Year 473 AD
In a groundbreaking move designed to keep the empire firmly under the thumb of the family, Emperor Leo I has just named his grandson Leo II the new Caesar of the East Roman Empire, despite the toddler’s yet-to-be-developed motor skills. Witnesses claim that during the event, Leo I held the imperial crown high above the young boy’s head while the crowd was torn between applauding and wondering if the tot would manage to keep the oversized toga on his small shoulders.
“An heir to the throne needs to be selected carefully,” Emperor Leo I declared. “It’s about power, stability, and finding someone I can still pick up if he starts to run away.”