Longinus

After all, Zeno's half of the empire stuck around after the western half of the empire collapsed.

So what were the challenges to Zeno's reign? Well, shortly after the death of his son, Zeno was challenged in a palace coup led by his brother-in-law Basilicus, and his mother-in-law, the Dowager Empress Verina.

Within months of Leo II's death, Basilicus and Verina had secured the loyalty of the army, Constantinople's senate, and Theodoric Strabo, a powerful Gothic chieftain.

You may remember Theodoric Strabo from my episode on Theodoric the Great, as the two Theodoric's were rivals for control of the Goths.

Zeno's death presented a problem.

The emperor had no living sons, and he had failed to name a successor before he passed.

Zeno did have a brother, Longinus, who Zeno had named his consul in 490, but there was a big difference between being named consul and being considered heir to the throne.

Ultimately, the choice of who the next emperor would be fell to Empress Ariadne.