Papias (Byzantine office)
Encyclopedia
The Papias was a eunuch official in the Byzantine
court, responsible for the security and maintenance of the buildings of the imperial palace in Constantinople
.
for the year 780. There were three papiai, all eunuchs: one for the Great Palace
itself , and two others for its adjuncts, the Magnaura
and the palace of Daphne
(the and ). The latter was created by Michael III
, while the former is attested only in the Kletorologion
of 899. The papias of the Great Palace was a very important official. Often styled "grand papias" (μέγας παπίας, megas papias), and usually holding the rank of protospatharios
, he was the concierge of the palace and responsible for its security. He held the keys to the doors of the palace (and of the palace prison) and opened them every morning together with the megas hetaireiarches. He thus controlled physical access to the imperial quarters, and was an important element in any conspiracy against the emperor's life, as demonstrated in the usurpations of Michael II
in 820 and Basil I
in 867. It is possible that initially the other two papiai were subordinate to the papias of the Great palace.
Like all senior palace functionaries, the papias of the Great Palace also fulfilled certain ceremonial duties. Aside from the ritual unlocking of the palace doors, he for instance formally ended the daily imperial audiences by rattling the keys, the symbol of his office. At ceremonies for the promotion of officials, he censed
the main audience hall of the Chrysotriklinos
and the emperor, and on 1 August, he carried a cross in procession through the streets of the capital, visiting the most wealthy citizens and receiving donations.
By the 12th century, the papias was probably opened up to non-eunuchs as well. New papiai for the Chalke
and the new Blachernae Palace are also attested in the 12th century. In the Palaiologan period, the megas papias ("Grand Papias") became a specific dignity awarded to senior members of the aristocracy. In the 13th century, it was probably an actual office, but it became a purely honorary title in the 14th century. In the mid-14th century Book of Offices of Pseudo-Kodinos, the title occupies the 22nd position in the imperial hierarchy, and its insignia were: a wooden staff (dikanikion) with alternating gold and red-gold knobs, a skiadion hat with embroidery of the klapoton type, another type of hat called skaranikon of white and gold silk with gold-wire embroidery and images of the emperor in the front and back, and a silk robe of office or kabbadion.
Nicolas Oikonomides also adds the minsourator (μινσουράτωρ), an official in charge of the emperor's tent on campaign, to the subordinates of the papias. Similar staffs must have also existed for the papiai of the Magnaura and the Daphne Palace.
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
court, responsible for the security and maintenance of the buildings of the imperial palace in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
.
History and role
The term is etymologically connected to πάππος or ("father, priest"). It is first attested in a seal dated to ca. 550–650, and next recorded in the chronicle of Theophanes the ConfessorTheophanes the Confessor
Saint Theophanes Confessor was a member of the Byzantine aristocracy, who became a monk and chronicler. He is venerated on March 12 in the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Church .-Biography:Theophanes was born in Constantinople of wealthy and noble iconodule parents: Isaac,...
for the year 780. There were three papiai, all eunuchs: one for the Great Palace
Great Palace of Constantinople
The Great Palace of Constantinople — also known as the Sacred Palace — was the large Imperial Byzantine palace complex located in the south-eastern end of the peninsula now known as "Old Istanbul", modern Turkey...
itself , and two others for its adjuncts, the Magnaura
Magnaura
The Magnaura was a large building in Constantinople. It is equated by scholars with the building that housed the Senate, and which was located east of the Augustaion, close to the Hagia Sophia and next to the Chalke gate of the Great Palace...
and the palace of Daphne
Daphne Palace
The Palace of Daphne was one of the major wings of the Great Palace of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire . According to George Codinus, it was named after a statue of the nymph Daphne, brought from Rome...
(the and ). The latter was created by Michael III
Michael III
Michael III , , Byzantine Emperor from 842 to 867. Michael III was the third and traditionally last member of the Amorian-Phrygian Dynasty...
, while the former is attested only in the Kletorologion
Kletorologion
The Klētorologion of Philotheos , is the longest and most important of the Byzantine lists of offices and court precedence . It was published in September of 899 during the reign of Emperor Leo VI the Wise by the otherwise unknown prōtospatharios and atriklinēs Philotheos...
of 899. The papias of the Great Palace was a very important official. Often styled "grand papias" (μέγας παπίας, megas papias), and usually holding the rank of protospatharios
Protospatharios
Prōtospatharios was one of the highest court dignities of the middle Byzantine period , awarded to senior generals and provincial governors, as well as to foreign princes.-History:...
, he was the concierge of the palace and responsible for its security. He held the keys to the doors of the palace (and of the palace prison) and opened them every morning together with the megas hetaireiarches. He thus controlled physical access to the imperial quarters, and was an important element in any conspiracy against the emperor's life, as demonstrated in the usurpations of Michael II
Michael II
Michael II , surnamed the Amorian or the Stammerer , reigned as Byzantine emperor from December 820 to his death on 2 October 829, and the first ruler of the Phrygian or Amorian dynasty....
in 820 and Basil I
Basil I
Basil I, called the Macedonian was a Byzantine emperor of probable Armenian descent who reigned from 867 to 886. Born a simple peasant in the Byzantine theme of Macedonia, he rose in the imperial court, and usurped the imperial throne from Emperor Michael III...
in 867. It is possible that initially the other two papiai were subordinate to the papias of the Great palace.
Like all senior palace functionaries, the papias of the Great Palace also fulfilled certain ceremonial duties. Aside from the ritual unlocking of the palace doors, he for instance formally ended the daily imperial audiences by rattling the keys, the symbol of his office. At ceremonies for the promotion of officials, he censed
Incense
Incense is composed of aromatic biotic materials, which release fragrant smoke when burned. The term "incense" refers to the substance itself, rather than to the odor that it produces. It is used in religious ceremonies, ritual purification, aromatherapy, meditation, for creating a mood, and for...
the main audience hall of the Chrysotriklinos
Chrysotriklinos
The Chrysotriklinos , latinized as Chrysotriclinus or Chrysotriclinium, was the main reception and ceremonial hall of the Great Palace of Constantinople from its construction, in the late 6th century, until the 10th century...
and the emperor, and on 1 August, he carried a cross in procession through the streets of the capital, visiting the most wealthy citizens and receiving donations.
By the 12th century, the papias was probably opened up to non-eunuchs as well. New papiai for the Chalke
Chalke
The Chalke Gate , was the main ceremonial entrance to the Great Palace of Constantinople in the Byzantine period. The name, which means "the Bronze Gate", was given to it either because of the bronze portals or from the gilded bronze tiles used in its roof. The interior was lavishly decorated with...
and the new Blachernae Palace are also attested in the 12th century. In the Palaiologan period, the megas papias ("Grand Papias") became a specific dignity awarded to senior members of the aristocracy. In the 13th century, it was probably an actual office, but it became a purely honorary title in the 14th century. In the mid-14th century Book of Offices of Pseudo-Kodinos, the title occupies the 22nd position in the imperial hierarchy, and its insignia were: a wooden staff (dikanikion) with alternating gold and red-gold knobs, a skiadion hat with embroidery of the klapoton type, another type of hat called skaranikon of white and gold silk with gold-wire embroidery and images of the emperor in the front and back, and a silk robe of office or kabbadion.
Subordinate officials
The papiai were in charge of an extensive staff detailed to the cleaning, lighting and general maintenance of the each palace, aided by a deputy, the Deuteros , who was separately responsible for the safekeeping of imperial furniture and insignia. The subordinates of the papias included:- the diaitarioi ' onMouseout='HidePop("36513")' href="/topics/Domestikos">domestikosDomestikosDomestikos , in English sometimes [the] Domestic, was a civil, ecclesiastic and military office in the late Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire.-Military usage:...
. They were chamberlains responsible for the various rooms (δίαιται, diaitai) of each palace. They were also known as hebdomadarioi , apparently because they worked in weekly shifts. Further diaitairioi of various buildings of the Great Palace complex are also attested in the 10th century: of the palaces of Daphne and Magnaura, the halls of the Consistory, the Ostiarikon, the Stratorikion and the Nineteen Couches and of the palace chapels of St. Stephen and the Theotokos.
- the various lower servants: loustai (λουσταί, "bathers") responsible for the baths, the kandelaptai (κανδηλάπται, "candle-lighters") in charge of lighting, the kamenades (καμηνάδες) or kaldarioi (καλδάριοι, cf. caldariumCaldariumright|thumb|230px|Caldarium from the Roman Baths at [[Bath, England]]. The floor has been removed to reveal the empty space where the hot air flowed through to heat the floor....
) in charge of heating, and the horologoi in charge of clocks. The functions of another category, the zarabai (ζαράβαι), are unclear.
Nicolas Oikonomides also adds the minsourator (μινσουράτωρ), an official in charge of the emperor's tent on campaign, to the subordinates of the papias. Similar staffs must have also existed for the papiai of the Magnaura and the Daphne Palace.