Theodosius III

Theodosios III
A coin of Theodosios III
Emperor of the Byzantine Empire
Reign	May 715 – 25 March 717
Predecessor	Anastasios II
Successor	Leo III
Born	Constantinople
Died	Ephesus

Theodosios III or Theodosius III (Greek: Θεοδόσιος Γ΄) was Byzantine Emperor from 715 to 25 March 717.

Theodosius was a financial officer and tax collector in the southern portion of the theme of Opsikion. According to one theory, he was the son of the former Emperor Tiberius III. According to another theory, he was of low extraction. When the thematic troops rebelled against Emperor Anastasius II, Theodosius was chosen as emperor. He did not readily accept this choice and, according to the chronicler Theophanes the Confessor, even attempted to hide in the forests near Adramyttium. Eventually he was found and was acclaimed emperor in May 715.

Theodosius and his troops immediately laid siege to Constantinople. Six months later, in November, they gained entry to the city. Theodosius showed himself remarkably moderate in his treatment of his predecessor and his supporters. Through the intercession of Patriarch Germanus I of Constantinople, Anastasius II was convinced to abdicate and become a monk in Thessalonica.

Little is known of Theodosius' short reign. He immediately faced an Arab invasion deep into Anatolia and the advance of the Arab fleet. In 716 he concluded a treaty with Tervel of Bulgaria favorable to the Bulgarians in an effort to secure support against the Arab invasion. This policy paid off in 719 when they helped relieve the Second Arab siege of Constantinople. In 717, the strategos of the Anatolic Theme, Leo the Isaurian (the future Leo III), rebelled against Theodosius' rule in collusion with Artabasdos, the strategos of the Armeniac Theme. Theodosius' son was captured by Leo in Nicomedia, and Theodosius chose to resign the throne on 25 March 717. He and his son subsequently entered the clergy.