Acacius

Who is Acacius?

Acacius was a Byzantine military officer, active in Alexandria during the reign of Justinian I.

Acacius was a native of Amida, and Zacharias Rhetor calls him "Bar Eshkhofo", which seems to mean "son of a cobbler. Zacharias further reports that after the deposition of Patriarch Paul of Alexandria and his replacement by Zoilus, Acacius was the military officer tasked to protect Zoilus from the hostile population of Alexandria. Acacius was probably a professional soldier, but seems to have held a lower position, perhaps a comes rei militaris or a tribunus.