Sebastophoros
Encyclopedia
The sebastophoros was a high Byzantine
court position and rank reserved for eunuchs
in the 10th–12th centuries. Its functions are unclear.
of circa 975. Nicolas Oikonomides suggested that it was introduced sometime between 963 and 975. In the Escorial Taktikon, it is ranked as one of the highest dignities, after the proedros
and before the magistroi, and was usually reserved for eunuchs.
The first known holder was Romanos Lekapenos, the son of Stephen Lekapenos
and grandson of Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (r. 920–944), but Oikonomides suggested that the title may have been first created for Basil Lekapenos
, the powerful parakoimomenos
and long-time first minister of the Byzantine Empire.
The functions of the sebastophoros are unclear; the name may imply that he carried the Byzantine emperor's banner, or that he was a personal messenger of the Byzantine emperor, a role some of its holders are known to have fulfilled. The title was quickly devalued, already during the 11th century: on seals, it is combined with relatively modest offices in the Byzantine imperial hierarchy. It disappeared completely after the 12th century.
In some texts, namely the Patria of Constantinople
and the Suda
lexicon, the sebastophoroi are identified as officials of the districts (regeonai, "regions") of Constantinople
, who every year on October 5th performed dances before the Byzantine emperor. This statement, however, comes from the 6th-century antiquarian writer John Lydus, who alleges that this practice existed under Emperor Tiberius
(r. 14–37), i.e. in Rome
.
A few other seals of sebastophoroi are known from the 10th–12th centuries, but their owners are not otherwise known.
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
court position and rank reserved for eunuchs
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
in the 10th–12th centuries. Its functions are unclear.
History and functions
The office is first attested in the Escorial TaktikonEscorial Taktikon
The Escorial Taktikon , also known as the Taktikon Oikonomides after Nicolas Oikonomides who first edited it, is a list of Byzantine offices, dignities, and titles composed in Constantinople during the 970s...
of circa 975. Nicolas Oikonomides suggested that it was introduced sometime between 963 and 975. In the Escorial Taktikon, it is ranked as one of the highest dignities, after the proedros
Proedros
Proedros was a senior Byzantine court and ecclesiastic title in the 10th to mid-12th centuries. The female form of the title is proedrissa .-Court dignity:...
and before the magistroi, and was usually reserved for eunuchs.
The first known holder was Romanos Lekapenos, the son of Stephen Lekapenos
Stephen Lekapenos
Stephen Lekapenos was the second son of the Byzantine emperor Romanos I Lekapenos , and co-emperor from 924 to 945. Along with his younger brother Constantine he deposed Romanos I in December 944, only to be themselves overthrown and exiled by the legitimate emperor Constantine VII a few weeks...
and grandson of Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (r. 920–944), but Oikonomides suggested that the title may have been first created for Basil Lekapenos
Basil Lekapenos
Basil Lekapenos was the chief administrator of the Byzantine Empire from 945 until 985.An illegitimate son of the emperor Romanos I Lekapenos, he was castrated when young....
, the powerful parakoimomenos
Parakoimomenos
The parakoimōmenos was a Byzantine court position, usually reserved for eunuchs. Many of its holders, especially in the 9th and 10th centuries, functioned as the Byzantine Empire's chief ministers.-History and functions:...
and long-time first minister of the Byzantine Empire.
The functions of the sebastophoros are unclear; the name may imply that he carried the Byzantine emperor's banner, or that he was a personal messenger of the Byzantine emperor, a role some of its holders are known to have fulfilled. The title was quickly devalued, already during the 11th century: on seals, it is combined with relatively modest offices in the Byzantine imperial hierarchy. It disappeared completely after the 12th century.
In some texts, namely the Patria of Constantinople
Patria of Constantinople
The Patria of Constantinople , also known by the Latin name Scriptores originum Constantinopolitarum , is a Byzantine collection of historical works on the history and monuments of the Byzantine imperial capital of Constantinople .Although in the past attributed to the 14th-century writer George...
and the Suda
Suda
The Suda or Souda is a massive 10th century Byzantine encyclopedia of the ancient Mediterranean world, formerly attributed to an author called Suidas. It is an encyclopedic lexicon, written in Greek, with 30,000 entries, many drawing from ancient sources that have since been lost, and often...
lexicon, the sebastophoroi are identified as officials of the districts (regeonai, "regions") of 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:...
, who every year on October 5th performed dances before the Byzantine emperor. This statement, however, comes from the 6th-century antiquarian writer John Lydus, who alleges that this practice existed under Emperor Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius , was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced Nero and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian...
(r. 14–37), i.e. in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Known holders
- Romanos Lekapenos, grandson of Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (r. 920–944), he was castrated while young in 945, and was probably still alive in 975.
- Stephen Pergamenos, eunuch official who notified Emperor Constantine IX MonomachosConstantine IX MonomachosConstantine IX Monomachos, Latinized as Constantine IX Monomachus , c. 1000 – January 11, 1055, reigned as Byzantine emperor from June 11, 1042 to January 11, 1055. He had been chosen by the Empress Zoe as a husband and co-emperor in 1042, although he had been exiled for conspiring...
(r. 1042–1055) of his accession in 1042, and was rewarded with the dignity of sebastophoros. He suppressed the revolt of George Maniakes, but later conspired against the Byzantine emperor and was tonsuredTonsureTonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
. - NikephoritzesNikephoritzesNikephoritzes was an influential Byzantine eunuch official, who served as chief minister and virtual ruler of the Byzantine Empire during the reign of Emperor Michael VII Doukas . His actual name was Nikephoros; he received the nickname "Nikephoritzes" as a result of his relative youth when he...
, the unpopular eunuch chief minister of Emperor Michael VII Doukas (r. 1071–1078). He bore the title during his tenure as douxDuxDux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
of AntiochAntiochAntioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
in 1059–1060. - John Pepagomenos, household member (oikeios) of Emperor Alexios I KomnenosAlexios I KomnenosAlexios I Komnenos, Latinized as Alexius I Comnenus , was Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118, and although he was not the founder of the Komnenian dynasty, it was during his reign that the Komnenos family came to full power. The title 'Nobilissimus' was given to senior army commanders,...
(r. 1081–1118), attested in the synod that condemned John Italos in 1092.
A few other seals of sebastophoroi are known from the 10th–12th centuries, but their owners are not otherwise known.