Anastasius
April 11 491 through July 1 518

Selected after the death of Zeno by Empress Ariadne, Anastasius was an elderly court official.  He is credited with major changes in the financial policy and coinage of his predecessors and by the time of his death left the treasury with probably more gold than any other emperor to follow.  Many have stated, that if it had not been for Anastasius's financial abilities, the empire would not have been able to survive much less expand in the coming centuries. Anastasius is also used as the beginning point of the "Byzantine Empire" due to the total occupation of Italy to the Ostrogoths and Vandals by his accession. When he died he had not assigned a successor.