Today in History S4 E22: February 15, 706 A.D. The Public Executions of Leontius and Tiberius III
On February 15, 706 A.D., Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian II had two "pretenders" to the throne Leontius and Tiberius III publicly humiliated and executed inside the Hippodrome in front of a large crowd of his followers. The end of Justinian's first reign marked the beginning of the Twenty Years' Anarchy in the Eastern Roman Empire. Public humiliation was a big deal in the Empire bringing along with not only be marked with shame but usually brought along disfigurement to one's face. Justinian's nose was sliced to ribbons by Leontius with the help of the Patriarch of Constantinople Callinicus I and was exiled to Crimea in 695 A.D.
Leontius lasted only three years on the throne before he was publicly humiliated and imprisoned inside a monastery by his successor Tiberius III in 698 A.D. During this time, Justinian was getting support from the empire's allies and enemies, raised a large army and chased Tiberius out of Constantinople in 705 A.D. Back in power, he wanted to pay back his enemies so he had both former emperors brought back to Constantinople in chains and on February 15, 706 A.D. publicly humiliated and executed both men inside the Hippodrome in front of a sell out crowd and tossed their bodies into the Sea of Marmara. Justinian's second reign would last until November 4, 711 A.D. when he himself would die in a similar fashion.
Listen to the Illustrious Narrator talk about "The Public Executions of Leontius and Tiberius III."