Samonas
Samonas | |
|---|---|
Basil the Macedonian (under Michael III) | |
| Succeeded by | Constantine Barbaros |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 875 |
| Died | after 908 |
Samonas (Greek: Σαμῶνας, c. 875 – after 908) was an Arab eunuch, who was captured by the Byzantines and became one of the most influential officials of the Byzantine Empire during the first decade of the 10th century.
Biography
Samonas was born in circa 875 in
Promoted rapidly after his entry into Leo's personal service, he was made a
As soon as he was released, Samonas's career resumed its upward path: named
Samonas's own downfall, however, would come soon after. In 907, in a bid to ingratiate himself with Leo's fourth wife, Zoe Karbonopsina, he presented her with a gift in the person of his own eunuch servant, Constantine Barbaros. As the imperial couple took an increased liking to Constantine, however, Samonas began to fear for his own influence and position.[10] He first claimed that Constantine and the empress were having an affair. Leo initially believed the accusations, and had Constantine banished to a monastery. Soon, however, Leo began to miss his new favourite, and had him restored to his service in the palace.[11] Samonas then resorted to another scheme: with his secretary, he produced a pamphlet, supposedly written by Constantine, which insulted the emperor, and arranged for Leo to read it. His machinations, however, were betrayed by one of his fellow conspirators, and Samonas was dismissed, tonsured, and banished to the monastery of Martinakios in summer of 908. Constantine succeeded him as imperial parakoimomenos. Nothing further is known of him.[1][12]
Assessment
If Stylianos Zaoutzes has traditionally been seen by historians as having dominated the first half of Leo's reign, Samonas is often marked as the dominant figure in the second half, namely the period from circa 900 until his own downfall in 908.
References
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f Kazhdan 1991, p. 1835.
- ^ Tougher 1997, p. 215.
- ^ a b Tougher 1997, p. 197.
- ^ Kazhdan 1991, p. 2220; Tougher 1997, pp. 149, 197.
- ^ Tougher 1997, pp. 208–209, 214–215.
- ^ Tougher 1997, pp. 198, 209.
- ^ Tougher 1997, p. 198.
- ^ Tougher 1997, pp. 209–210, 213.
- ^ Tougher 1997, pp. 160, 198.
- ^ Tougher 1997, p. 200.
- ^ Tougher 1997, pp. 200–201.
- ^ Tougher 1997, pp. 198, 201.
- ^ Tougher 1997, pp. 89, 198.
- ^ Tougher 1997, pp. 97, 234.
- ^ Tougher 1997, pp. 234–235.
- ^ Tougher 1997, pp. 197, 214.
Sources
- ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6.
- Tougher, Shaun (1997). The Reign of Leo VI (886–912): Politics and People. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 978-9-00-410811-0.
Further reading
- .
- Jenkins, Romilly James Heald (April 1948). "The 'Flight' of Samonas". Speculum. 23 (2). Medieval Academy of America: 217–235. S2CID 159456620.
- Ringrose, Kathryn M. (2003). The Perfect Servant: Eunuchs and the Social Construction of Gender in Byzantium. Chicago, Illinois and London, United Kingdom: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-72015-9.
- Rydén, Lennart (1984). "The Portrait of the Arab Samonas in Byzantine Literature". Graeco-Arabica (3). Athens, Greece: 101–108.
