Τόπος και Χρόνος Γέννησης ca 870, at the village of Lakape (region of Melitene) Τόπος και Χρόνος Θανάτου June 15, 948 in Prote, Prince Islands

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1 Περίληψη : The Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos ( ) rose to the imperial throne mainly thanks to his own cleverness and skill. During his reign (which lasted approximately 25 years) he had to deal with the external and internal challenges, troubling the Empire. Despite his skilful policy, Romanos I fell victim of his sons greediness and thirst for power. Τόπος και Χρόνος Γέννησης ca 870, at the village of Lakape (region of Melitene) Τόπος και Χρόνος Θανάτου June 15, 948 in Prote, Prince Islands Κύρια Ιδιότητα Emperor ( ) 1. Birth-Family background Romanos Lakapenos was born around 870 in the village of Lakape, near Melitene and was of Armenian descent, like many of the soldiers and officers coming from Asia Minor in this period. The first of his lineage, named after their place of descent, was Romanos father, Theophylaktos Avestaktos. According to 10 th -century sources (written during the reign of Romanos, possibly under his influence), Theophylaktos happened to save the life of the Emperor Basil I in battle. Apparently Romanos father belonged to the higher ranks of Byzantine society and was not a simple peasant from Armenia. Romanos Lekapenos was married to Theodora, with whom he had four sons, Christopher, Stephanos, Constantine and Theophylaktos, and one daughter, Helen. He also had an illegitimate son, Basil, an eunuch, with a woman of Skythian (Slavic?) origin. 2. Activity Romanos Lekapenos was a characteristic example, attesting that every Byzantine could rise to the higher levels of Byzantine society by means of his skills and activity. One of the most effective ways was by pursuing a military career. Romanos Lekapenos had been a strategos of the theme of Samos, before ascending to the office of droungarios of the Byzantine fleet; this was the highlight of his career in the army. This office was not one of the highest in the Byzantine army, since these were reserved for the commanders of the eastern army (as opposed to the navy). However, it gave Romanos the chance to excel and enter the higher levels of society. 3. Ascension to the imperial throne After the death of the Emperors Leo VI (May 912) and Alexander (June 913), the throne was left to Leo s seven-year-old son, Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos. At the time, the Byzantine Empire was almost constantly at war with the ruler of Bulgaria Symeon, who aspired to seize the imperial throne. The first regent, the Patriarch Nicolas I Mystikos, was overthrown for conceding too much to the wishes of Symeon. The regency then passed to Zoe Karbonopsina, Constantine s mother, who decided to defeat the Bulgar ruler in battle. At the time, commander of the Byzantine army was Leo Phokas, domestikos ton scholon, a most capable and famous general (son of Nikephoros Phokas the Old and uncle of the future emperor Nikephoros II Phokas). Romanos Lekapenos was in charge of the fleet. On August 20, 917, the Byzantine forces suffered a great defeat by the river Acheloos, near Anchialos, and Symeon found the opportunity to march against northern Greece in 918. This caused great rivalry for the imperial throne among the leading generals, who sensed the Empress Zoe s inability to rule. With the support of the fleet, Romanos Lekapenos managed to overtake his opponents, especially his most important rival, Leo Phokas. He led the fleet to Constantinople and negotiated with one of the most influential people inside the city walls, the Patriach Nicolas Mystikos. Reaching an agreement with the Patriarch and teacher of the Δημιουργήθηκε στις 9/11/2017 Σελίδα 1/7

2 young Emperor Constantine, Romanos Lekapenos entered the Great Palace. After swearing his allegiance to the underage emperor and marrying him with his own daughter Helen (May 919), he received the title of basileopator (lit. father of the emperor). In 920, in association with the Patriarch Nicolas Mystikos, Lekapenos organised a council in Constantinople, in order to resolve an internal issue of the Church, between the supporters of Mystikos and the former Patriarch Euthymios ( ). In the wake of the dispute on the tetragamy of Emperor Leo VI, Mystikos had been removed from the patriarchal throne and replaced by Euthymios. After Leo VI s death, Nikolas Mystikos returned to the patriarchal throne, but was not recognised as patriarch by Euthymios supporters. The situation was further aggravated by the issue of the tetragamy, which remained unresolved. The Council that Romanos had called resulted in the Tomos of Union, in which the emperor condemned the tetragamy and was hailed by the Patriarch Mystikos as the man who had restored peace in the divided Church. 1 Within the next few months, Romanos position to the throne was further strengthened, as he received the title of caesar and on December 17, 920, he was crowned co-emperor by his son in law, Constantine VII; by that action, the imperial throne was practicaly handed over to him Policy 4.1. Foreign policy Upon his ascension to throne, Romanos I Lekapenos was faced with a twofold external threat to the Empire: Symeon, who ruled the Balkans, and the Arabs, who were threatening Byzantine territory in Asia Minor. Symeon demanded his previous agreement with the Patriarch Nicolas Mystikos, which provided that Symeon s daughter would marry Constantine Porphyrogennetos, to be brought to effect. Romanos, aided by Nicolas Mystikos, managed to reach an agreement with Symeon, whom he met in person near the walls of Constantinople in 923/934. However, the real danger was completely eradicated only after Symeon s death in 927. Symeon s son Peter was more willing to restore peace, as was Byzantium. A peace treaty was signed between the two states and Romanos granddaughter (the daughter of his son Christopher) Maria, was married to the Bulgarian tsar. The wedding was performed by the Patriarch Stephen II near the Byzantine capital; in honour of the restored peace, Romanos granddaughter was renamed Eirene (lit. peace). 3 The battles against the Arabs in the East, during the reign of Romanos Lekapenos, were very successful, mainly thanks to the leader of the army, John Kourkouas; Romanos I made him a member of his family and gave him the title of domestikos ton scholon in 923. One of the greatest successes against the Arabs, especially for its symbolic meaning, was the transport, in 944, of the Holy Mandylion from Edessa to Constantinople; the Mandylion was the most illustrious acheiropoietos icon of Christ Internal policies Even though he had sworn to protect the rights of Constantine Porphyrogennetos and to preserve the legitimacy of the Macedonian dynasty, Romanos Lekapenos, shortly after his rise to power, was quick to crown co-emperors his own sons Christopher, Stephen and Constantine. Christopher was even crowned first co-emperor, placing Constantine VII to the third place in the hierarchy after Romanos I and Christopher. Romanos managed to ordain his fourth son Theophylaktos patriarch of Constantinople (possibly with the help and support of Arethas, bishop of Caesarea), on February 2, 933, when he was only 16 years old. Having secured his authority by appointing members of his family in the highest offices, Romanos aspired to quietly push Constantine VII aside and establish his own dynasty. However, after the death of his beloved son Christopher in 931 and disappointed by the behaviour of his two other crowned sons, Stephen and Constantine, Romanos did not promote either of them to the position of first co-emperor. 5 What is more, Romanos I founded the monastery of Myrelaion, whose catholicon (mod. Bodrum Camii) was intended to become the funerary church for his family (according to Theophanes Continuatus, Romanos converted his own palace into a monastery). This church was one of the first to be built on a cross-in-square plan, an architectural type which became very popular in the following Δημιουργήθηκε στις 9/11/2017 Σελίδα 2/7

3 centuries, and it was attached to the complex of Romanos palace. It was possibly completed in 922, when Romanos wife Theodora was buried there. In 931 his first born son Christopher was also buried there, followed by his son Constantine in 946 and his wife a little earlier. In 948 Romanos own remains were transferred in the crypt. The last member of the Lekapenos family to be buried in the church of Myrelaiou was Helen, Romanos Lekapenos daughter, the widow of Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos and mother of Romanos II. 6 Apart from his dynastic problems, Romanos I had to address the issue of the small landowners, who were constantly becoming poorer and were forced to sell their land in a very low price to the dynatoi. In order to protect these small landowners on whom the tax system of the state depended Romanos I issued two novellae in 928 and 934. He granted the right of the protimesis, with which on the instance of a piece of land being bought, there was a priority of potential buyers who belonged in five categories, all related to the owner (co-owners and neighbours); this made it more difficult for the large landowners to buy land from poorer peasants. The second novella of 934 was issued after a period of great hardship, during which the dynatoi had taken the opportunity to buy small landowners land in very low prices. The novella gave the right to the small landowners to buy their land back in a low price, using the right of protimesis. The struggle of the state to stop the powerful noble families, who could easily challenge the imperial power, from accumulating large amounts of land continued for decades after Romanos death Dethronement and death Romanos I s efforts to establish his own dynasty were undermined by the actions of his own sons, Stephen and Constantine. On December 20, 944, the two co-emperors, fearing that their father might make Constantine VII his heir instead of one of them, arrested Romanos I and sent him in exile to the island Proti. Only a month later, on January 27, 945, Constantine VII eliminated the two brothers, who had lost their right to the throne by trying to usurp the imperial power; they were sent to exile and died there. Thus, the Lekapenos family was overthrown from imperial power but the Macedonian dynasty was united with the Lekapenoi in Romanos II, son of Constantine VII Porphyrogennitos and Helen, daughter of Romanos I. As for Romanos I Lekapenos, he died as a monk, in exile, on June 15, 948. His remains were transported to his own institution, the church of Myrelaion Jenkins, R. J. H. Westerink, L. G. (ed.), Nicholas I Patriarch of Constantinople Letters (Washington 1973), letters xxiv-xxvi. See Runciman, S., The Emperor Romanos Lecapenus and his reign (Cambridge 1929), p Grumel, V., Notes de chronologie byzantine, Échos d'orient 35 (1936), pp On Romanos Lekapenos career until his ascension to the throne, see Runciman, S., The Emperor Romanos Lecapenus and his reign (Cambridge 1929), pp Runciman, S., The Emperor Romanos Lecapenus and his reign (Cambridge 1929), pp On the political aspect of this transport in connection with the dynasty Romanos I wanted to establish, see Weitzmann, K., The Mandylion and Constantine Porphyrogenitus, Cahiers archéologiques 11 (1960), p Ostrogorsky, G., Ιστορία του Βυζαντινού Κράτους, 2 (Athens 1997), pp. 148, Janin, R., La géographie ecclésiastique de l'empire Byzantin, I: Le siège de Constantinople et le Patriarchat Oecuménique, t. III: Les églises et les monastères (Paris 1969), pp Lemerle, P., The Agrarian History of Byzantium from the origins to the 12 th century (Galway 1979), pp Ostrogorsky, G., Ιστορία του Βυζαντινού Κράτους, 2 (Αθήνα 1997), pp Δημιουργήθηκε στις 9/11/2017 Σελίδα 3/7

4 Βιβλιογραφία : Ιωάννης Σκυλίτζης, Σύνοψις Ιστοριών, Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Skylitzae Synopsis Historiarum, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973 Ostrogorsky G., Ιστορία του Βυζαντινού Κράτους, 1-3, Αθήνα 1989, Παναγόπουλος, I. (μτφρ.) Janin R., La géographie ecclésiastique de l empire byzantin, Ι. Le Siège de Constantinople et le Patriarcat Oecuménique 3: Les églises et les monastères, 2, Paris 1969 Lemerle P., The Agrarian History of Byzantium, from the origins to the twelfth century. The sources and problems, Galway 1970 Συμεών Μάγιστρος, Χρονικόν, Wahlgren, S. (ed.), Symeonis Magistri et Logothetae Chronicon, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 44:1, Berlin New York 2006 Συνεχισταί Θεοφάνους, Χρονογραφία συγγραφείσα εκ προστάγματος Κωνσταντίνου του φιλοχρίστου και πορφυρογεννήτου δεσπότου, Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus, Joannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus, Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonn 1838 Λέων Γραμματικός, Χρονογραφία, Bekker, Ι. (επιμ.), Leonis Grammatici Chronographia, Corpus scriptorum historiae Byzantinae, Bonn 1842 Κωνσταντίνος Πορφυρογέννητος, Περί βασιλείου τάξεως, Reiske, J. (ed.), Constantini Porphyrogeniti imperatoris de cerimoniis aulae Byzantinae libri duo, 1, Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonn 1829 Νικόλαος Α' Μυστικός Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, Epistulae, Jenkins, R.J.H. Westerink, L.G. (eds), Nicholas I, Patriarch of Constantinople, Letters, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae Series Washigtonensis 6, Washington, D.C Νικόλαος Α' Μυστικός Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, Opuscula diversa, L.G. Westerink (ed.), Nicholas I, Patriarch of Constantinople, Miscellaneous Writings, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae. Series Washingtonensis 20, Washington, D.C Épistoliers byzantins du Xe siècle, Darrouzès, J. (ed.), Paris 1960 Striker C., The Myrelaion (Bodrum Camii) in Istanbul, Princeton 1981 Svoronos J.N., Les Novelles des empereurs Macédoniens concernant la terre et les stratiotes, Athènes 1994 Runciman S., The Emperor Romanus Lecapenus and His Reign, Cambridge 1929 Νικήτας Μάγιστρος, Epistulae ex Hellesponto, L.G. Westerink (ed.), Nicétas Magistros, Lettres d'un exilé, Le Monde Byzantin, Paris 1973 Δικτυογραφία : Δημιουργήθηκε στις 9/11/2017 Σελίδα 4/7

5 The Palace near Myrelaion Γλωσσάριo : acheiropoietos Icon, usually of Christ, which-according to the legend-was non-hand made. Several legends concerning acheiropoietes icons appeared in Byzantium since the 6th c. and refer to objects which miraculously preserved the imprint of the face or the body of Christ, after having come in contact with Him. The most famous is the Holy Mandylion of Eddesa. During the middle byzantine period most of those acheiropoietes icons of Christ are forgotten, though many legends emerged concerning acheiropoietes icons of saints. basileopator A high honorary title in the Byzantine court. It was introduced in late 9th c. by E. Leo VI for Stylianos Zaoutzes and it was reserved for the father-inlaw of the Byzantine emperor. It does not occur after the 10th c. caesar In the Roman Empire the title of Caesar was given to the Emperor. From the reign of Diocletian ( ) on this title was conferred on the young coemperor. This was also the highest title on the hierarchy of the Byzantine court. In the 8th c. the title of Caesar was usually given to the successor of the throne. In the late 11th c. this office was downgraded and from the 14th c. on it was mainly conferred on foreign princes. cross-in-square church Type of church in which four barrel-vaulted bays form a greek cross; the central square of their intersection is domed. The cross is inscribed into the square ground plan by means of four corner bays. domestikos ton scholon Commander of the regiment of scholae. The first officer with this title appears in 767/8. In the 10th C the domesticos became very powerful among the army of the themata; in mid-10th C the office was divided in two, domestikoi ton scholon of the East and those of the West, commanders in chief of the eastern and the western provinces army respectively. droungarios A military rank, first mentioned in the 7th century. This officer was in command of a droungos, a subdivision of the provincial army (thema). novel (novella) Τerm meaning ad verbum "new decree" and used since around the 4th century in order to denote the provisions of the emperors as separate from the organized codes. They were written mainly in Greek and used extensively in the Middle Byzantine Era. Since the days of Komnenoi and after, they were replaced by other more specialized terms and they are very rare in the Late Byzantine era protimesis (preemption) The right of certain categories of persons to preemption in cases of the sale of property. According to a novel of Romanos I (934), the poor peasants who sold their land when in need, could by right of protimesis buy their land back in no high a price. This right of the small landowners was abolished under Nikephoros II Phokas. 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. tetragamy A political and ecclesiastical controversy that followed the fourth marriage of emperor Leo VI ( ). Since his only male heir had been a product of this marriage, it was of vital importance to leo to have the marriage recognised, whereas to the Church this was unacceptable. The issue was finally resolved in the Council of Constantinople in 920. tomos A term denoting the official ecclesiastical acts. Πηγές Bekker, Ι. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus, Ioannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus (Corpus scriptorum historiae Byzantinae, Bonn 1838). Reiske, J.J. (ed.), Constantini Porphyrogeniti imperatoris de cerimoniis aulae Byzantinae libri duo I (Corpus scriptorum historiae Byzantinae, Bonn Δημιουργήθηκε στις 9/11/2017 Σελίδα 5/7

6 1829). Bekker, I. (ed.), Leonis Grammatici Chronographia (Corpus scriptorum historiae Byzantinae, Bonn 1842). Thurn, J. (ed.), Ioannis Scylitzae, Synopsis Historiarum (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae, Series Verolinensis 5, Berlin New York 1973). Jenkins, R.J.H. Westerink, L.G. (ed.), Nicholas I, Patriarch of Constantinople, Letters (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae, Series Washingtonensis 6, Washington, D.C. 1973). Westerink, L.G. (ed.), Nicholas I, Patriarch of Constantinople, Miscellaneous Writings (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae, Series Washingtonensis 20, Washington, D.C. 1981). Westerink, L.G. (ed.), Nicétas Magistros, Lettres dʹun exilé (Le Monde Byzantin, Paris 1973), pp Darrouzès, J. (ed.), Εpistoliers byzantins du Xe siècle (Paris 1960). Tafel, T. L. F. (ed.), Theodosii Meliteni qui fertur Chronographia (Monumenta saecularia III. 1, Munich 1859). Παραθέματα Τhe end of Romanos Iʹs reign 52 Ὀ δὲ βασιλεὺς Ῥωμανὸς μακρῷ γήρει καὶ νόσῳ τρυχόμενος τὰ τῆς βασιλείας κατὰ διαθήκας τὸν πορφυρογέννητον Κωνσταντῖνον προσδιορίζεται, ἐν ἔτει ἑξάκις χιλιοστῷ τετρακοσιοστῷ πεντηκοστῷ τρίτῳ, καὶ καθεξῆς ἐν δευτέρῳ και τρίτῳ τοὺς τούτου υἱούς, τὰ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ῥητῶς διασφαλισάμενος, ὡς εἴπερ τῷ πρώτῳ βασιλεῖ κατά τι προσπταίσειαν, καθαιρεῖσθαι παραυτίκα τῆς βασιλείας. 53 Ἐπεὶ δὲ πολλοῖς τρόποις ὁ θεὸς βούλεται σώζειν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, συνεχώρησε Ῥωμανὸν βασιλέα συμφορᾷ ἀδοκήτῳ προσπεσεῖν, ἵνα δι αὐτῆς σωφρονισθεὶς καὶ τῶν οἰκείων ἐν συναισθήσει παραπτωμάτων γενόμενος σωτηρίας ἀξιωθῇ. συνεχώρησε γὰρ ἐπαναστῆναι αὐτῷ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ Στέφανον, ὥσπερ ποτὲ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ ἐπανέστη Δαβίδ τῷ οἰκείῳ πατρί. συμβούλοις οὖν οὗτος πρὸς τοῦτο χρησάμενος τῷ τε ἀπὸ μοναχῶν Μαριανῷ τῷ Ἀργυρῷ καὶ Βασιλείῳ τῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ τῷ Πετεινῷ και Μανουὴλ τῷ Κουρτίκῃ, συνειδότων αὐτῷ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων βασιλέων, τοῦτον τοῦ παλατίου κακῶς κατήγαγεν καὶ ἐν τῇ Πρώτῃ νήσῳ ἐξορίσας ἀπέκειρεν μοναχόν. Bekker, Ι. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus (Bonn 1838), pp Χρονολόγιο ca 870: Romanos is born in the village of Lakape near Melitene. before 917: Romanos becomes droungharios May 919: Romanos marries his daughter Helen to the 14 year old Constnantine VII Porphyrogennitos and receives the title of basileopator July 9, 920: Tome of Union December 17, 920: Romanos I Lekapenos is crowned emperor 927: Peace treaty with Bulgara. Romanos granddaughter Maria/Eirene marries the new tsar Peter 944: Transport of the Holy Mandylion from Edessa to Constantinople Δημιουργήθηκε στις 9/11/2017 Σελίδα 6/7

7 December 20, 944: Dethronement of Romanos I by his sons Stephen and Constantine. Exile in the island Prote (mod. Kinaliada), where he becomes a monk June 15, 948: Romanos dies in exile; his remains are transferred to the monastery of Myrelaion in Constantinople Δημιουργήθηκε στις 9/11/2017 Σελίδα 7/7