Political Mutilation In Byzantine Culture Information
Mutilation in the Byzantine Empire was a common method of punishment for criminals of the era but it also had a role in the Empire's political life.[1] The mutilation of political rivals by the Emperor was deemed an effective way of sidelining from the line of succession a person who was seen as a threat. In Byzantine culture the Emperor was a reflection of heavenly authority. Since God was perfect the Emperor also had to be unblemished; any mutilation, especially facial wounds, would disqualify an individual from taking the throne.[2] An exception was Justinian II who had his nose cut off when he was overthrown in 695 but was able to become Emperor again in 705.[3]
Some disfigurements practised bore a secondary practical rationale as well. This can be seen in a common method of maiming, blinding. By blinding a rival one would not only restrict their mobility but make it almost impossible for them to lead an army into battle, then an important part of taking control of the Empire. Castration was also used to eliminate potential opponents. In the Byzantine Empire, for a man to be castrated meant that he was no longer a man, half-dead, "life that was half death".[4] Castration also eliminated any chance of heirs being born to threaten either the Emperor or the Emperor's children's place at the throne.
Blinding as a punishment for political rivals and a recognized penalty for treachery was established in 705, although Emperor Phocas used it earlier during his rule as well.[5] Castration as a punishment for political rivals did not come into use until much later, becoming popular in the 10th and 11th centuries. Castrated men weren't seen as a threat, as no matter how much power they gained they could never take the throne, and numerous eunuchs were entrusted with high and confidential offices in the Byzantine court and administration. A good example is that of Basil Lekapenos, the illegitimate son of the Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos, who was castrated when young. He gained enough power to become parakoimomenos and effective prime minister for three successive emperors, but could not assume the throne himself.[6][7] Other mutilations were the severing of the nose or the amputating of limbs.
Contents |
Cases of disfigurement
| Victim | Date | Disfigurement | Details | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philanthropenos, AlexiosAlexios Philanthropenos | 1295 | Blinded | Governor of the Thracesian Theme, he rose up against Andronikos III Palaiologos, but was captured by loyalist soldiers and blinded | [8] |
| AnastasiusAnastasius of Constantinople | 743 | Blinded | For supporting Artabasdos's failed insurrection against Constantine V during the Iconoclasm crisis he was blinded | [9] |
| , ArtabasdosArtabasdos | 743 | Blinded | Artabasdos and his sons Nikephoros and Niketas were blinded for his failed insurrection against Constantine V during the Iconoclasm crisis | [10] |
| , John AthalarichosJohn Athalarichos | 637 | NoseHands !Nose and hands amputated | Amputation carried out after he tried to overthrow his father, Heraclius | [11] |
| , Bardanes TourkosBardanes Tourkos | 803/804 | Blinded | Led an unsuccessful revolt against Nikephoros I and surrendered. Blinded whilst in confinement in a monastery, likely on Nikephoros' orders. | [12] |
| Phokas, BardasBardas Phokas | 1026 | Blinded | Accused of plotting against Constantine VIII | [13] |
| , Philippikos BardanesPhilippikos Bardanes | 713 | Blinded | A rebellion of Opsikian troops succeeded in getting a number of men into the city where they were able to blind Philippicus at a bathhouse on June 3, 713 | [14] |
| CallinicusCallinicus I of Constantinople | 705 | Blinded | Supported the overthrow of Justinian II and was blinded when he came back to power in 705 | [15] |
| , ConstantineConstantine , Basil, Gregory and Theodosios | 820 | Castrated | The sons of Leo V the Armenian, who was deposed on Christmas 820 by Michael II the Amorian. They were exiled to Prote, castrated and confined to a monastery as monks | [16] |
| Phokas, LeoLeo Phokas the Elder | 919 | Blinded | Rose up against the assumption of power by Romanos Lekapenos but was captured and blinded | [17] |
| Phokas, LeoLeo Phokas the Younger, Nikephoros Phokas | 971 | Blinded | Plotted a revolt against John I Tzimiskes | [18] |
| , NikephorosNikephoros | 792 | Blinded | Uncle of Constantine VI, blinded, while his four brothers had their tongues cut, after the tagmata conspired to put him on the throne in the aftermath of the Battle of Marcellae. | [19] |
| Mosele, AlexiosAlexios Mosele | 792 | Blinded | General of the Armeniacs, blinded because of their refusal to acknowledge Irene of Athens as empress and co-ruler of Constantine VI. | [19] |
| Diogenes, ConstantineConstantine Diogenes | 1028–1034[A 1] | Blinded | The popular general was blinded because of a supposed plot against Romanos III Argyros | [20] |
| Bryennios, NikephorosNikephoros Bryennios | 1078 | Blinded | Nikephoros had rebelled against Michael VII in 1077, and continued his rebellion against Nikephoros III Botaneiates. Defeated and captured by Alexios Komnenos at Kalavrye, he was blinded | [21] |
| Diogenes, NikephorosNikephoros Diogenes | 1094 | Blinded | Nikephoros was Romanos IV Diogenes' son with Eudokia Makrembolitissa; Emperor Alexios I Komnenos had him blinded after charging him with treason | [22] |
| Diogenes, RomanosRomanos Diogenes | 1072 | Blinded | Andronikos Doukas had Romanos IV Diogenes blinded after tricking him into stepping down as Emperor | [23] |
| Heraklonas | 641 | Nose !Nose slit | Overthrown, disfigured and exiled by supporters of Constans II | [24] |
| IgnatiusIgnatius of Constantinople | 811 | Castrated | Castrated to prevent him becoming Emperor | [25] |
| Justinian II | 695 | Nose !Nose cut off | Overthrown, disfigured and exiled by supporters of Leontios | [3] |
| Laskaris, John IVJohn IV Laskaris | 1261 | Blinded | Made Emperor at seven years old, he was overthrown and blinded when he was just eleven years old. | [26] |
| Lekapenos, BasilBasil Lekapenos | 920 !920–944[A 2] | Castrated | As an infant he was castrated for being born an illegitimate son to Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos | [6] |
| Martina | 641 | Tongue cut out | Overthrown, disfigured and exiled by supporters of Constans II | [24] |
| , The family of John the OrphanotrophosThe family of John the Orphanotrophos | 1041 | Castrated | Michael V castrated all male members of John the Orphanotrophos' family | [4] |
| , John the OrphanotrophosJohn the Orphanotrophos | 1043 | Blinded | Was seen as a threat so he was blinded by the patriarch of Constantinople Michael Cerularius | [20] |
| Prousianos | 1029 | Blinded | After a supposed plot against Romanos III Argyros he was blinded | [20] |
| Theodorus | 637 | NoseHands !Nose, hands and one leg amputated | Mutilated for being a co-planner in Athalarichos' attempt to overthrow Heraclius | [11] |
| Isaac II Angelos | 1195 | Blinded | He was blinded and deposed by his brother Alexios III Angelos |
Annotations
- ^ Lost his eyes sometime in the reign of Emperor Romanos III Argyros( November 15, 1028 – April 11, 1034)
- ^ Basil Lekapenos was castrated as an infant sometime during Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos' rule (920–944). However there is no date on either the castration or on when he was born.
References
- ^ Rautman 2006, p. 30
- ^ Longworth 1997, p. 321
- ^ a b Ostrogorski 1957, p. 124
- ^ a b Ringrose 2003, p. 62
- ^ Kazhdan 1991, p. 297
- ^ a b Norwich 1993, p. 167
- ^ Talbot & Sullivan 2005, p. 143
- ^ Nicol 1993, p. 124
- ^ Milman 1867, p. 370
- ^ Garland 2006, p. 9
- ^ a b Nicephorus 1990, p.73.
- ^ Kountoura-Galaki 1983, pp. 213–214
- ^ Kazhdan 1991, p. 1666
- ^ Theophanes 1982, p. 79.
- ^ Kiminas 2009, p. 44
- ^ Treadgold 1988, p. 224
- ^ Treadgold 1997, pp. 474–476
- ^ Kazhdan 1991, p. 1667; Treadgold 1997, pp. 507–508
- ^ a b Garland 1999, p. 83
- ^ a b c Garland 1999, p. 162
- ^ Kazhdan 1991, pp. 330–331; Skoulatos 1980, pp. 222–223
- ^ Holmes 2005, p. 222
- ^ Norwich 1993, p. 357
- ^ a b Theophanes 1982, p.41.
- ^ James 1997, p. 180
- ^ Hackel 2001, p. 71
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Categories: Byzantine culture | Physical punishments
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