Anthemius
Relationship with the Eastern Empire
#### Relationship with the Eastern Empire

The reign of Anthemius was characterised by a good diplomatic relationship with the Eastern Empire; for example, Anthemius is the last Western Emperor to be recorded in an Eastern law.*[Justinian code](/wiki/Justinian_code "Justinian code")*, I.11\.8, issued on 1 July 472, cited in Mathisen. Both courts collaborated in the choice of the yearly consuls, as each court chose a consul and accepted the other's choice. Anthemius had the honour of holding the consulate *sine collega* (without a colleague) in 468, the first year he started as Emperor, following a similar honour given to Leo in 466\. The following year the two consuls were Anthemius' son, [Marcian](/wiki/Marcian_%28usurper%29 "Marcian (usurper)"), and Leo's son\-in\-law, [Flavius Zeno](/wiki/Zeno_%28emperor%29 "Zeno (emperor)") (later successor of Leo on the Eastern throne).

In 470 the consuls were [Messius Phoebus Severus](/wiki/Messius_Phoebus_Severus "Messius Phoebus Severus"), Anthemius' old friend and fellow student at [Proclus](/wiki/Proclus "Proclus")' school, and the *Magister militum per Orientem* [Flavius Iordanes](/wiki/Flavius_Iordanes "Flavius Iordanes"). In 471, the year in which Leo held his fourth consulate with the [Praetorian prefect of Italy](/wiki/Praetorian_prefect_of_Italy "Praetorian prefect of Italy") [Caelius Aconius Probianus](/wiki/Caelius_Aconius_Probianus "Caelius Aconius Probianus") as colleague, the two emperors strengthened their bonds with a marriage between Anthemius' son, Marcian, and Leo's daughter, [Leontia](/wiki/Leontia_Porphyrogenita "Leontia Porphyrogenita"); Marcian was honoured with his second consulate the following year, this time chosen by the Eastern court.

Anthemius' matrimonial policy also included the marriage of his only daughter, [Alypia](/wiki/Alypia_%28daughter_of_Anthemius%29 "Alypia (daughter of Anthemius)"), and the powerful *Magister militum* Ricimer. The poet [Sidonius Apollinaris](/wiki/Sidonius_Apollinaris "Sidonius Apollinaris") arrived in [Rome](/wiki/Rome "Rome") on the occasion of the wedding at the end of 467 and described the celebrations in which all social classes were involved; he also hints that Alypia might have not liked her husband, a barbarian.Sidonius Apollinaris, *Epistulae*, i.5\.10–11\.


What did Sidonius Apollinaris say about the wedding celebrations?