IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ Συγγραφή : Βενέτης Ευάγγελος Μετάφραση : Βελέντζας Γεώργιος Για παραπομπή : Βενέτης Ευάγγελος , "Artabasdos (Byzantium)", Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Μ. Ασία URL:

Περίληψη : Artabasdos was born in the second half of the 7th century, possibly in Germanikeia. He served as strategos of Armeniakon, comes of Opsikion and kouropalates, but became famous for the rebellion against Constantine V and his proclamation as an emperor (742-743). During his short reign he reinstated the icons. After Constantine V was restored to the throne, Artabasdos was blinded and spent the last years of his life confined to a Constantinople monastery, where he died. Άλλα Ονόματα Artabazos, Artauasdos Τόπος και Χρόνος Γέννησης second half of 7th c., possibly Germanikeia of Euphratesia Τόπος και Χρόνος Θανάτου after 743, Constantinople Κύρια Ιδιότητα military official, emperor

1. Biography

Little information is available on Artabasdos in the sources, which are certain only about his Armenian origin. He was probably descended from Germanikeia. In 717 he got married to Anna, the daughter of Emperor Leo III the Isaurian, and had two sons, elder Nikephoros and younger Niketas. The same marriage must have produced seven daughters as well.1 The name of his Armenian cousin, the patrikios Teridates, is also known.2 By order of the Emperor Constantine V he was blinded and exiled with his family in 743 to the Chora monastery, in Constantinople, where he died at an unknown moment.

2. Career

2.1. Activities before 741

The first reference to Artabasdos’career concerns the reign of Artemios-Anastasios II (713-715), when he was the strategos of the theme of Armeniakon. In 715-717, Artabasdos supported the rebellion of Leo the Isaurian against the new Emperor Theodosius III and, after they prevailed, he got married to Leo’s daughter and was awarded the titles of kouropalates and comes of Opsikion. The close relations between Artabasdos and the family of Leo III could be attributed to Artabasdos’possible descent from Germanikeia, Leo’s birthplace.3 As comes of Opsikion, Artabasdos must have taken part in the defence of Nicaea against the Arabs, who besieged the city in 727, while his name is reported in an inscription referring to the repairs made to the fortifications of the city after the siege.4

2.2. Ascension to the throne

When Leo III died (June 18, 741), the throne was occupied by his son Constantine V, who was rather distrustful of Artabasdos. In June 742,5Artabasdos attacked suddenly the emperor at Krasos of Asia Minor and scattered his army. Then, with the help of the silentiarius Athanasios, the revolter joined the patrikios and magistros Theophanes Monotes, Constantine V’s representative in Constantinople. Monotes proclaimed Artabasdos emperor convincing the citizens of Constantinople that Constantine V had died during the campaign against the Arabs. As he wanted to consolidate his position, Artabasdos took advantage of the dispute between iconoclasts and icon worshippers and supported the second side, who were dominating Constantinople in that period.6

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Apart from Theophanes Monotes and the patriarch of Constantinople Anastasios, Artabasdos managed to be recognised by Pope Zachary and therefore legalised his power. At the same time, he crowned his son Nikephoros co-emperor (they are depicted together on the coins he minted during his reign), while he possibly crowned his wife Anna and his younger son Niketas as well.7

2.3. The fall

The legal Emperor Constantine, who had escaped to his faithful theme of Anatolikon, reorganised his troops and reinforced them with those of the theme of Thrakesion under his cousin, strategos Sisinnios. In the early summer of 743, Artabasdos was defeated by Constantine in the battle of Sardis and had to return to Constantinople via Kyzikos. Niketas, Artabasdos’younger son, was appointed monostrategos and was ordered by his father to confront Constantine in the theme of Armeniakon. In August 743, Artabasdos was defeated again in the area of Modrine (modern Mudrunum, Turkey).

In November of the same year, following a two-month siege of Constantinople by the troops of Constantine V and because of the famine afflicting the city, Artabasdos had to abandon the capital in his enemy’s hands and escaped to Nicaea of Bithynia, where he managed to gather a remarkable number of soldiers. Then he marched towards the fortress of Pousane, where he took cover. But he was soon captured and led chained to Constantinople, where he and his two sons were duly punished by Constantine V. The emperor ordered that they be exposed at the Hippodrome of Constantinople and be blinded.8 Artabasdos and his entire family were exiled to the monastery of Chora, Constantinople, where he remained in confinement until the end of his life.

1. Αccording to the Βίος Μιχαήλ Συγκέλλου, Cunningham, M. (ed.), Life of Michael Synkellos (Belfast Byzantine Texts and Translations 1, Belfast 1991), p. 108, which reports that Artabasdos was exiled to the monastery of Chora along with his wife and their nine children.

2. Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883), p. 418.2-4.

3. Hollingsworth, P.A., “Artabasdos”, in The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 1 (New York - Oxford 1991), p. 192.

4. Schneider, A.M. – Karnapp, W., Die Stadtmauer von Iznik (Nicaea) (Berlin 1938), p. 49.

5. Speck, P., Artavasdos, der rechtgläubige Vorkämpfer der göttlichen Lehren. Untersuchungen zur Revolte des Artavasdos und ihrer Darstellung in der byzantinischen Historiographie (Ποικίλα Βυζαντινά 2, Bonn 1981), adopts the version of Patriarch Nikephoros, who believes that Artabasdos revolted immediately after the death of Leo III (June 741), while Theophanes one year later (June 742). Speck believes that Theophanes must have been misled by an unreliable source.

6. Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883), 415.21-22: “ὁ δὲ Ἀρτάυασδος κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν πόλιν τὰς ἱερὰ ς εἰκόνας ἀνεστήλωσεν”. Speck, P., Artavasdos, der rechtgläubige Vorkämpfer der göttlichen Lehren. Untersuchungen zur Revolte des Artavasdos und ihrer Darstellung in der byzantinischen Historiographie (Ποικίλα Βυζαντινά 2, Bonn 1981), supports that Artabasdos was never actually an icon worshipper and remained loyal to his emperor and father-in-law Leo III the Isaurian.

7. Hollingsworth, P.A., “Artabasdos”, in The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 1 (New York - Oxford 1991), p. 192.

8. Νικηφόρος Πατριάρχης, Ιστορία Σύντομος, Mango, C. (ed.), Nikephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople, Short History (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 13, Washington 1990), p. 66.23-29, reports that Artabasdos and his sons were not immediately blinded, but after the rebellious intentions of the strategos of Thrakesion Sisinnios were revealed, that is, 40 days after the prevalence of Constantine V.

Βιβλιογραφία : Gero S., Byzantine Iconoclasm during the Reign of Constantine V with particular attention to the oriental sources, Louvain 1977, Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium 384 = Subsidia 52

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Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia, Leipzig 1883

Σκουταριώτης Θεόδωρος, Σύνοψις Χρονική, Σάθας, Κ.Ν. (επιμ.), Μεσαιωνική Βιβλιοθήκη 7, Βενετία – Παρίσι 1894

Ζακυθηνός Δ., Βυζαντινή Ιστορία 324-1071, Αθήνα 1972

Ostrogorsky G., Iστορία του βυζαντινού κράτους 2, Aθήνα 1979, Παναγόπουλος, I. (μτφρ.)

Νικηφόρος Πατριάρχης, Ιστορία σύντομος, Mango, C. (ed.), Nikephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople, Short History, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 13, Washington, D.C. 1990

Schneider A.M., Karnapp W., Die Stadtmauer von Iznik (Nicaea), Berlin 1938, Istanbuler Forschungen 9

Lombard A., Etudes d' histoire byzantine: Constantin V, empereur des Romains (740-775), Paris 1902

Speck P., Artabasdos, der rechtgläubige Vorkämpfer der göttlichen Lehren: Untersuchungen zur Revolte des Artavasdos und ihrer Darstellung in der byzantinischen Historiographie, Bonn 1981, Ποικίλα Βυζαντινά 2

Rochow I., "Bemerkungen zur Revolte der Artabasdos aufgrund bisher nicht beachteter Quellen", Klio, 68, 1986, 191-197

Βαρ Εβραίος, Χρονογραφία, Budge, E.A.W. (ed.), The Chronography of Gregory Abu'l Faraj the son of Aaron, the Hebrew Physician commonly known as Bar Hebraeus being the First Part of his Political History of the World, London 1932

Καραγιαννόπουλος Ι., Ιστορία του Βυζαντινού Κράτους, Θεσσαλονίκη 1987

Grierson P., Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection, Washington D. C. 1993

Θεοφάνης Ομολογητής, The Chronicle of Theophanes Confessor, Mango, C. – Scott, R. (eds), Byzantine and Near Eastern History, A.D. 284-813, Oxford 1997

Zacos G., Verglery A., Byzantine Lead Seals 1/ 1-3, Basel 1972

Hollingsworth P.A., "Artabasdos", Kazhdan, A. (ed.), The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 1, New York – Oxford 1991, 192

Toumanoff C., "Caucasia and Byzantium", Traditio, 27, 1971, 111-158

Βίος Μιχαήλ Συγκέλλου, Cunningham, M. (ed.), Life of Michael Synkellos, Belfast Byzantine Texts and Translations 1, Belfast 1991

Oikonomides N., A Collection of Dated Byzantine Lead Seals, Washington, D.C. 1986

Δικτυογραφία : Roman Emperors - DIR Anna (wife of Artabasdus) http://www.roman-emperors.org/anna.htm

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Γλωσσάριo : comes 1. A title in the Roman and the Byzantine Empires, designating an official with political but mostly military jurisdiction. Especially the comes Orientis held the position corresponding to that of a vicar in Early Byzantine period. In the years of Justinian I, the comes in head of wider provinces assumed political and military powers, while in the Middle Byzantine period the Opsikion theme was one of the few themes which was the jurisdiction of a comes instead of a strategos. 2. A nobility title in medieval Europe. kouropalates A high-ranking dignity, which from Justinian I was conferred on members of the imperial family and on foreign princes. During the 11th c. it was conferred on several generals, not belonging to the imperial family. magistros Higher office that Philotheos in his Kletorologion places above the anthypatos. This title lost its importance from the 10th century and gradually disappeared - most probably in the middle of the 12th century. monostrategos A term used in Byzantine sources to denote a theme's general when the latter, apart from leading his own troops, also took command of neighbouring themes, either to better organise defence in a broad front or to conduct offensive operations under a unified command. patrikios (from lat. patricius) Higher title of honour, placed, according to the "Tactika" of the 9th and the 10th centuries, between anthypatos and protospatharios. It was given to the most important governors and generals. Gradually, however, it fell into disuse and from the 12th century did not exist any more. silintarios, silentiarios The silentiarios or silintarios (from the Latin silentium) in the Early Byzantine period was official responsible for secure order in and silence in the palace. After the 6th c their role decreased and the title of sientiarios became ceremonial. strategos ("general") During the Roman period his duties were mainly political. Οffice of the Byzantine state´s provincial administration. At first the title was given to the military and political administrator of the themes, namely of the big geographic and administrative unities of the Byzantine empire. Gradually the title lost its power and, already in the 11th century, strategoi were turned to simple commanders of military units, responsible for the defence of a region.

Πηγές Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883), pp. 386.15‑19, 395.4‑12, 414.16‑415.22, 417.23‑418.7, 420.10‑18.

Νικηφόρος Πατριάρχης, Ιστορία Σύντομος, Mango, C. (ed.), Nikephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople, Short History (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 13, Washington 1990), pp. 64.1‑38, 65.1‑10, 66.16‑29.

Βίος Μιχαήλ Συγκέλλου, Cunningham, M. (ed.), Life of Michael Synkellos (Belfast Byzantine Texts and Translations 1, Belfast 1991), p. 108.

Schneider, A.M. – Karnapp, W., Die Stadtmauer von Iznik (Nicaea) (Berlin 1938), p. 49.

Παραθέματα Chronographer Theophanes refers to the cooperation of Artabasdos with Leo the Isaurian:

Λέων δέ, τῶν ἀνατολικῶν στρατηγὸς ὤν, Ἀρτεμίου ὑπερμαχῶν οὐχ ὑπετάγη Θεοδοσίῳ· εἶχε δὲ συμπνέοντα αὐτῷ καὶ συντρέχοντα Ἀρτάυασδον Ἀρμένιον, τῶν Ἀρμενιάκων στρατηγόν, ᾧ καὶ συνέθετο δοῦναι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ θυγατέρα εἰς γυναῖκα· ὃ καὶ πεποίηκεν.

Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883), 386.15‑19.

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Artabasdos marries with the daughter of Leo III and receives the title of kouropalates:

τοῦ δὲ Θεοδοσίου βασιλεύσαντος, καὶ τοῦ Ἀρτεμίου ἐκδιωχθέντος, καὶ τῆς τῶν ῾Ρωμαίων πολιτείας συγκεχυμένης οὔσης ἔκ τε βαρβάρων ἐπιδρομῆς καὶ ἐκ τῶν τοῦ Ἰουστινιανοῦ μιαιφονιῶν καὶ τῶν τοῦ Φιλιππικοῦ ἀνοσιουργιῶν , οὗτος ὁ εἰρημένος Λέων ὑπερεμάχει τῷ Ἀρτεμίῳ , ἐναντιούμενος Θεοδοσίῳ. εἶχε δὲ συμφωνοῦντα αὐτῷ καὶ συντρέχοντα Ἀρτάυασδον, τὸν τῶν Ἀρμενιάκων στρατηγόν, ὃν καὶ γαμβρὸν μετὰ τὸ βασιλεῦσαι αὐτὸν εἰς Ἄνναν τὴν θυγατέρα αὐτοῦ πεποίηκεν, προβαλλόμενος αὐτὸν καὶ κουροπαλάτην.

Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883), 395.4‑12.

The rebellion of Artabasdos in the chronographical work of Theophanes:

Τούτῳ τῷ ἔτει ὁ διώκτης τῶν πατροπαραδότων θεσμῶν Κωνσταντῖνος ἐβασίλευσε θείοις κρίμασι καὶ πλήθει πταισμάτων ἡμῶν. τῷ οὖν Ἰουνίῳ μηνὶ κζ ’ τῆς ἐπέκεινα ι’ ἰνδικτιῶνος ἐξελθὼν ἐν τοῖς μέρεσι τοῦ Ὀψικίου κατὰ τῶν Ἀράβων ἦλθεν ἐν τῇ λεγομένῃ Κρασῷ. τοῦ δὲ λεχθέντος Ἀρταυάσδου ἐν τῷ Δορυλαίῳ μετὰ τοῦ Ὀψικίου λαοῦ ὄντος , ὑπεβλέποντο ἀλλήλοις. ἀποστείλας δὲ Κωνσταντῖνος πρὸς αὐτὸν ᾐτεῖτο τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ πεμφθῆναι αὐτῷ , ὡς ἅτε ἀνεψιοὺς αὐτοῦ ποθῶν ἰδεῖν αὐτούς. σκοπὸς δὲ ἦν αὐτῷ κατασχεῖν αὐτοὺς καὶ φρουρῆσαι . ὁ δὲ τὸν δόλον νοήσας καὶ ἀπογνοὺς ἑαυτοῦ γινώσκων τε τὴν ἄμετρον πονηρίαν αὐτοῦ διαλαλήσας τε τῷ λαῷ καὶ πείσας ὥρμησε κατ ’ αὐτοῦ σὺν παντὶ τῷ πλήθει , καὶ τὸν μὲν πατρίκιον Βησὴρ τὸν σαρακηνόφρονα προϋπαντήσαντα ῥομφαίᾳ ἀνεῖλεν· ὁ δὲ Κωνσταντῖνος παρίππιν εὑρὼν ἐστρωμένον καὶ ἐπιβὰς αὐτοῦ ἔφυγεν εἰς τὸ Ἀμῶριν , καὶ προσδραμὼν τῷ θέματι τῶν ἀνατολικῶν στρατηγουμένῳ τότε ὑπὸ τοῦ Λαγκίνου περισώζεται ὑπ ’ αὐτῶν, δεξιοῦταί τε τούτους μεγάλαις ὑποσχέσεσιν· καὶ πρὸς Σισιννάκιον ἀποστέλλει εὐθὺς στρατηγὸν ὄντα τὸ τηνικαῦτα τοῦ θέματος τῶν Θρᾳκησίων , καὶ πείθει αὐτοὺς συμμαχήσειν αὐτῷ . ἐντεῦθεν οὖν μάχαι δεινόταται καὶ ἀνθοπλισμοὶ γίνονται τοῖς ὑπηκόοις , ἑκατέρων βασιλέων ἀναγορευομένων. Ἀρτάυασδος δὲ γράφει πρὸς Θεοφάνην τὸν πατρίκιον καὶ μάγιστρον ἐκ προσώπου ὄντα ἐν τῇ πόλει διὰ Ἀθανασίου σιλεντιαρίου τὰ πραχθέντα . ὁ δὲ προσκείμενος τῷ Ἀρταυάσδῳ, σωρεύσας τὸν λαὸν ἐν τοῖς κατηχουμενίοις τῆς μεγάλης ἐκκλησίας , καὶ διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων καὶ τοῦ λεχθέντος Ἀθανασίου πείθει πάντας , ὡς ὁ βασιλεὺς τέθνηκεν, Ἀρτάυασδος δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν θεμάτων ἀνηγορεύθη βασιλεύς. τότε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς σὺν Ἀναστασίῳ τῷ ψευδωνύμῳ πατριάρχῃ ἀναθέματι καὶ ἀνασκαφῇ ἔβαλον αὐτὸν ὡς ἀλάστορα καὶ ἀντίθεον, καὶ ἀστείως τὴν αὐτοῦ ἐδέξαντο σφαγὴν ὡς μεγίστου κακοῦ λυτρωθέντες , Ἀρτάυασδον δὲ ἀνεκήρυττον βασιλέα ὡς ὀρθόδοξον καὶ θείων δογμάτων ὑπέρμαχον . εὐθέως οὖν ἀποστέλλει ὁ Μονώτης ἐν τοῖς Θρᾳκῴοις μέρεσι πρὸς Νικηφόρον, τὸν ἴδιον υἱόν, στρατηγοῦντα τῆς Θρᾴκης, τοῦ συνελάσαι τὸ ἐκεῖσε στρατόπεδον πρὸς φυλακὴν τῆς πόλεως. κλείσας οὖν τὰς τῶν τειχέων πύλας καὶ βίγλας θέμενος τοὺς φίλους τε Κωνσταντίνου χειρωσάμενος, τύψας καὶ κουρεύσας εἰς φυλακὰς ἀπέθετο . τοῦ δὲ Ἀρταυάσδου μετὰ τοῦ Ὀψικίου λαοῦ ἐν τῇ πόλει εἰσελθόντος, κατέλαβε καὶ Κωνσταντῖνος ἐν Χρυσοπόλει μετὰ τῶν δύο θεμάτων , Θρᾳκησίων τε, φημί, καὶ ἀνατολικῶν, καὶ μηδὲν ἰσχύσας ὑπέστρεψε καὶ ἐχείμασεν εἰς τὸ Ἀμῶριν . ὁ δὲ Ἀρτάυασδος κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν πόλιν τὰς ἱερὰς εἰκόνας ἀνεστήλωσεν.

Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883), 414.16‑415.22.

Theophanes refers to the sons and cousin of Artabasdos:

Ὁ δὲ Ἀρτάυασδος Νικήταν, τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, μονοστράτηγον προβαλόμενος εἰς τὸ τῶν Ἀρμενιάκων θέμα ἐξέπεμψεν , ὁμοίως δὲ Νικηφόρον, τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, ἔστεψε διὰ Ἀναστασίου τοῦ πατριάρχου . τῷ δ’ αὐτῷ ἔτει μηνὶ Μαΐῳ Ἀρτάυασδος ἐπὶ τὰ μέρη τοῦ Ὀψικίου ἐξελθών , τὴν Ἀσίαν στρατολογήσας κατέλαβεν, ἐκπορθῶν αὐτήν. Κωνσταντῖνος δὲ τοῦτο μαθὼν ἐκίνησε κατ’ αὐτοῦ. καταλαβὼν δὲ αὐτὸν εἰς τὰ μέρη Σάρδεων ἀπὸ τοῦ Κελβιανοῦ ἀνερχόμενον καὶ συμβαλὼν μετ’ αὐτοῦ πόλεμον τρέπει αὐτὸν καὶ καταδιώκει μέχρι Κυζίκου . ὁ δὲ τὴν Κύζικον καταλαβὼν καὶ εἰς δρόμωνα εἰσελθὼν διασώζεται ἐν τῇ πόλει. μηνὶ δὲ Αὐγούστῳ τῆς αὐτῆς ι ’ ἰνδικτιῶνος Νικήτας ὁ μονοστράτηγος, υἱὸς Ἀρταυάσδου, συμβαλὼν Κωνσταντίνῳ εἰς πόλεμον πρὸς τῇ Μοδρινῇ φεύγει τραπείς , καὶ τὸν μὲν πατρίκιον Τηριδάτην τὸν Ἀρμένιον , στρατιώτην γενναῖον ὑπάρχοντα καὶ ἐξάδελφον Ἀρταυάσδου , σὺν ἄλλοις ἐπιλέκτοις ἄρχουσι ἀνεῖλον , ἑκατέρων δὲ τῶν μερῶν πτῶσις οὐ μικρὰ γέγονεν , Ἀρμενίων τε καὶ Ἀρμενιάκων μαχησαμένων πρὸς ἀνατολικοὺς καὶ Θρᾳκησίους , τοὺς

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ὑπερμάχους Κωνσταντίνου.

Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883), 417.23‑418.7.

Theophanes describes the fall of Artabasdos:

τῇ δὲ β’ τοῦ Νοεμβρίου μηνὸς ἄφνω παραταξάμενος τῇ δείλῃ διὰ τοῦ χερσαίου τείχους τὴν πόλιν παρέλαβεν . ὁ δὲ Ἀρτάυασδος ἅμα τῷ πατρικίῳ Βακταγγίῳ εἰς χελάνδιν εἰσελθὼν πρὸς τὸ παρὸν ἐξῆλθεν εἰς τὸ Ὀψίκιν , καὶ ἀπελθὼν εἰς τὸ κάστρον Πουζάνης ἑαυτὸν ἐνέκλεισεν . οὓς χειρωσάμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν μὲν Ἀρτάυασδον σὺν τοῖς δυσὶν υἱοῖς ἐτύφλωσεν, τὸν δὲ Βακτάγγιον ἐν τῷ Κυνηγίῳ ἀπεκεφάλισε καὶ τὴν τούτου κεφαλὴν ἐν τῷ Μιλίῳ ἐκρέμασεν ἐπὶ ἡμέρας τρεῖς.

Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883), 420.10‑18.

Patriarch Nikephoros describes the rebellion of Artabasdos:

Λέων δὲ <μετὰ> τέσσαρα καὶ εἴκοσι ἔτη τῆς βασιλείας μεταλλάττει τὸν βίον ὑδέρῳ χαλεπῷ περιπεσών , διάδοχον δὲ τῆς ἀρχῆς τὸν υἱὸν Κωνσταντῖνον καταλιμπάνει . Ἀρτάβαζος δέ, ὃς γαμβρὸς Κωνσταντίνου ἐπ’ ἀδελφῇ ὑπῆρχεν, ἅμα τῷ περιόντι λαῷ (στρατηγὸς δὲ τοῦ Ὀψικίου λαοῦ ἐτύγχανε ) καὶ τοῖς δυσὶν υἱέσιν, ὧν ὁ μὲν ἕτερος Νικήτας θάτερος δὲ Νικηφόρος ἐκέκλητο, κατὰ τὸ λεγόμενον τοῦ Δορυλαίου πεδίον ηὐλίζετο . καὶ δὴ τυραννίδα εὐθὺς κατ ’ αὐτοῦ μελετᾷ, τὸν τοῦ πενθεροῦ θάνατον πυθόμενος· καὶ ὅρκοις τὸν ὑπὸ χεῖρα κατεδέσμει λαὸν αὐτῷ μὲν εὔνουν ἔσεσθαι , ἕτερον δὲ εἰς βασιλέα μὴ δέχεσθαι. Κωνσταντῖνος δὲ τῆς βασιλείας κρατήσας ἀπόμοιράν τινα στρατοῦ ἐπιλεξάμενος τῆς πόλεως ἔξεισι καὶ τὸ πεδίον ὃ Κρασὸς προσαγορεύεται καταλαμβάνει καὶ Ἀρταβάζῳ ἐσήμαινεν ἥκειν πρὸς αὐτόν , ὡς ἂν ἅμα τῶν πολεμίων χάριν βουλεύσοιντο. ὁ δὲ ἤδη ὥρμα, οὐ βουλῆς ἕνεκεν, ἀλλὰ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτὸν καθαιρήσων . Κωνσταντῖνος δὲ τὰ τῆς τυραννίδος πυθόμενος , καὶ Βίσηρον τὴν ἀξίαν πατρίκιον προϋπαντήσαντα καὶ τῷ ξίφει τῶν ἀντιπάλων πεσόντα αἰσθόμενος, καὶ ὡς τὸ βασιλικὸν ἐσκευαγώγουν στρατόπεδον εἰσιδών , αὐτὸς πρὸς τῇ χώρᾳ τῶν Ἀνατολικῶν καλουμένῃ φυγὰς ἐνθένδε ἀπιὼν τὴν σωτηρίαν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ περιεποιήσατο . καὶ αὐτοὶ εὐνοϊκῶς ὑποδεξάμενοι ἐνωμότους αὐτῷ συνθήκας δεδώκεσαν ὡς μέχρις αἵματος ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ἀνελέσθαι τὸν κίνδυνον , καὶ Ἀρτάβαζον αἰσχρῶς δυσφημοῦντες καθύβριζον. μεταστέλλονται γοῦν καὶ Σισίννιον τὸν πατρίκιον καὶ σύμφωνα καθίστων ἅμα τῷ ὑπ ’ αὐτὸν στρατηγουμένῳ τῶν Θρᾳκησίων λεγομένῳ λαῷ, καὶ ἅπαντες κατὰ Ἀρταβάζου ὁμῶς ἐχώρουν . Θεοφάνης δέ, ὃν Μονώτιον ἐκάλουν, τὴν τοῦ μαγίστρου ἀξίαν διέπων καὶ τὴν βασιλέως χρείαν εἰς Βυζάντιον ἀποπληρῶν , Ἀρταβάζῳ προσέθετο καὶ βασιλέα ἀνεκήρυττε, καὶ Βυζαντίους ἀνέπειθεν ὡς Κωνσταντῖνος τεθνήκει . τὸν δὲ υἱὸν Νικηφόρον τοὔνομα κατὰ τὴν Θρᾴκην τότε στρατηγοῦντα μεταπέμπεται καὶ σὺν τῷ περὶ αὐτὸν στρατῷ πρὸς φυλακὴν τῆς πόλεως ἐγκαθίστησι . τῶν βασιλικῶν δὲ ὑπηρετῶν οὓς μὲν ἀπετύφλου οὓς δὲ καὶ ἑτέρως κατῄκιζε . καὶ Ἀρτάβαζος εὐθὺς τῷ συνόντι ἅμα λαῷ τῇ πόλει ἐφίσταται καὶ αὐτίκα τῶν ἁγίων ἀνίστη τὰ ἱερὰ ἀπεικονίσματα .

Νικηφόρος Πατριάρχης, Ιστορία Σύντομος, Mango, C. (ed.), Nikephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople, Short History (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 13, Washington 1990), 64.1‑38.

Defeat of Artabasdos' army in the battle of Sardis:

Τῷ δὲ ἑξῆς ἐπιγενομένῳ ἐνιαυτῷ τὸν ἕτερον τῶν υἱῶν Νικήταν στρατηγὸν τοῦ καλουμένου τῶν Ἀρμενιάκων στρατοῦ Ἀρτάβαζος ἀποστέλλει, τὸν δ’ αὖ ἕτερον Νικηφόρον εἰς βασιλέα στέφει . ἐπιστρατεύει δὲ κατὰ τῆς τῶν Ἀσιανῶν χώρας , καὶ τὰ ἐκείνῃ χωρία ἐσιαίνετο πικρῶς . καθ’ ὃ ἐπιτίθεται Κωνσταντῖνος καὶ πρὸς τὰς Σάρδεις ὑπαντιάζει , πολέμῳ τε αυτῷ συμμίξας κραταιῶς ἐτροπώσατο, τόν τε ὑπόντα λαὸν δουλωσάμενος τήν τε ὑποῦσαν αὐτοῖς ἀποσκευὴν εἰσποιησάμενος . Ἀρτάβαζος δὲ φυγὰς [πρὸς] τὴν πόλιν Κύζικον καταλαβὼν κἀκεῖθεν ἀποπλεύσας ἐπὶ τὸ Βυζάντιον ᾤχετο .

Νικηφόρος Πατριάρχης, Ιστορία Σύντομος, Mango, C. (ed.), Nikephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople, Short History (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 13, Washington 1990), 65.1‑10.

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The fall of Artabasdos, as being described in the historical work of Patriarch Nikephoros:

Ἀρτάβαζος δὲ ἀποδρὰς πρὸς τὴν ἐν Βιθυνίᾳ Νίκαιαν πόλιν διασώζεται , καὶ τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ ἀνέπειθεν ὡς ἥκοι στρατολογήσων καὶ δύναμίν τινα ἐκεῖ περιβαλλόμενος . ἐξ ὧν ὁλίγους στρατιώτας προσλαβὼν ἐπὶ τὸ φρούριον τὸ λεγόμενον Πουζάνης ἀπιὼν ἐγκατακλείεται . Κωνσταντῖνος δὲ ἀπόμοιραν εἰς δίωξιν αὐτοῦ ἐκπέμψας αὐτόν τε χειροῦται , καὶ σὺν τοῖς υἱέσιν αὐτοῦ δεσμώτας ἐπὶ ἀγῶνος ἱππικοῦ ἕλκων θριαμβεύει ἐκεῖθέν τε ἐν εἱρκτῇ τηρεῖσθαι ἀσφαλῶς παραδέδωκεν. οὐ πολὺ δὲ τὸ ἐν μέσῳ , καὶ Σισίννιος ὁ πατρίκιος τυραννίδα ἐφωράθη κατὰ Κωνσταντίνου μελετήσας , ἐφ’ ᾗ διαγνωσθεὶς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐκκόπτεται. μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ καὶ Ἀρτάβαζος καὶ οἱ αὐτοῦ υἱοὶ τῇ αὐτῇ τιμωρίᾳ ᾐκίσθησαν , πλείσταις δὲ πληγαῖς καὶ τιμωρίαις καὶ οἱ συγγνῶντες αὐτοῖς τὰ τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς ὑποβληθέντες ὑπερωρίαις κατεδικάσθησαν.

Νικηφόρος Πατριάρχης, Ιστορία Σύντομος, Mango, C. (ed.), Nikephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople, Short History (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 13, Washington 1990), 66.16‑29.

A subsequent hagiographical text refers to the last years of Artabasdos:

ταύτην τοίνυν τὴν μονὴν εὐθηνουμένην πάνυ ἔν τε χρήμασι καὶ κτήμασι και ἀναλώμασιν ὁ ἀσεβὴς καὶ μετὰ τὸν διώκτην διώκτης ὁ τῆς ἁλουργίδος ἀνάξιος, Κωνσταντῖνος ὁ Κοπρώνυμος, διὰ τὸ ἐν αὐτῇ κατοικεῖν ὀρθοδόξους καὶ ἁγίους πατέρας, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὸν ἐν ἁγίοις καὶ μέγαν πατριάρχην Γερμανόν (ὁ γὰρ τούτου θηριώνυμος καὶ πρῶτος αἰρεσιάρχης πατὴρ διὰ τὸ ὑπ ’ αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεσπεσίου πατρὸς Γερμανοῦ ἀναθέματι αἰωνίῳ παραδοθῆναι ὡς εἰκονοκαύστου καὶ ἰουδαιόφρονος, καὶ ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ ἐξορίστου γεγονότος ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ προλεχθείσῃ λαμπρᾷ καὶ ὀρθοδόξῳ μονῇ ) ἐγύμνωσέ τε καὶ ἐξηφάνισε καὶ μικροῦ δεῖν κατηδάφισεν . ἐκτυφλώσας γὰρ τὸν τῆς αὐτοῦ ἀδελφῆς Ἄννης σύζυγον , τὸν ὀρθοδοξότατον ἄνακτα Ἀρτάβασδον τοὔνομα, ἐν ὑπερορίᾳ κατεδίκασεν ἐν τῇ προλεχθείσῃ μονῇ σὺν τῇ αὐτοῦ συζύγῳ καὶ τοῖς αὐτοῦ ἐννέα παισί , καταγώγιον κοσμικῶν ἀπεργασάμενος καὶ παντελῶς γυμνώσας αὐτὴν ἐκ τῆς τῶν μοναχῶν συναυλίας. εἰς ἣν μονὴν κατάκεινται τὰ αὐτῶν ὀρθόδοξα λείψανα .

Βίος Μιχαήλ Συγκέλλου, Cunningham, M. (ed.), Life of Michael Synkellos (Belfast Byzantine Texts and Translations 1, Belfast 1991), 108.

Inscription on a tower of Nicaea's city walls, which refers to Artabasdos:

+ ἔνθα θεεικῇ βοηθείᾳ τὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν καταισχύνθη θράσος , ἐκεῖ οἱ φιλόχριστοι ἡμῶν βασιλεῖς Λέων κ (αὶ) Κωνσταντῖνος ἀνε‑ καίνισαν πόθῳ τὴν πόλιν Νήκαιαν ἀνεγίρανταις διὰ τῆς τοῦ ἔργου ἐπιδείξεως νηκητικὸν ἀναστήσανταις πύργον κεντινάριο (ν) ὧν καί μόχθῳ ἐπληρο[φόρη]σεν Ἀρταύασδος πανεύφ(ημος) πατρίκ(ιος) κοροπαλάτ(ης).

Schneider, A.M. – Karnapp, W., Die Stadtmauer von Iznik (Nicaea) (Berlin 1938), p. 49.

Χρονολόγιο second half of 7th c.: Artabasdos is born, possibly in Germanikeia of Euphratesia. between 713-715: Artabasdos is appointed strategos of the theme of Armeniakon.

715-717: Artabasdos allies with Leo the Isaurian against Emperor Theodosius III.

717: Artabasdos gets married to the daughter of Leo the Isaurian, is proclaimed comes of Opsikion and is awarded the title of kouropalates.

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727: Artabasdos repels an Arab attack against Nicaea. summer 742: Artabasdos revolts against the new Emperor Constantine V, scatters the latter ’s troops and captures Constantinople, where he is crowned emperor; he abolishes the iconoclastic edicts of the Isaurian dynasty. spring-summer 743: Artabasdos is defeated by Constantine V in Sardis and Modrine/Modrina.

September-November 743: Constantinople is besieged by Constantine V; Artabasdos is defeated.

November-December 743: Constantine V is restored to the throne of Constantinople. Artabasdos tries to escape, but is arrested and blinded along with his two sons. after 743: Artabasdos dies during his detention at the monastery of Chora, Constantinople.

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