Today is Saturday, July 11th, 2020.

On this day in 472, enemies of Emperor Anthemius,

ruler of the Western Roman Empire, captured and beheaded

him in Old St. a parcast original. Today we're covering the assassination of Western Roman Emperor Anthemius at the hands of

Gundobad, the future king of the Burgundians.

Let's travel back in time to July 11th, 472.

The footsteps of enemy soldiers echoed off the corners of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Anthemius heard them coming, but saw no point in running. He just listened and waited.

As he did, the afternoon's son glistened off the building.

At the time, Joto di Bondone had yet to create the hang above the courtyard and depict a scene from the Gospel of Matthew 14

verses 23 to 32. In it a storm would threaten to

capsize a large ship carrying 11 of Christ's 12 apostles.

Ocean waves appearing to swallow the one among them not on board, St. Peter.

Next to him, Jesus Christ would walk on water, extending a helping hand to those in

peril. A beacon of hope, he'd call out, Take heart, it is I have no fear.

Many centuries prior to the Navechella's creation,

Anthemia stood in its future home in the midst of a storm without any sign of hope.

He'd covered himself in dirt and wrapped himself in rags so that maybe the army of men that

wanted him dead might mistake him for a beggar and have mercy.

As he descended further into hiding, into the tomb of St. Peter, he reflected on how far he'd fallen.

Anthemius had been born in Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire,

to a family of aristocrats. He leveraged his political and

military connections to become the top military commander or Magister

...