In 706, a vengeful Byzantine emperor publicly executed two of his predecessors in Constantinople
After a decade in exile, Emperor Justinian II reclaimed his throne in 706 and orchestrated a gruesome public execution of his rivals to solidify his terrifying return to power.
Byzantine politics reached a bloody peak in February 706 when the restored Emperor Justinian II executed his predecessors, Leontios and Tiberios III. In a theatrical display of vengeance at the Hippodrome of Constantinople, Justinian sat upon his rivals' necks before they were beheaded. This public spectacle was meant to ensure that no one would ever challenge his divine right to rule again.
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