Περίληψη : George Akropolites (1217-1282) was one of the most important scholars of his time. He was born in Constantinople and became a member of the court of the emperor of Nicaea, John III Vatatzes. He assumed high administrative and education offices and participated actively in the most important events, both military and political ones, of his era. He played an important role in the Arseniatic dispute and participated, as a representative of Michael VIII Palaiologos in the second Council of Lyon (1274) for the Union of the Churches. Due to his pro-union attitude, in 1283, after his death, anti-unionists burned most of his writings. His most important work preserved, Chronike Syngraphe («Χρονική Συγγραφή», Annales), is a notably objective and reasonable historical account covering the period 1204-1261,. Άλλα Ονόματα Τόπος και Χρόνος Γέννησης 1217, Constantinople Τόπος και Χρόνος Θανάτου 1282, Constantinople Κύρια Ιδιότητα Grand logothetes, historian 1. Biography George Akropolites was born in 1217 in Constantinople. He was descendant of an aristocratic family and a relative of John III Vatatzes, emperor of Nicaea. He was also related to Michael VIII Palaiologos 1 via his wife and had two sons, Constantine Akropolites, state official and scholar, and Melchisedekek, a monk and a man of great education. 1.2. Studies Akropolites took the basic stages of education in Constantinople (holy letters and encyclopaedic education). In 1233, in the age of sixteen, his father sent him to Nicaea, to be educated in the imperial court. John III Vatatzes took the young Akropolites under his protection and personally supervised his later studies. In 1234, along with a team of young aristocrats, he sent him to the school of Theodoros Hexapterygos, where he studied rhetoric. After Hexapterygos death, around 1235, Akropolites continued his studies with Nikephoros Blemmydes. With Blemmydes he studied natural sciences, in which he showed a great zeal. 2 Though he completed this circle of studies around 1239, he continued his philosophical studies independently, studying Plato, Proclus, Iamvlichus and Plotinus. 2. Teaching career After the end of his studies with Blemmydes, George Akropolites entered the imperial court as a dignitary. In 1246 he undertook the teaching of the successor Theodoros II Laskaris, with whom he was already a friend. The program of studies was long, it lasted for nearly five years, interrupted occasionally due to Akropolites duties as a dignitary, and was attended by other pupils too apart from Theodoros, probably his secretaries or a small circle of young scholars which was formed in Nicaea. Theodoros had already a noteworthy library which he placed in the disposal of this department. Furthermore Akropolites also had the chance to see various manuscripts from the recaptured areas and thus to enlarge his philosophical quests and knowledge and to try to communicate this to his pupils. He gave great importance to the teaching of rhetoric and mathematics. As seen in the encomium dedicated to him by Theodoros II Laskaris in 1252, Akropolites provoked his pupils enthusiasm with his teaching method, his great education, his rhetoric ability and his undisputed superiority amongst his contemporaries. 3 After the recapture of Constantinople (1261), George Akropolites settled in the capital. His fame as a teacher was already great. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 2/2/2017 Σελίδα 1/7
Thus, when Michael VIII Palaiologos decided to reopen the imperial school of higher education, Akropolites became its director. In this school he taught rhetoric using Afthnonius Progymnasmata and Ermogenes Rhetoric art, which everyone possess, arithmetic using the works of Nicomachus and Gerasenus and geometry using Eykleides works. It is characteristic that Akropolites considered the knowledge of arithmetic and geometry vital, so that his students could pass to the higher stage, the study of Aristotelian philosophy. Apparently Akropolites was a very successful teacher 4 and was one of the founders of the early Palaiologan renaissance of the letters and the arts. 5 Amongst his pupils in this institution were George Cyprius 6 (later patriarch Gregorios II) and John Pediasimos. In his scholarly circle some of the leaders of the unionists, such as Constantine Meliteniotes and George Metochites, belonged. We do not know when exactly Akropolites stopped teaching in the school. This might have happened in 1274, when he went to Lyon to participate in the unionist synod as a representative of Michael VIII. 3. Political career George Akropolites participated actively in the most important events of his time and he also assumed an important role in the great quarrels which occupied the Empire of Nice, as well as the Byzantine Empire after the reconquest of Constantinople. His political attitude is usually characterized by the evaluation of the events and the needs which occur each time and had to be dealt with immediately. As a dignitary of the Empire of Nicaea, initially with the rank of the grammaticus, Akropolites followed emperor John III Vatatzes in his European campaigns and wrote the letters in which his victories were announced. Then he undertook the duty of great logariastes and in 1246 he was appointed logothetis. In 1255, under Theodoros II Laskaris, George Akropolites became grand logothetis, an office which he held until his death. In 1256, authorized by the emperor, he compiled the text of a Byzantine-Bulgarian treaty, after the defeat of the Bulgarians in Ropelio (Rupel). Notwithstanding a disagreement with Theodoros II because of this text, 7 Akropolites was later appointed praetor of the troops of Nicaea in Macedonia. As a general, he took part in the battle of Prilapos (1257), where, however, he was taken prisoner by the despot of Epirus Michael II Angellos. For two years he remained incarcerated, until he was released by the army of the Palaiologos, who defeated the troops of Epirus in Castoria. Akropolites was back in Nice in 1260 and entered the court of the new emperor, Michael VIII Palaiologos, 8 maintaining the office of the grand logothetis. In December of the same year he visited as an imperial emissary the tsar of the Bulgarians Constantine Tich, to persuade him to maintain a neutral stance in the quarrel between the Byzantines and the Latins, something which Akropolites achieved. In 1261 Akropolites undertook the writing of hymns for God and prayers for the king which the metropolitan of Cyzikus George Kleidas recited from the tower of the Golden Gate, during the triumphal entrance of Michael VIII in Constantinople. The role of Akropolites in the matter of the quarrel of the arseniats was also active. In 1268, according to the duties he had as a grand logothetis, he had to deal with the problem of the arsenians, after an appeal by the patriarch Josef (1266-1275). Akropolites materialized the state policy, which suggested the dealing of the problem with violence. Thus it is reported that he allowed beatings or public mockeries, whereas the distinguished followers of the ex patriarch Arsenius were condemned in exile or even death. 9 One of the most important moments in the political career of George Akropolites was his participation as a representative of the emperor Michael VIII in the synod of Lyon for the unification of the churches. Though when he was imprisoned in Epirus Akropolites had published two essays against the Latins, in this time he judged that the effort to unify the churches was essential for political reasons, i.e. to guarantee for Byzantium the help of the Westerners against the enemies in the East. Thus Akropolites was appointed leader of the Byzantine delegation, 10 which left for Lyon in March 1274. In this synod Akropolites accepted on behalf of the Byzantine emperor the decisions for the recognition of the first place of the pope amongst the five patriarchates and of the filioque. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 2/2/2017 Σελίδα 2/7
After the end of the synod, the Byzantine delegates spent the summer in Italy with the pope and returned in Constantinople in the autumn of the same year. The last mission Akropolites undertook was as an imperial emissary to the emperor of Trebizond John II Grand Komnenos. His mission was to negotiate a marriage between John and Michael s daughter Eudokia. After the return from Trebizond, he died in Constantinople during the same year (1282), a few months before emperor Michael VIII. 4. Works 4.1. Chronike Syngraphe (Annales) The Chronike Syngraphe is George Akropolites main work. It is preserved in a shorter variation, under the title Ποίημα Χρονικόν (Historia in brevius redacta). The Chronike Syngraphe is our main source concerning the period after the fall of Constantinople to the hands of the Latins (1204) until her reconquest by the Byzantine in 1261. It is actually the chronicle of the Empire of Nicaea and is the continuation of the historical work of Niketas Akominatos. Akropolites has an absolute supervision of the events he describes, since most in of them he played an essential role as a state official, whereas for the rest had the ability to look in official sources. As his basic principle, as he notes in the introduction of his work, he sets the passage of Tacitus sine ira et studio and explains that he only writes for the sake of history and against oblivion. 11 His narration is short, clear and calm and is based on facts, although some times, especially when it comes to the facts in which he played a role, becomes partial. Akropolites puts special emphasis upon the presentation of correlations of forces and important historical persons, which never becomes formulaic. Rather, he tries to keep his distances and to present persons and facts in their realistic dimensions, not hesitating to even use humorous descriptions. The language of the Chronike syngraphe is simple, without many rhetoric motifs and very comprehensive. Phrases are short and the vocabulary is rich, combining Homeric words with everyday life expressions. Akropolites historical work was the source for the chronicle of Ephraim and the Chronography of Theodoros Skoutariotes. 4.2. Poems, Epitaphs, Essays From Akropolites poetic work the introduction to a publication of the letters of his pupil Theodoros II Laskaris survives, in sixty three triple verses, as well as his epitaph speech which he dedicated to empress Irene. The epitaph he recited for John III Vatatzes is also considered important. Amongst the works which survived there are some theological essays against the Latins and about the emanation of the Holy Spirit, which he wrote during his imprisonment in Epirus. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, nothing survives of his philosophical and scientific works, which was burned after his death by his political adversaries, those opposed to the Union of the Churches. 1. According to D.M. Nicol, his wife s name was Eudokia; see Nicol, Donald M., «Constantine Akropolites: A prosopographical note, Dumbarton Oaks Papers 19 (1965), p. 214. 2. Akropolites narrated that in a discussion he had with Irene Doukaina, around 1238, on the occasion of the eclipse of the sun which had happened, he attributed the phenomenon to the interference of the moon between the sun and the earth, removing magic by it. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 2/2/2017 Σελίδα 3/7
Irene did not agree, agreeing with the doctor of the court, Nikolaos Myrepsos. What is interesting is that the queen was eventually persuaded and said he utters words of a philosopher. See Χρονική συγγραφή, chapter λθ, in Georgii Acropolitae Opera, ed. A. Heisenberg (Peter Wirth) (Stuttgart 1978). 3. Cf. Αθανάσιος Φ. Μαρκόπουλος, «Θεοδώρου Β Λασκάρεως, Ανέκδοτον εγκώμιον προς τον Γεώργιον Ακροπολίτην», Επετηρίς Εταιρείας Βυζαντινών Σπουδών 36 (1968), p. 104 118, especially: verses 31 34, 39, 184 187, 191 194, 216 219. 4. His position as head of the school gave him a great authority, something which triggered the envy and rivalry of other dignitaries, as he reports. Indicatively he mentions the episode with the sevastokrator John Torkines. Cf. Χρονική συγγραφή, Georgii Acropolitae Opera, ed. A. Heisenberg (Peter Wirth) (Stuttgart 1978), ΙΙ, p. 67, verses 5 9. 5. Akropolites recommends an amalgam of the culture which flourished in the Empire of Nice, but also of the Constantinople tradition, which he met via his teachers, Exapterygos and Vlemmydes. 6. George Cyprius, when mentioning his teacher, sustains his knowledge was so wide that even the titles of the subjects of his teaching were unknown to the rest of the scholars of his age. Cf. Patrologia Graeca, ed. J.P. Migne, 142, column 381D. 7. As narrated Akropolites, Theodoros, seeing the failure of the treaty, blamed Akropolites. When the former objected, he suffered whipping and incarceration. Theodoros, after this, regretting his acts, sent him a delegation comprised of Michael Laskaris and George Mouzalon, who persuaded Akropolites to meet Theodoros in Langadas. Cf. Χρονική συγγραφή, Georgii Acropolitae Opera, ed. A. Heisenberg (Peter Wirth) (Stuttgart 1978), chapter 63. 8. Akropolites was a friend of Michael as early as 1253, when, being one of the judges in the trail where Michael was accused of treason, had suggested he was innocent. Cf. Χρονική συγγραφή, Georgii Acropolitae Opera, ed. A. Heisenberg (Peter Wirth) (Stuttgart 1978), chapter 99, verse 10. 9. According to Pachymeres. Cf. George Pachymeres, De Michaele Paleologo, ed. I. Bekker (Bohn 1835), p. 316. 10. Members of this delegation the were the patriarch Germanos, the metropolitan of Nice Theofanes, the director of the vestiarion Nikolaos Panaretos and the grand interpreter George Verroiotes. However, after a wreck near cape Maleas, only Akropolites, Germanos and Theofanes reached Lyon. 11. Χρονική συγγραφή, Georgii Acropolitae Opera, ed. A. Heisenberg (Peter Wirth) (Stuttgart 1978), chapter 4, 18 21. Βιβλιογραφία : Hunger H., Βυζαντινή λογοτεχνία. H λόγια κοσμική γραμματεία των Βυζαντινών, 2: Ιστοριογραφία, Φιλολογία, Ποίηση, Μ.Ι.Ε.Τ., Αθήνα 1992, Κόλιας, Τ. Συνελλή, Κ. Μακρής, Γ.Χ. Βάσσης, Ι. (μτφρ.) Hunger H., Βυζαντινή Λογοτεχνία. H λόγια κοσμική γραμματεία των Βυζαντινών, 3, MIEΤ, Αθήνα 1994 Hunger H., Βυζαντινή Λογοτεχνία. Η λόγια κοσμική γραμματεία των Βυζαντινών, 1: Φιλοσοφία, Pητορική, Eπιστολογραφία, Γεωγραφία, Μ.Ι.Ε.Τ., Αθήνα 1991, Mπενάκη, Λ.Γ. Aναστασίου, I.B. Mακρή, Γ.X. (μτφρ.) Constantinides C.N., Higher Education in Byzantium in the Thirteenth and Early Fourteenth Centuries (1204-ca. 1310), Nicosia 1982 Angold M., A Byzantine Government in Exile. Government and Society under the Lascarids of Nicaea Δημιουργήθηκε στις 2/2/2017 Σελίδα 4/7
(1204-1261), Oxford 1975 Γεώργιος Ακροπολίτης, Χρονική Συγγραφή, Heisenberg, A. Wirth, P. (eds), Georgii Acropolitae Οpera 1 (αναθ. P. Wirth), Stuttgart 1978 Γεώργιος Παχυμέρης, Συγγραφικαί Ιστορίαι, Failler, A. (ed.), Georges Pachymérès. Relations historiques 1-2, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 24/1-2, Paris 1984 Γουναρίδης Π., Το κίνημα των Αρσενιατών (1261-1310). Ιδεολογικές διαμάχες την εποχή των πρώτων Παλαιολόγων, Αθήνα 1999 Σπανδάγος Β., Σπανδάγου Ρ., Τραυλού Δ., Οι θετικοί επιστήμονες της Βυζαντινής εποχής, Αίθρα, Αθήνα 1996 Macrides R., "George Acropolites", The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 1, New York-Oxford 1991, 49 Sarton G., Introduction to the History of Science, 2, Baltimore 1931 Γιαννακόπουλος Κ.Ι., Ο αυτοκράτωρ Μιχαήλ Παλαιολόγος και η Δύσις, 1258-1282. Μελέτη επί των βυζαντινο-λατινικών σχέσεων, Αθήνα 1969 Γεώργιος Παχυμέρης, Συγγραφικαί Ιστορίαι, Failler, A. (ed.), Georges Pachymérès. Relations historiques, ΙΙΙ-IV, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae. Series Parisiensis 24.3-4, Paris 1999 Nicol D.M., "Constantine Akropolites. A Prosopographical Note", Dumbarton Oaks Papers, 19, 1965, 249-256 Μαρκόπουλος Α. Φ., "Θεοδώρου Β Λασκάρεως, Ανέκδοτον εγκώμιον προς τον Γεώργιον Ακροπολίτην", Επετηρίς Εταιρείας Βυζαντινών Σπουδών, 36, 1968, 104-118 Θεόδωρος Β Λάσκαρις, Επιστολές, Festa, N. (ed.), Theodori Ducae Lascaris Epistulae, Firenze 1898 Lameere W., La tradition manuscrite de la correspondance de Grégoire de Chypre, patriarche de Constantinople (1283-1289), Brussels - Rome 1937 Δικτυογραφία : Index of /PG_Migne/Georgius Acropolita_PG 140 http://patrologia.ct.aegean.gr/pg_migne/georgius%20acropolita_pg%20140/ Γλωσσάριo : enkyklios education The secondary education in Byzantium. The students, from 12 years old, were taught grammar, rhetorics and eloquence. grammaticus A teacher of medium and higher education in Byzantium. In the Middle and Late Byzantine periods it also denoted an administrative official, usually a secretary. In the 15th century, according to pseudo-kodinos, the secretary was synonymous to the notarios. grand logariastes A higher imperial official. the office was introduced by Alexios I Komnenos (1081-1118). The grand logariastes functioned as primary coordinator and controller of all fiscal services. hiera grammata (lit. holy writings, i.e. the Scripture) The term denotes the elementery education in Byzantium. Pupils began in the age of six years old and Δημιουργήθηκε στις 2/2/2017 Σελίδα 5/7
were taught reading from the Scriptures and basic math operations by a private tutor. logothetes A title designating high-rank officials, both administrative and ecclesiastical. Their responsibilities were mainly in the economic domain. The office of the logothetes of the Patriarchate gradually gained in importance after the 12th century. As for the logothetes of the metropolises, they seem to have assumed judicial jurisdiction. megas logothetes The head of the civil Byzantine administration. Megas logothetes was a title used at the end of the 12th century during the reign of Isaac II Angelos (1185-1195), replacing the logothetes ton sekreton, an office which was created during the reign of Alexios I Komnenos (1081-1118) to bring the entire civil administration under the control of a single individual. praetor Political and juridical magistrate of the Roman Republic and the late Roman Empire. The title was originally borne by two magistrates who were chosen annually to serve as eponymous heads of the state, but the number of praetors increased within the years. The title was retained with intervals in the Early Byzantine Period. The office appeared again in the mid-9th cent. and denoted the governor of an administration unit of the empire. Hierarchically, the praetor was inferior to the strategos of the theme. Πηγές Georgii Acropolitae Opera, ed. A. Heisenberg (corr. Peter Wirth), I, II (Stuttgart 1978) Μαρκόπουλος, Αθανάσιος Φ., «Θεοδώρου Β Λασκάρεως, Ανέκδοτον εγκώμιον προς τον Γεώργιον Ακροπολίτην», Επετηρίς Εταιρείας Βυζαντινών Σπουδών 36 (1968), pp. 104 118 Failler, A. Georges Pachymérès relations historiques, I IV (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae, Series Pariensis 24.1 4, Paris 1984 1999). Festa, N., Theodori Ducae Laskaris epistulae CCXVII (Firenze 1898), pp. 67 116 Lameere, W., La tradition manuscrite de la correspondance de Grégoire de Chypre, patriarche de Constantinople (1283 1289) (Brussels Rome 1937) Χρονολόγιο 1217: George Akropolites is born in Constantinople 1233: Locates to Nicaea and enters the imperial court 1234: Enters the School of Theodore Hexapterygos 1235: Continues his studies with Nikephoros Blemmydes 1246: Becomes logothetes tou genikou and teacher of the heir Theodore II Lascaris 1255: Becomes grand logothetes 1257: General at the battle of Prilapos, he is captured and put to prison by Michael II Angelos, despotes of Epirus 1260: Back to Nicaea, he enters the court of Michael VIII Palaiologos and retains the office of the grand logothetes 1261: Back to Constantinople, head of the imperial school of higher education 1268: Undertakes the matter of the Arseniatic dispute 1274: Head of the Byzantine embassy to the Council of Lyon Δημιουργήθηκε στις 2/2/2017 Σελίδα 6/7
1281: Goes to Trebizond, head of the Byzantine embassy 1282: Dies in Constantinople Βοηθ. Κατάλογοι OEUVRE Annales (Γεωργίου του Ακροπολίτου Χρονική Συγγραφή) Historia in brevius redacta (Γεωργίου μεγάλου λογοθέτου του Ακροπολίτου Ποίημα χρονικόν ημιτελές) Theodori Scutariotae additamenta ad Georgii Acropolitae Historiam Epitaphius in Irenam imperatricem (Στίχοι του μεγάλου λογαριαστού επιτύμβιοι εις την δέσποιναν Κομνηνήν κυράν Ειρήνην) In imaginem beatae virginis (Στίχοι του λογοθέτου των γενικών κυρού Γεωργίου του Ακροπολίτου, γεγονότες εις εικόνα της υπεραγίας θεοτόκου έχουσαν τας ιβ δεσποτικάς εορτάς) Praefatio in epistulas Theodori Lascaris (Του μεγάλου λογοθέτου κυρού Γεωργίου του Ακροπολίτου στίχοι εις τας επιστολάς Θεοδώρου του Λάσκαρι) Carmen in magnum sabbatum (Στιχηρόν ψαλλόμενον τω αγίω και μεγάλω σαββάτω ποιηθέν παρά του κυρού μεγάλου λογοθέτου του Ακροπολίτου. ήχος πλάγιος β. εις τον επιτάφιον ασπασμόν) Epitaphius in Joannem Ducam (Του Ακροπολίτου κυρού Γεωργίου επιτάφιος τω αοιδίμω βασιλεί κυρώ Ιωάννη τω Δούκα) Contra Latinos (Του μεγάλου λογοθέτου Γεωργίου του Ακροπολίτου λόγος κατά Λατίνων, γραφείς αυτώ ότε εν τη δύσει κατάσχετος ην) Epistula ad Joannem Tornicem (Επιστολή προς Τορνίκην) In Gregorii Nazianzeni sententias (Ερμηνεία ρητών Γρηγορίου του Θεολόγου) Laudatio Petri et Pauli (Γεωργίου του Ακροπολίτου λόγος εις τους αγίους και πανευφήμους μεγάλους αποστόλους Πέτρον και Παύλον) All his works have been published in Georgii Acropolitae Opera, ed. A. Heisenberg (corr. Peter Wirth), I, II (Stuttgart 1978) Δημιουργήθηκε στις 2/2/2017 Σελίδα 7/7