Marcian (392-457) was the son of a soldier from either Illyricum or Thracia, and spent much of his early life as an unremarkable soldier. He served under the powerful Alan generals Ardabur and Aspar in Africa. Returning to Constantinople, he became a senator and was later chosen as consort to Pulcheria, sister of the recently deceased Emperor Theodosius II. Marcian became the next emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire in 450.