the year 471.
He is commended by all writers for his admirable conduct. St. Leo[30] had
sent bishops to Constantinople to ask the emperor that he would bring to
punishment Timotheus the Cat, who, being schismatical, excommunicated, and
Eutychean, had nevertheless got possession of the see of Alexandria. He was
endeavouring, after the death of the legitimate bishop, Proterius, who had
succeeded the deposed Dioscorus, to ruin the Catholic faith throughout
Egypt. All the bishops of the East, whom the emperor consulted, pronounced
against this Timotheus. But he was supported by Aspar, who had given Leo
the empire. Nevertheless, Gennadius joined his efforts with those of the
Pope, and Timotheus Ailouros was banished from Alexandria to Gangra.
Another Timotheus Solofaciolus, approved by Pope Leo, was made bishop of
Alexandria.

At the end of 471, Acacius succeeded Gennadius in the see of the capital.
At the time he was well known, having been for many years superior of the
orphans' hospital, where he had gained the affection of everyone. He is
said to have been made bishop by the influence of Zeno, who was then the
emperor's son-in-law. He immediately rose high in the opinion of Leo, who
consulted him on private and public affairs before anyone else. He placed
him in the senate, the first time that the bishop had sat there. Acacius is
said to have used his influence with Leo to soften a severe temper, to
restore many persons to his favour, to obtain the recal of many from
banishment. He took special care of the churches, and of the clergy serving
them, and they in return put his portrait everywhere. Acacius was
considered an excellent bishop when Basiliscus rose against Zeno.

In all this contest Acacius took part against the attempt which Basiliscus
made to overthrow the faith of the Church. He had issued a document