I want to become Eastern Roman Emperor

Wait for the right opportunity, as in a major crisis, and provoke an urban revolt with religious undertones.
Your lack of connections in Constantinople will prevent you to rule effectively, but you might end as the power behind-the-throne with a big stroke of luck.

Granted, you have most chances to have your bleeding head decorating one of the town's entrance in the end. But rule by the mob isn't the stabler rule.
How easily would devout Constantinopolitans believe in a rebellous monk?
Go the Basil I route. Become good friends with the current Emperor, hope that he's incompetent/has an exploitable vice(if not create a propaganda mill and use every little inadequacy to your advantage), then get in favor with the Patriarch, get in good stead with the army. When the time is right kill the Emperor and get the Patriarch to crown you Emperor, all the while having an Army standing outside the Hagia Sophia.
Having the army along side(or at least neutral) is absolutely necessary to any plan, ever.
Not really. Medieval Romans took religion very seriously. Seriously.
That's legit.
Your background will be an obstacle in some ways, but at least it's 'exotic' and mysterious. If you have some skill at divination, mysticism and so on (ie. to be a competent and believable charlatan), perhaps you could try attaching yourself to one of the more superstitious aristocrats, maybe even an Emperor. Having influence over someone who's already in a position of power sounds like a good first step to getting into a position yourself.
How could I convert to Orthodoxy and remain "exotic" at the same time? And Nestorianism wasn't exactly exotic. It was called "Daqin Jingjiao" in China, Daqin meant Rome.

And I thought only pagan Romans were easily influenced by foreign Religions?
 
The only thing I wanted to know was how open the Eastern Roman society was, and how much chance a random stranger stood. The "Chinese monk" thing was thrown in because I had previously conceived such a monk (who harbored no political ambition whatsoever.)
(Eastern) Roman society being "open" is a difficucult question.
By "random stranger" you definitely mean someone from abroad, definitely non-(Eastern)-Roman in origin.

This type of guy can achieve almost everything in the Empire, being the power behind the throne, king-maker, whatever. Better join the army though, that makes it easier.

A Non-Roman stranger has some (extremely slight) chance to become even an emperor. If he somehow managed to convince everybody that he was born by true (proper) Roman parents.
But being Chinese looking (Mongoloid facial racial type) makes it damn hard.
 
How could I convert to Orthodoxy and remain "exotic" at the same time? And Nestorianism wasn't exactly exotic. It was called "Daqin Jingjiao" in China, Daqin meant Rome.

And I thought only pagan Romans were easily influenced by foreign Religions?

I mostly meant "exotic" in origin and appearance. As for religion, it's necessary to be an Orthodox Christian for this sort of thing; but in spite of their attachment to the religion, the society of Constantinople and the Empire still had plenty of room for all kinds of occultism.
 
Top