DOCSLIB.ORG

3019-2625.Pdf

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
3019-2625.Pdf Studia Ceranea 7, 2017, p. 9–25 ISSN: 2084-140X DOI: 10.18778/2084–140X.07.01 e-ISSN: 2449-8378 Symeon Antonov (Veliko Tărnovo) The Byzantine Office of ἘΠῚ ΤῶΝ ΚΡΊΣΕῶΝ and Its Holders (in the Light of Sphragistic Evidence and Written Sources) the middle of the 11th century, the Byzantine Empire began to experience In the difficulties that eventually culminated in the catastrophe of the 1070s. Meanwhile, the state administration evolved in an attempt to adjust to the new conditions. One of the firm steps towards this goal was the creation of the office (σέκρετον) of ἐπί τῶν κρίσεων by emperor Constantine IX Monomachos (1042– 1055) somewhere between 1043 and 1047. This institution is the topic of the cur- rent paper, which aims to summarize the evidence from primary sources and the major contributions from the end of the 19th century to the present day. The main part, however, consists of a list of officials in this position, compiled using the available data from different sources – rhetorical, epistolary, documentary and sphragistic. The only historical source for the establishment of theepi ton kriseon and its initial functions is the History by Michael Attaleiates1. According to this account, the newly founded office was to deal with private legal cases (δικῶν ἰδιωτικῶν); furthermore, provincial judges (τῶν ἐπαρχιῶν δικασταί) were supposed to send copies or notes (τῶν σχεδαρίων) to inform the official about their decisions, in order to be free of any suspicion concerning their equity. The institution under discussion has been studied quite thoroughly for more than a century. Among the most important contributions are those by Karl Edu- ard Zachariä von Lingenthal2, Helene Ahrweiler3, Nikos Oikonomidès4, Michael 1 Michael Attaleiates, History, ed. A. Kaldellis, D. Krallis, Cambridge MA–London 2012, p. 36: Ἐκαίνισε δὲ καί σέκρετον δικῶν ἰδιωτικῶν, ἐπί τῶν κρίσεων κακέσας τὸν τούτου προέχοντα· ἐν τούτῳ οἱ τῶν ἐπαρχιῶν δικασταί καί συντάττουσι τὰ ποιητέα ἐγγράφως καί τὰ τῶν σχεδαρίων ἐνα- ποτιθέασιν ἴσα δι’ ὑποψίας ἀπαλλαγήν. 2 K.E. Zachariä von Lingenthal, Geschichte des griechisch-römischen Rechts, Berlin 1892, p. 374–378. 3 H. Glykatzi-Ahrweiler, Recherches sur l’administration de l’empire byzantin aux IX–XIe siècles, BCH 84, 1960, p. 70–71. 4 N. Oikonomidès, L’évolution de l’organisation administrative de l’empire byzantine au XIe siècle (1025–1118), TM 6, 1976, p. 134–135. 10 Symeon Antonov Angold5, Aikaterine Christophilopoulou6, Stauroula Chondridou7, Andreas Gkoutzioukostas8. Two major suggestions dominate the secondary sources as regards the primary function of these civil servants. Partly, at least, they coincide and complement one another; the chief difference between them is whether the epi ton kriseon is taken as a purely judicial position, overseeing the legal activity of provincial judges, or as one related to provincial administration in a more gen- eral sense9. It is widely accepted that the official in question was a supreme judge of sorts, one of four in Constantinople at that time, the others being the droun- garios tes viglas (δρουγγάριος τῆς βίγλας), the eparch of the City10 (ἔπαρχος τῆς Πόλεως) and the quaestor (κοιαίστωρ)11. In a mid-12th century source, the Ecloga Basilicorum, the epi ton kriseon is mentioned among the ‘great judges’ (μεγάλους δικαστές)12. The judicial activity of these officials is well-attested in sources from the 11th–12th century13. Ahrweiler points out that, with the available data, it is impossible to specify the nature of the dependency of the thematic kritai (θεματικοί κριταί) on the epi ton kriseon. A useful piece of information is found in a passage from the work of Kekaumenos; here, once again, we read about the notes (σχεδαρίων) that a the- matic judge was obliged to dispatch to his colleagues in the capital (τῶν πολιτικῶν δικαστῶν). Unfortunately, the original text breaks off, which makes it impossible to reconstruct the rest14. However, Ahrweiler implies that the epi ton kriseon prob- ably did not have the right to veto the decisions of thematic judges, although they were subordinate to him in a certain way. Furthermore, the scholar advances the 5 M. Angold, The Byzantine Empire, 1025–1204. A Political History, London–New York 19972, p. 62–66. 6 ΑΙ. ΧΡΙΣΤΟΦΙΛΟΠΟΎΛΟΥ, Τα βυζαντινά δικαστήρια κατά τους αιώνες Ι’-ΙΑ’, ΔΕΒΜΜ 4, 1986/1987, p. 174–176. 7 Σ.Δ. ΧΟΝΔΡΊΔΟΥ, Ο Κωνσταντίνος Θ’ Μονομάχος και η εποχή του, Αθήνα 2002, p. 127–140. 8 Α.Ε. ΓΚΟΥΤΖΙΥΚΩΣΤΑΣ, Η απονομή δικαιοσύνης στο Βυζάντιο (9ος–12ος αιώνες). Τα κοσμικά δικαιοδο- τικά όργανα και δικαστήρια της πρωτεύουσας, Θεσσαλονίκη 2004, p. 202–207 [= BKΜε, 37]. 9 Karl Eduard Zachariä von Lingenthal confuses τῶν ἐπαρχιῶν δικασταί in Attaleiates’ text with the judges of the velon and the Hippodrome in the capital, suggesting they were both responsible to the epi ton kriseon, which is obviously not true (K.E. Zachariä von Lingenthal, Geschichte…, p. 374). Rather, the Byzantine text refers to provincial judges. For a very short survey of the issue, cf.: A. Kazhdan, R.J. Macrides, Epi ton kriseon, [in:] ODB, vol. I, p. 724–725. 10 I.e. the new Rome – Constantinople. 11 These four court officials appear together in the scholia on the Basilika dating from the reign of Constantine X Doukas (1059–1067). Cf. K.E. Zachariä von Lingenthal, Geschichte…, p. 374, fn. 349. 12 R.J. Macrides, The Competent Court, [in:] Law and Society in Byzantium. Ninth–Twelfth Centuries, ed. A.E. Laiou, D. Simon, Washington D.C. 1994, p. 119–120; Α.Ε. ΓΚΟΥΤΖΙΥΚΩΣΤΑΣ, Η απονομή δικαιοσύνης…, p. 207. 13 Α.Ε. ΓΚΟΥΤΖΙΥΚΩΣΤΑΣ, Η απονομή δικαιοσύνης…, p. 206–207. 14 КЕКАВМЕН, Советы и рассказы, Поучение византийского полководца XI в., ed., trans. Г.Г. Ли- таврин, Санкт-Петербург 22003, p. 148, 8–10. The Byzantine Office of Ἐπὶ τῶν κρίσεων and Its Holders… 11 idea that this official was more of an administrator than a judge in the pure sense of the word, which relates to the second hypothesis concerning his main functions – that of combined judicial and administrative powers15. Another renowned Byzantinologist, Nikos Oikonomidès, suggests that epi ton kriseon assisted thematic judges in resolving more complicated cases, which was indeed necessary in view of their insufficient legal competence and education16. His explanation is rational and could be indirectly corroborated by the informa- tion about the deficiency of specialist education among thematic judges. This was one of the main reasons behind the establishment of a law school in Constanti- nople by Constantine IX, presided initially by nomophylax Ioannes Xiphilinos17. Angold takes a similar stance, linking the creation of the epi ton kriseon with the need for stricter control of the activity of provincial judges, whose lack of proper education had led to an unequal treatment of otherwise identical cases. However, he thinks of this office as more than simply law-related, involving authority over the thematic judges as well18. Christophilopoulou suggests that the primary impulse behind the foundation of the institution was the need to impose the authority of the central adminis- tration over provincial judges. The main purpose was to prevent legal offenses – a common issue at the time, it would seem. Despite that, the epi ton kriseon was one of the σεκρετικαί, who were state officials distinct from judges19. Chondridou views the establishment of this position in a wider context, as part of a reform project initiated by emperor Constantine IX himself and backed by the court dignitaries and intellectuals around him. Theepi ton kriseon had the authority to dismiss provincial judges and to impose other penalties. He was main- ly concerned with the schedarion in order to thwart illegal actions, mostly matters of property appropriation and financial fraud. Thus, according to Chondridou, he would also deal with economic and fiscal issues20. The most recent approach to this topic comes from another Greek scholar, Andreas Gkoutzioukostas, who summarizes all of the previous theories. The author implies that the epi ton kriseon was an official with various functions; how- ever, there are scarce (if any) data confirming his alleged non-judicial powers. This dearth of evidence opens the way for different speculations, so that the issue is bound to remain uncertain21. 15 H. Glykatzi-Ahrweiler, Recherches sur l’administration…, p. 70–71. 16 N. Oikonomidès, L’évolution de l’organisation administrative…, p. 134–135. 17 As an example, we may mention Michael Psellos, who was still very young when appointed the- matic judge in several themata in Asia Minor; he had just finished his education and his overall legal knowledge was rather limited. Cf. M. Angold, The Byzantine Empire…, p. 64–66. 18 Ibidem, p. 61–65. 19 ΑΙ. ΧΡΙΣΤΟΦΙΛΟΠΟΎΛΟΥ, Τα βυζαντινά δικαστήρια…, p. 174–175. 20 Σ.Δ. ΧΟΝΔΡΊΔΟΥ, Ο Κωνσταντίνος…, p. 127–140. 21 Α.Ε. ΓΚΟΥΤΖΙΥΚΩΣΤΑΣ, Η απονομή δικαιοσύνης…, p. 202–207. 12 Symeon Antonov In order to make all these statements more consistent with the facts, we have to review some of the principal developments of the theme military and administra- tive system after the death of emperor Basil II (976–1025). The theme system, established as early as in the late th7 –8th century as a purely military-related enterprise, eventually resulted in both military and civil author- ity being concentrated in the hands of one person – the thematic strategos22. It remained very much this way until the reign of Basil II, when most of the internal themata were deprived of their military population (the so called stratiotai), which came to be concentrated predominantly in the peripheral military administrative units near the empire’s borders23. This inevitably undermined the power of the strategoi in their own regions, raising the significance of the civil administrators, and of the judges in particular. This process proceeded even further once Basil II was gone, when military expeditions and the pressure on the borders were carried out by professional units (tagmata) in the capital and the provinces, as well as by the military population in the borderlands of Southern Caucasus, Asia Minor, Syria, the Balkans and Southern Italy.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Doctoral Dissertation Márton Rózsa Byzantine Second-Tier Élite In
    Eötvös Loránd University Faculty of Humanities DOCTORAL DISSERTATION MÁRTON RÓZSA BYZANTINE SECOND-TIER ÉLITE IN THE ‘LONG’ TWELFTH CENTURY Doctoral School of History Head of the doctoral school: Dr. Gábor Erdődy Doctoral Programme of Medieval and Early Modern World History Head of the doctoral programme: Dr. Balázs Nagy Supervisor: Dr. Balázs Nagy Members of the assessment committee: Dr. István Draskóczy, Chair Dr. Gábor Thoroczkay, PhD, Secretary Dr. Floris Bernard, opponent Dr. Andreas Rhoby, opponent Dr. István Baán, member Dr. László Horváth, PhD, member Budapest, 2019 ADATLAP a d o kt ori ért e k e z é s n yit v á n o s s á gr a h a z at al á h o z l. A d o kt ori ért e k e z é s a d at ai A s z et z ő n e v e: Ró z s a ] u í árt o n MT M'f-azonosító: 1 0 0 1 9 2 7 0 A d o kt ori ért e k e z é s c í m e é s al c í m e: B y z a nti n e Second-Tie, Éttt ein t h e 'Lang'Tu,e\th C e nt ur y f) Ol-azonosító: 1 íl. l 5 1 7 6/ E L T E. 2 0 I 9. 0 5 ő A d o kt ori i s k ol a n e v e: Tü,t énele míuclo mányi D ol ú ori { sl ail a A d o kt ori pr o gr í } m n e v e: Köz é p k ori é s kora újkori e gt e í e m e s tört é n eti Doktori Progratn A t é mavezető n e v e ó s tudo mányos fcrkozata: § a g y * B ai ú z s.
    [Show full text]
  • A Synopsis of Byzantine History, –
    Cambridge University Press 978-1-107-40474-8 - John Skylitzes: A Synopsis of Byzantine History, 811–1057 John Wortley Frontmatter More information JOHN SKYLITZES: A synopsis of Byzantine history, – John Skylitzes’ extraordinary Middle Byzantine chronicle covers the reigns of the Byzantine emperors from the death of Nicephorus I in to the deposition of Michael VI in , and provides the only surviving continuous narrative of the late tenth and early eleventh centuries. A high offi cial living in the late eleventh century, Skylitzes used a number of existing Greek histories (some of them no longer extant) to create a digest of the previous three centuries. It is with- out question the major historical source for the period, cited con- stantly in modern scholarship, and has never before been available in English. Th is edition features introductions by Jean-Claude Cheynet and Bernard Flusin, along with extensive notes by Cheynet. It will be an essential and exciting addition to the libraries of all historians of the Byzantine age. is Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Manitoba. He has published widely on the Byzantine era, and completed several translations to date, including Les Récits édifi - ants de Paul, évêque de Monembasie, et d’autres auteurs (), Th e ‘Spiritual Meadow’ of John Moschos, including the additional tales edited by Nissen and Mioni (), Th e spiritually benefi cial tales of Paul, Bishop of Monembasia and of other authors () and John Skylitzes: A Synopsis of Histories (AD –) , a provisional transla- tion published
    [Show full text]
  • Byzantine Conquests in the East in the 10 Century
    th Byzantine conquests in the East in the 10 century Campaigns of Nikephoros II Phocas and John Tzimiskes as were seen in the Byzantine sources Master thesis Filip Schneider s1006649 15. 6. 2018 Eternal Rome Supervisor: Prof. dr. Maaike van Berkel Master's programme in History Radboud Univerity Front page: Emperor Nikephoros II Phocas entering Constantinople in 963, an illustration from the Madrid Skylitzes. The illuminated manuscript of the work of John Skylitzes was created in the 12th century Sicily. Today it is located in the National Library of Spain in Madrid. Table of contents Introduction 5 Chapter 1 - Byzantine-Arab relations until 963 7 Byzantine-Arab relations in the pre-Islamic era 7 The advance of Islam 8 The Abbasid Caliphate 9 Byzantine Empire under the Macedonian dynasty 10 The development of Byzantine Empire under Macedonian dynasty 11 The land aristocracy 12 The Muslim world in the 9th and 10th century 14 The Hamdamids 15 The Fatimid Caliphate 16 Chapter 2 - Historiography 17 Leo the Deacon 18 Historiography in the Macedonian period 18 Leo the Deacon - biography 19 The History 21 John Skylitzes 24 11th century Byzantium 24 Historiography after Basil II 25 John Skylitzes - biography 26 Synopsis of Histories 27 Chapter 3 - Nikephoros II Phocas 29 Domestikos Nikephoros Phocas and the conquest of Crete 29 Conquest of Aleppo 31 Emperor Nikephoros II Phocas and conquest of Cilicia 33 Conquest of Cyprus 34 Bulgarian question 36 Campaign in Syria 37 Conquest of Antioch 39 Conclusion 40 Chapter 4 - John Tzimiskes 42 Bulgarian problem 42 Campaign in the East 43 A Crusade in the Holy Land? 45 The reasons behind Tzimiskes' eastern campaign 47 Conclusion 49 Conclusion 49 Bibliography 51 Introduction In the 10th century, the Byzantine Empire was ruled by emperors coming from the Macedonian dynasty.
    [Show full text]
  • “A Translation and Historical Commentary of Book One and Book Two of the Historia of Geōrgios Pachymerēs” 2004
    “A Translation and Historical Commentary of Book One and Book Two of the Historia of Geōrgios Pachymerēs” Nathan John Cassidy, BA(Hons) (Canterbury) This thesis is presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of the University of Western Australia. School of Humanities Classics and Ancient History 2004 ii iii Abstract A summary of what a historical commentary should aim to do is provided by Gomme and Walbank in the introductions to their famous and magisterial commentaries on Thoukydidēs and Polybios. From Gomme: A historical commentary on an historian must necessarily derive from two sources, a proper understanding of his own words, and what we can learn from other authorities . To see what gaps there are in his narrative [and to] examine the means of filling these gaps. (A. Gomme A Historical Commentary on Thucydides vol. 1 (London, 1959) 1) And from Walbank: I have tried to give full references to other relevant ancient authorities, and where the text raises problems, to define these, even if they could not always be solved. Primarily my concern has been with whatever might help elucidate what Polybius thought and said, and only secondarily with the language in which he said it, and the question whether others subsequently said something identical or similar. (F. Walbank A Historical Commentary on Polybius vol. 1 (London, 1957) vii) Both scholars go on to stress the need for the commentator to stick with the points raised by the text and to avoid the temptation to turn the commentary into a rival narrative. These are the principles which I have endeavoured to follow in my Historical Commentary on Books One and Two of Pachymerēs’ Historia.
    [Show full text]
  • Byzantium's Balkan Frontier
    This page intentionally left blank Byzantium’s Balkan Frontier is the first narrative history in English of the northern Balkans in the tenth to twelfth centuries. Where pre- vious histories have been concerned principally with the medieval history of distinct and autonomous Balkan nations, this study regards Byzantine political authority as a unifying factor in the various lands which formed the empire’s frontier in the north and west. It takes as its central concern Byzantine relations with all Slavic and non-Slavic peoples – including the Serbs, Croats, Bulgarians and Hungarians – in and beyond the Balkan Peninsula, and explores in detail imperial responses, first to the migrations of nomadic peoples, and subsequently to the expansion of Latin Christendom. It also examines the changing conception of the frontier in Byzantine thought and literature through the middle Byzantine period. is British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow, Keble College, Oxford BYZANTIUM’S BALKAN FRONTIER A Political Study of the Northern Balkans, – PAUL STEPHENSON British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow Keble College, Oxford The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, United Kingdom The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 2RU, UK 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-4211, USA 477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, VIC 3207, Australia Ruiz de Alarcón 13, 28014 Madrid, Spain Dock House, The Waterfront, Cape Town 8001, South Africa http://www.cambridge.org © Paul Stephenson 2004 First published in printed format 2000 ISBN 0-511-03402-4 eBook (Adobe Reader) ISBN 0-521-77017-3 hardback Contents List ofmaps and figurespagevi Prefacevii A note on citation and transliterationix List ofabbreviationsxi Introduction .Bulgaria and beyond:the Northern Balkans (c.–) .The Byzantine occupation ofBulgaria (–) .Northern nomads (–) .Southern Slavs (–) .The rise ofthe west,I:Normans and Crusaders (–) .
    [Show full text]
  • 'Sinopsis Historiarum' of John Scylitze Declares the Stances of Byzantine
    The ‘Sinopsis Historiarum’ of John Scylitze declares the stances of Byzantine hoplomachia of the 11th century By George E.Georgas , fencing coach and historical fencing instructor With this article I have to introduce our new member of the Academy of Historical European Martial Arts ‘Leontes’ as historical researcher, Mr. Foteinos Staveris who is student of archeology at the University of History and Archeology of Ioannina. I have to thank the Byzantine and Ecclesiastical Museum of Kefallinia for sharing to our Academy the copy of Scylitze ‘s book of 11th century ‘Sinopsis Historiarum’ for the purpose of studding. The Greek version of this essay added at the archives of the Byzantine and Ecclesiastical Museum of Kefallinia. John Scylitze was a Greek historian of the 11th century. He has the title of kouropalates of the imperial palace. This title was one of the highest from the time of Justinian the Great until the Komninian dynasty. The title means he who is in charge in the imperial palace. Also Scylitze was former Magnus Droungarios of the Vigla. Droungarios was a military rank of late Roman and Byzantine Empire and signifying the commander of the Droungos formation. The Droungarios of the Vigla or The Droungarios of the Watch, means the commander of the elite Vigla regiment. The Vigla regiment was responsible for guarding the emperor’s campaign. So as we understand except of politician and historian, Scylitze was also a man trained in weapons of his age. The cover of ‘Sinopsis Historiarum’ of John Scylitze He wrote the ‘Sinopsis Historiarum’ which cover the reigns of Byzantine emperors from 811 until 1057.
    [Show full text]
  • Venetian Judges and Their Jurisdiction in Constantinople in the 12Th Century
    VENETIAN JUDGES AND THEIR JURISDICTION IN CONSTANTINOPLE IN THE 12TH CENTURY Some observations based on information drawn from the chrysobull of Alexios III Angelos to Venice in 11981 § 1. Introduction In 1198 the Byzantine emperor Alexios III Angelos issued a privilege act, a so-called chrysobull, in favour of the maritime city-republic of Venice.2 As is the case with all Byzantine imperial acts bestowing privileges upon Venice, the original chrysobull in Greek has been lost. Fortunately, however, a copy of a Latin translation of it has been preserved in two manuscripts that are today kept in the State Archives of Venice.3 The Venetians are granted the privilege to trade freely within the entire empire, on sea or on land.4 The last part of the chrysobull includes detailed provisions concerning many legal issues, including the competence of judges in civil law and in ‘criminal law’, as well as law of succession. Venetian judges are granted the right to judge mixed cases, namely cases between Venetians and Byzantines. However, does this jurisdiction of Venetians cover both civil and criminal cases or not? And under which particular conditions are the Venetian judges allowed to judge such cases? I shall try in this paper to answer briefly these questions. 1 This paper is based on a lecture delivered in June 2007 in Groningen, at a symposium organised by the department of Legal History of the University of Groningen on the occasion of Bernard Stolte’s departure for Rome to take up his new position as director of the Royal Netherlands Institute.
    [Show full text]
  • Byzantine Legal Culture and the Roman Legal Tradition, 867-1056 1St Edition Download Free
    BYZANTINE LEGAL CULTURE AND THE ROMAN LEGAL TRADITION, 867-1056 1ST EDITION DOWNLOAD FREE Zachary Chitwood | 9781107182561 | | | | | Byzantine Empire See also: Byzantine Empire under the Heraclian dynasty. Retrieved February 23, Theophylact Patriarch of Constantinople With the exception of a few cities, and especially Constantinoplewhere other 867-1056 1st edition of urban economic activities were also developed, Byzantine society remained at its heart agricultural. Born in at ArabissusCappadocia. The Persian Empire is the name given to a series of dynasties centered in modern-day Iran that spanned several Byzantine Legal Culture and the Roman Legal Tradition the sixth century B. Amorian dynasty — [ edit ] See also: Byzantine Empire under the Amorian dynasty. After becoming the emperor's father-in-law, he successively assumed higher offices until he crowned himself senior emperor. Named his sons MichaelAndronikos and Konstantios as co-emperors. In: L. Only son of Andronikos III, he had not been crowned co-emperor or declared heir at his father's death, a fact which led to the outbreak of a destructive civil war between his regents and his father's closest aide, John VI Kantakouzenoswho was crowned co-emperor. Imitating the Campus in Rome, similar grounds were developed in several other urban centers and military settlements. The city also had several theatersgymnasiaand many tavernsbathsand brothels. The "In Trullo" or "Fifth-Sixth Council", known for its canons, was convened in the years of Justinian II — and occupied itself exclusively with matters of discipline. Live TV. Inthe barbarian Odoacer overthrew the last Roman emperor, Romulus Augustusand Rome had fallen. They never absolutized natural rights or Roman law or even the Roman people.
    [Show full text]
  • Περίληψη : Prominent Family of the Byzantine Court, Which Emerged in the Years of Basil II (963/976-1025)
    IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ Συγγραφή : Βουγιουκλάκη Πηνελόπη Μετάφραση : Βελέντζας Γεώργιος Για παραπομπή : Βουγιουκλάκη Πηνελόπη , "Tarchaneiotes family", Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Κωνσταντινούπολη URL: <http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=9245> Περίληψη : Prominent family of the Byzantine court, which emerged in the years of Basil II (963/976-1025). They thrived from the 13th century onwards, with several members of the family holding senior, mainly military, positions. There were intermarriages with the imperial Komnenos and Palaiologos families and the noble families of Bryennios, Doukas, Branas, Kourtikes and Philanthropenos. Their trace was lost after the 17th century. Άλλα Ονόματα Tarchaniotes, Trachaneiotes, Trachaniates, Tarchoniates Τόπος και Χρόνος Γέννησης Before the late 10th century, Thrace (late 10th c., Italy) Τόπος και Χρόνος Θανάτου After the 17th century, Russia Κύρια Ιδιότητα Aristocrats 1. The Family The Tarchaneiotes family, whose name probably derives from their birthplace, the settlement of Tarchaneion near Kypsela, Thrace,1 emerged in the historical scene during the reign of Basil II (963/976-1025). They held senior offices in the administration and at times served as military commanders, thus playing an active role in the political and military matters of the Byzantine state. They were active mainly in the western part of the Empire, especially Macedonia and Italy. 2. Famous Members in the Battlefield (10th-11th c.) In 999 Gregory Tarchaneiotes, in his capacity as the katepano of Italy, turned the Saracens successfully out of the country, while shortly later Basil Tarchaneiotes was awarded the title of magister militum of the West. Other members of the family activated in the East, such as Joseph Tarchaneiotes, who in 1071 accompanied Romanos IV (Diogenes) (1068-1071) in his campaign against the Seljuks in Armenia and later became doukas of Antioch.
    [Show full text]
  • The Byzantine State and the Dynatoi
    The Byzantine State and the Dynatoi A struggle for supremacy 867 - 1071 J.J.P. Vrijaldenhoven S0921084 Van Speijkstraat 76-II 2518 GE ’s Gravenhage Tel.: 0628204223 E-mail: [email protected] Master Thesis Europe 1000 - 1800 Prof. Dr. P. Stephenson and Prof. Dr. P.C.M. Hoppenbrouwers History University of Leiden 30-07-2014 CONTENTS GLOSSARY 2 INTRODUCTION 6 CHAPTER 1 THE FIRST STRUGGLE OF THE DYNATOI AND THE STATE 867 – 959 16 STATE 18 Novel (A) of Leo VI 894 – 912 18 Novels (B and C) of Romanos I Lekapenos 922/928 and 934 19 Novels (D, E and G) of Constantine VII Porphyrogenetos 947 - 959 22 CHURCH 24 ARISTOCRACY 27 CONCLUSION 30 CHAPTER 2 LAND OWNERSHIP IN THE PERIOD OF THE WARRIOR EMPERORS 959 - 1025 32 STATE 34 Novel (F) of Romanos II 959 – 963. 34 Novels (H, J, K, L and M) of Nikephoros II Phokas 963 – 969. 34 Novels (N and O) of Basil II 988 – 996 37 CHURCH 42 ARISTOCRACY 45 CONCLUSION 49 CHAPTER 3 THE CHANGING STATE AND THE DYNATOI 1025 – 1071 51 STATE 53 CHURCH 60 ARISTOCRACY 64 Land register of Thebes 65 CONCLUSION 68 CONCLUSION 70 APPENDIX I BYZANTINE EMPERORS 867 - 1081 76 APPENDIX II MAPS 77 BIBLIOGRAPHY 82 1 Glossary Aerikon A judicial fine later changed into a cash payment. Allelengyon Collective responsibility of a tax unit to pay each other’s taxes. Anagraphis / Anagrapheus Fiscal official, or imperial tax assessor, who held a role similar as the epoptes. Their major function was the revision of the tax cadastre. It is implied that they measured land and on imperial order could confiscate lands.
    [Show full text]
  • (PART I) Pantelis CHARALAMPAKIS* This Paper1 Is the Outcome
    2016 2 / 2 (1-17) 12 SHORT NOTES ON THE PROSOPOGRAPHY OF THE BYZANTINE THEME OF KOLONEIA (PART I) * Pantelis CHARALAMPAKIS *Research Fellow, Centre for This paper1 is the outcome of a preliminary study re- Advanced Study, Sofia. lated to the TAKTIKON database developed at the [email protected] 2 Academy of Athens, Greece. The history and proso- pography of the Byzantine theme of Koloneia in the Pontos area have been so far discussed in a very few – yet important – works only, and this is not because of lack of interest, but because of the limited infor- mation provided by literary sources and the small number of seals discovered. The main objective is to publish two so far unknown lead seals issued by officials who served in the theme of Koloneia, as well as to provide the reader with up- dated prosopographical lists of the thematic offi- cials. Needless to say, the prosopographical lists pre- sented in this paper are incomplete, because there are more unpublished collections of seals – some of them hard to access – that have to be examined. In a future second part of this study we shall present the remaining offices, together with discussion on some -------------------------------------------------------- 1 I would like to thank Dr. Osman Emir for encouraging me to write for KAREN Studies and also for his warm hospitality in Trabzon in May 2016. Moreover, I am indebted to Dr. Harald Schulze (Archäologische Staatssammlung München) and Dr. Vassa Kontouma (IFEB), for granting me permission to publish the seals, and, of course, to Prof. Jean-Claude Cheynet, who shared information and provided me with photos of the IFEB and BnF specimens.
    [Show full text]
  • © in This Web Service Cambridge University
    Cambridge University Press 978-1-107-00962-2 - Land and Privilege in Byzantium: The Institution of Pronoia Mark C. Bartusis Index More information Index Aaron on Zavorda Treatise, 35 archontopoulos, grant recipient, 348 Aitolia, 231 Theodore, apographeus, 627 Akapniou, monastery in Thessaloniki, 307, Achaia, 234, 241 556, 592–94, 618 Acheloos, theme of, 233 Akarnania, 333, 510 Achinos, village, 556, 592–94 akatadoulotos, akatadouloton, 308, 423–24, 425 Achladochorion, mod. village, 451 akc¸e, 586, 587 acorns, 228, 229, 364, 491, 626 Akindynos, Gregory, 255 Adam akinetos (k©nhtov) see dorea; ktema; ktesis Nicholas, grant recipient, xxi, 206, 481 Aklou, village, 148 official, xv, 123 Akridakes, Constantine, priest, 301 syr, kavallarios,landholder,206, 481 Akropolites, George, historian, 15, 224, 225, Adam, village, 490, 619 284, 358 adelphaton,pl.adelphata, 153 Akros see Longos Adrian Akroterion, village, 570, 572, 573 landholder in the 1320s, 400 aktemon (ktmwn), pl. aktemones, 70, 85, 86, pronoia holder prior to 1301, 520 139, 140, 141–42, 143, 144, 214, 215, Adrianople, 330, 551 590 Adriatic Sea, 603, 604 Alans, 436, 502 Aegean Sea, 502, 510, 602, 604 Albania, 4, 584 aer, aerikon see under taxes, specific Alexios I Komnenos, emperor (1081–1118), xl, agridion, xxii, 466, 540–42, 570 xlii Ahrweiler, Hel´ ene,` 7 chrysobulls of, xv, xvi, 84, 128, 129, 134, on Adrian Komnenos, 137 140, 160, 255 on Alopos, 197 and coinage, 116 on appanages, 290, 291, 292, 293 and gifts of paroikoi, 85 on charistike, 155 and imperial grants, 29, 30, 58, 66, 69,
    [Show full text]