whose proper name was Artemius, was in the year 713 elevated to the throne of Constantinople, from the low station of a secretary, by the free voice of the senate and Roman people. His natural talents, improved by education and daily exertion, enabled him to manage with great prudence the affairs of the empire during the time that he was secretary to his predecessor Philippicus. The Saracens had made incursions upon Asia Minor in the beginning of his reign; but he sent a strong army to the frontiers of Syria for its protection, under the command of Leo the Isaurian, a man of great military experience. These enemies of the empire also meditated the design of taking Constantinople; but the vigilance of Anastasius defeated their purpose, by providing a formidable naval force, repairing and strengthening the walls of the city, and by forcing all the inhabitants either to provide themselves with provisions for three years, or instantly to depart from the city. Disappointed in their design, the enemy's fleet sailed to Phenicia, and the imperial fleet assembled at Rhodes to watch the motions of the enemy. But the measures of the emperor received a severe check from the conduct of the sailors, who raised a mutiny, and slew their admiral for no other cause than his honourable endeavours to maintain proper discipline in the fleet. Justly dreading severe punishment, the seamen raised the standard of rebellion, declared Anastasius unworthy to reign, and conferred the purple upon one Theodosius, a person of mean birth. Informed of this sedition, Anastasius fled from his tottering throne to Nice. The new emperor hastened to besiege Constantinople, which, after a feeble defence of six months, he reduced to his subjection. The late emperor being assured of his life, abandoned his claim to the crown, assumed the character of a monk, and was banished to Thessalonica, having worn the purple only during the space of two years. Having, however, pre- Anastasius vailed upon the Bulgarians to espouse his cause, he laid aside the habit of the monk for that of the warrior, and, in the year 719, in the time of the emperor Leo, he resumed his claim to the throne. A numerous army of these barbarians hastened to the capital; but being unable to reduce it, they delivered up the unhappy Anastasins to the emperor, who put him to death, along with his principal associates.

ANASTASICUS, surnamed Bibliothecarius, a Roman abbot, library-keeper of the Vatican, and one of the most learned men of the ninth century, assisted in 869 at the fourth general council, the acts and canons of which he translated from the Greek into Latin. He also composed the lives of several popes, and other works; the best edition of which is that of the Vatican.