Studia Ceranea. Journal of the Waldemar Ceran Research Centre for the History and Culture of the Mediterranean Area and South-East Europe
The present article aims to put into scholarly circulation two new unpublished Byzantine lead sea... more The present article aims to put into scholarly circulation two new unpublished Byzantine lead seals from the medieval fortress in the area of the village of Voden (municipality of Bolyarovo, Yambol region, Bulgaria). They were handed to the Regional Historical Museum in the town of Yambol as a result of the regular archaeological excavations of the site near the village of Voden, conducted in the period 2012–2019. The first seal dates from the last quarter of the 11th century and has a bust of the Holy Virgin with a halo and a round medallion with the image of the Infant Jesus Christ who blesses with both hands. From the legend on the reverse, it is clear that the bulla belonged to a Byzantine dignitary named Michael Tzitas, who advertises himself with the title of (proto)kouropalates and the position of doux. The second seal dates from the end of the 11th – the beginning of the 12th century and has an interesting and relatively rare iconographic plot depicting three military saints...
Vestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Serija 4. Istorija. Regionovedenie. Mezhdunarodnye otnoshenija, 2021
ntroduction. The present article is a primary publication of a newly discovered sphragistic artef... more ntroduction. The present article is a primary publication of a newly discovered sphragistic artefact from the area of the medieval fortress of Rusokastro, which was acquired by the Regional Historical Museum in Burgas in 2019. Methods. In their entirety, the Byzantine lead seals are an important primary and reliable source of information on various aspects of Byzantine history. Byzantine seals are especially important from the perspective of prosopography. First of all, they are invaluable evidence of individuals who, in one way or another, participated in the social and political life of the Byzantine Empire. Therefore, the discovery of each new sphragistic monument is of great importance and the available information must be carefully analyzed. Analysis. This interesting artefact is a lead seal of the brother of the Byzantine emperor Alexius I Komnenos (1081–1118), Adrian Komnenos as a protosebastos and megas domestikos of the entire West. The obverse depicts Saint George, nimbate...
The article aims at giving currency in the scholarly circles to a new Byzantine lead seal found i... more The article aims at giving currency in the scholarly circles to a new Byzantine lead seal found in Pliska in 2016. This lead bulla is 2,5 mm thick, it has a diameter of 22 mm and is preserved in a very good condition. The stamp is of good quality but unfortunately, it has not been well centred and because of this part of the impression and the legend have remained outside the lead core (Plate LX 2.). However, the seal is in a sufficiently good shape and its impression is clear enough to allow to ascertain with certainty that it is a new parallel copy of an already known lead seal of a Byzantine stratēgos of which eight copies have been found and published so far. Seven of these copies come from Preslav and one has been found in the vicinity of Silistra. It is situated on the obverse of this lead bulla, an image of a blossoming doubly intersected patriarchal cross on a pedestal of two steps, inserted into a double granulated circle. The invocation „Κύριe βοήθeι τῶ σῶ δούλω“, of which...
This article examines the question about the policy of honouring members of the Bulgarian imperia... more This article examines the question about the policy of honouring members of the Bulgarian imperial family and Bulgarian aristocracy with Byzantine honorific titles pursued by Emperor Basil II Boulgaroktonos (976–1025) in the course of the conquest of Bulgaria. It outlines the scale of this policy of Basil II – its goals and the reasons for adopting it. A review of the place and the importance of the particular titles in the rank hierarchy of Byzantium is presented. The comparison with other regions and cases of conferring Byzantine honorific titles clearly shows how crucially important the conquest of Bulgaria was: it is evident from the concessions the Emperor was ready to make to the Bulgarian ruling elite.
Vestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Serija 4. Istorija. Regionovedenie. Mezhdunarodnye otnoshenija
Introduction. The paper deals with a byzantine lead seal of Constantine, notarios and abydikos, w... more Introduction. The paper deals with a byzantine lead seal of Constantine, notarios and abydikos, which originated from the vicinity of the medieval fortress of Rusokastro, southeastern Bulgaria. Methods. A part of byzantine lead seals are a primary source of information regarding both the commercial and economic activity in the Byzantine Empire and the administrative structures and mechanisms for its control and management, in particular for the period of the 8th – 9 th centuries. Therefore, the appearance of any such new scrambling monument is of great importance and the information derived from it should be carefully analyzed and appropriately taken into account in any reconstruction of the picture of the socio-economic life of the Empire and its contacts with its neighbors, including the medieval Bulgaria. Analysis. The seal dates from the second half of the 8th – the first half of the 9th cc. A cross-shaped invocative monogram is depicted on its obverse, while there is an inscrip...
Reflections of the Imperial Ideology on the Seals of the Latin Emperor Baldwin II of Courtenay. STUDIA ACADEMICA ŠUMENENSIA. Vol. 5: Contribution to Byzantine Sigillography. Edited by Ivan Jordanov and Ivo Topalilov. Shumen: Shumen University Press, 2018, pp. 53-67. ISSN 2367-5446., 2018
The formation of the imperial ideology of Latin Empire of Constantinople started as early as the ... more The formation of the imperial ideology of Latin Empire of Constantinople started as early as the establishment of the empire itself in 1204. It aimed to justify the fundamental basis of the authority of the Latin Emperors and their special place as Emperors of the East in the Christian world. The ideology refl ected directly on the images and the legend on the emperor’s seals including on those of the last Latin emperor Baldwin (Baudouin) II of Courtenay (1228-1261) which are the main goal of this study. Special attention is paid to the question why Baldwin II manifested himself as ‘Flanders’ rather than ‘Courtenay’ in spite of his appurtenance to this young branch of the French royal dynasty of Capetian.
The formation of the imperial ideology of Latin Empire of Constantinople started as early as the ... more The formation of the imperial ideology of Latin Empire of Constantinople started as early as the establishment of the empire itself in 1204. It aimed to justify the fundamental basis of the authority of the Latin Emperors and their special place as Emperors of the East in the Christian world. The ideology refl ected directly on the images and the legend on the emperor’s seals including on those of the last Latin emperor Baldwin (Baudouin) II of Courtenay (1228-1261) which are the main goal of this study. Special attention is paid to the question why Baldwin II manifested himself as ‘Flanders’ rather than ‘Courtenay’ in spite of his appurtenance to this young branch of the French royal dynasty of Capetian.
Abstract: The present paper deals with the evolution of the Byzantine rank of magistros during IX... more Abstract: The present paper deals with the evolution of the Byzantine rank of magistros during IX - the beginning o f X II c. The main aspects of this evolution are the transformation of magistros from a position into a title, the equalize of the status of so-called ‘state magistroi ’ with the honorable ones, the easier access to the title and its gradual devaluation in the system o f the Byzantine rank hierarchy in the Middle Byzantine period. For a long period magistros was an exceptional high rank title which was given even to the closest relatives of the Byzantine emperor. With only one exception of Bardas Skleros of the end o f the X c. (the latter gained the title of kouropalates in 989), the title magistros practically remained the highest possible level that persons not belonging to the emperor’s closest relatives were able to achieve in the hierarchy until the middle of the XI c. Special attention is paid to the progress and the scale of the title’s devaluation before and after mid-XI c. as well as the circle of persons who used to have an access to the rank of magistros. It is also discusses the practice with the foreign persons of Royals and aristocratic families of importance for the Empire who were also awarded with this title. Bearing in mind the major contribution which the Byzantine sigillography is making to reveal the title ’s holders and a list containing 213 Byzantine magistroi known up to now by their lead seals from the period under consideration is made. Key words: magistros, title, Byzantium, rank hierarchy, sigillography, magistros’s title holders list.
Studia Ceranea. Journal of the Waldemar Ceran Research Centre for the History and Culture of the Mediterranean Area and South-East Europe
The present article aims to put into scholarly circulation two new unpublished Byzantine lead sea... more The present article aims to put into scholarly circulation two new unpublished Byzantine lead seals from the medieval fortress in the area of the village of Voden (municipality of Bolyarovo, Yambol region, Bulgaria). They were handed to the Regional Historical Museum in the town of Yambol as a result of the regular archaeological excavations of the site near the village of Voden, conducted in the period 2012–2019. The first seal dates from the last quarter of the 11th century and has a bust of the Holy Virgin with a halo and a round medallion with the image of the Infant Jesus Christ who blesses with both hands. From the legend on the reverse, it is clear that the bulla belonged to a Byzantine dignitary named Michael Tzitas, who advertises himself with the title of (proto)kouropalates and the position of doux. The second seal dates from the end of the 11th – the beginning of the 12th century and has an interesting and relatively rare iconographic plot depicting three military saints...
Vestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Serija 4. Istorija. Regionovedenie. Mezhdunarodnye otnoshenija, 2021
ntroduction. The present article is a primary publication of a newly discovered sphragistic artef... more ntroduction. The present article is a primary publication of a newly discovered sphragistic artefact from the area of the medieval fortress of Rusokastro, which was acquired by the Regional Historical Museum in Burgas in 2019. Methods. In their entirety, the Byzantine lead seals are an important primary and reliable source of information on various aspects of Byzantine history. Byzantine seals are especially important from the perspective of prosopography. First of all, they are invaluable evidence of individuals who, in one way or another, participated in the social and political life of the Byzantine Empire. Therefore, the discovery of each new sphragistic monument is of great importance and the available information must be carefully analyzed. Analysis. This interesting artefact is a lead seal of the brother of the Byzantine emperor Alexius I Komnenos (1081–1118), Adrian Komnenos as a protosebastos and megas domestikos of the entire West. The obverse depicts Saint George, nimbate...
The article aims at giving currency in the scholarly circles to a new Byzantine lead seal found i... more The article aims at giving currency in the scholarly circles to a new Byzantine lead seal found in Pliska in 2016. This lead bulla is 2,5 mm thick, it has a diameter of 22 mm and is preserved in a very good condition. The stamp is of good quality but unfortunately, it has not been well centred and because of this part of the impression and the legend have remained outside the lead core (Plate LX 2.). However, the seal is in a sufficiently good shape and its impression is clear enough to allow to ascertain with certainty that it is a new parallel copy of an already known lead seal of a Byzantine stratēgos of which eight copies have been found and published so far. Seven of these copies come from Preslav and one has been found in the vicinity of Silistra. It is situated on the obverse of this lead bulla, an image of a blossoming doubly intersected patriarchal cross on a pedestal of two steps, inserted into a double granulated circle. The invocation „Κύριe βοήθeι τῶ σῶ δούλω“, of which...
This article examines the question about the policy of honouring members of the Bulgarian imperia... more This article examines the question about the policy of honouring members of the Bulgarian imperial family and Bulgarian aristocracy with Byzantine honorific titles pursued by Emperor Basil II Boulgaroktonos (976–1025) in the course of the conquest of Bulgaria. It outlines the scale of this policy of Basil II – its goals and the reasons for adopting it. A review of the place and the importance of the particular titles in the rank hierarchy of Byzantium is presented. The comparison with other regions and cases of conferring Byzantine honorific titles clearly shows how crucially important the conquest of Bulgaria was: it is evident from the concessions the Emperor was ready to make to the Bulgarian ruling elite.
Vestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Serija 4. Istorija. Regionovedenie. Mezhdunarodnye otnoshenija
Introduction. The paper deals with a byzantine lead seal of Constantine, notarios and abydikos, w... more Introduction. The paper deals with a byzantine lead seal of Constantine, notarios and abydikos, which originated from the vicinity of the medieval fortress of Rusokastro, southeastern Bulgaria. Methods. A part of byzantine lead seals are a primary source of information regarding both the commercial and economic activity in the Byzantine Empire and the administrative structures and mechanisms for its control and management, in particular for the period of the 8th – 9 th centuries. Therefore, the appearance of any such new scrambling monument is of great importance and the information derived from it should be carefully analyzed and appropriately taken into account in any reconstruction of the picture of the socio-economic life of the Empire and its contacts with its neighbors, including the medieval Bulgaria. Analysis. The seal dates from the second half of the 8th – the first half of the 9th cc. A cross-shaped invocative monogram is depicted on its obverse, while there is an inscrip...
Reflections of the Imperial Ideology on the Seals of the Latin Emperor Baldwin II of Courtenay. STUDIA ACADEMICA ŠUMENENSIA. Vol. 5: Contribution to Byzantine Sigillography. Edited by Ivan Jordanov and Ivo Topalilov. Shumen: Shumen University Press, 2018, pp. 53-67. ISSN 2367-5446., 2018
The formation of the imperial ideology of Latin Empire of Constantinople started as early as the ... more The formation of the imperial ideology of Latin Empire of Constantinople started as early as the establishment of the empire itself in 1204. It aimed to justify the fundamental basis of the authority of the Latin Emperors and their special place as Emperors of the East in the Christian world. The ideology refl ected directly on the images and the legend on the emperor’s seals including on those of the last Latin emperor Baldwin (Baudouin) II of Courtenay (1228-1261) which are the main goal of this study. Special attention is paid to the question why Baldwin II manifested himself as ‘Flanders’ rather than ‘Courtenay’ in spite of his appurtenance to this young branch of the French royal dynasty of Capetian.
The formation of the imperial ideology of Latin Empire of Constantinople started as early as the ... more The formation of the imperial ideology of Latin Empire of Constantinople started as early as the establishment of the empire itself in 1204. It aimed to justify the fundamental basis of the authority of the Latin Emperors and their special place as Emperors of the East in the Christian world. The ideology refl ected directly on the images and the legend on the emperor’s seals including on those of the last Latin emperor Baldwin (Baudouin) II of Courtenay (1228-1261) which are the main goal of this study. Special attention is paid to the question why Baldwin II manifested himself as ‘Flanders’ rather than ‘Courtenay’ in spite of his appurtenance to this young branch of the French royal dynasty of Capetian.
Abstract: The present paper deals with the evolution of the Byzantine rank of magistros during IX... more Abstract: The present paper deals with the evolution of the Byzantine rank of magistros during IX - the beginning o f X II c. The main aspects of this evolution are the transformation of magistros from a position into a title, the equalize of the status of so-called ‘state magistroi ’ with the honorable ones, the easier access to the title and its gradual devaluation in the system o f the Byzantine rank hierarchy in the Middle Byzantine period. For a long period magistros was an exceptional high rank title which was given even to the closest relatives of the Byzantine emperor. With only one exception of Bardas Skleros of the end o f the X c. (the latter gained the title of kouropalates in 989), the title magistros practically remained the highest possible level that persons not belonging to the emperor’s closest relatives were able to achieve in the hierarchy until the middle of the XI c. Special attention is paid to the progress and the scale of the title’s devaluation before and after mid-XI c. as well as the circle of persons who used to have an access to the rank of magistros. It is also discusses the practice with the foreign persons of Royals and aristocratic families of importance for the Empire who were also awarded with this title. Bearing in mind the major contribution which the Byzantine sigillography is making to reveal the title ’s holders and a list containing 213 Byzantine magistroi known up to now by their lead seals from the period under consideration is made. Key words: magistros, title, Byzantium, rank hierarchy, sigillography, magistros’s title holders list.
We are starting something new and very special.
Join us in Veliko Tarnovo, this summer, between... more We are starting something new and very special. Join us in Veliko Tarnovo, this summer, between 18–22 July 2022 for the Pilot Edition of the HISTORY OF SCIENCE IN THE MEDIEVAL WORLD SUMMER SCHOOL
Deadline for submitting an application: 29 April 2022.
Please address your informal inquiries and your application materials to Dr Divna Manolova at dvmanolova@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de.
Summer School Philosophy and Vision The School studies the wider medieval world of Afro-Eurasia and aims to shed light on Byzantium and the Slavonic world, and their intellectual heritage as agents in the development of medieval science, which, though significant, nevertheless remain largely unknown to the scholarly community. Even though current scholarship is focused on the so-called ‘Global Medieval’, the medieval Slavonic, Byzantine and Black Sea regions remain a blind spot for both the researchers and the general public outside of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Thus, the School aims at positioning Byzantium and the Slavonic world on the map of history of medieval science, thus offering the participants the rare opportunity to get acquainted with their respective heritage. In its pilot edition, the Summer School will problematize the medieval manuscript and approach it as a space and as a territory. Building upon this conceptual premise, the School will also introduce students to the medieval epistemic fields (sciences) which study the natural world (the kosmos) as a space, namely geography, cosmography and astronomy. Students will acquire fundamental knowledge concerning the place and role of the sciences in the intellectual world of the Middle Ages. They will also develop an understanding of premodern science as a spectrum of disciplines wider than the late antique framework of the four mathematical sciences (arithmetic, music, geometry, and astronomy) and inclusive of all epistemic domains dedicated to the intellectual exploration of the natural world (the kosmos) and of humanity. The School relies on a discussion-based and experiential / experimental format. That is, the School includes workshops, which will guide the students into the use of medieval instruments and maps as preserved in the surviving manuscripts.
The common discussion language of the School will be English. If the participants know a medieval scholarly language (for this pilot edition: Latin, Greek and/or Old Church Slavonic, but in the future also Persian, Arabic, Chinese, Classical Armenian, and so forth), this would be an advantage, but it is not an essential requirement for participation. During the selection process, preference will be given to MA and PhD students, but researchers with interest in the Middle Ages and / or History of Science can also apply.
Available places: The School offers twelve places for in-person participants wishing to attend both the morning (lectures) and afternoon (workshops) sessions.
There is no limit for the number of online participants, but their registration is restricted solely to the morning sessions. We cannot offer any financial support to cover travel and accommodation expenses.
There is no registration fee.
In order to apply, please send a short bio and description of what motivates your application (maximum one page altogether). Please indicate in your application whether you would like to attend the Summer School in person or online.
Uploads
Papers by Nikolay Kanev
of magistros from a position into a title, the equalize of the status of so-called ‘state magistroi ’ with the honorable ones, the easier access to the title and its gradual devaluation in the
system o f the Byzantine rank hierarchy in the Middle Byzantine period. For a long period magistros was an exceptional high rank title which was given even to the closest relatives of
the Byzantine emperor. With only one exception of Bardas Skleros of the end o f the X c. (the latter gained the title of kouropalates in 989), the title magistros practically remained the highest possible level that persons not belonging to the emperor’s closest relatives were able to achieve in the hierarchy until the middle of the XI c. Special attention is paid to the
progress and the scale of the title’s devaluation before and after mid-XI c. as well as the circle of persons who used to have an access to the rank of magistros. It is also discusses the practice with the foreign persons of Royals and aristocratic families of importance for the Empire who were also awarded with this title.
Bearing in mind the major contribution which the Byzantine sigillography is making to reveal the title ’s holders and a list containing 213 Byzantine magistroi known up to now by their lead seals from the period under consideration is made.
Key words: magistros, title, Byzantium, rank hierarchy, sigillography, magistros’s title holders list.
of magistros from a position into a title, the equalize of the status of so-called ‘state magistroi ’ with the honorable ones, the easier access to the title and its gradual devaluation in the
system o f the Byzantine rank hierarchy in the Middle Byzantine period. For a long period magistros was an exceptional high rank title which was given even to the closest relatives of
the Byzantine emperor. With only one exception of Bardas Skleros of the end o f the X c. (the latter gained the title of kouropalates in 989), the title magistros practically remained the highest possible level that persons not belonging to the emperor’s closest relatives were able to achieve in the hierarchy until the middle of the XI c. Special attention is paid to the
progress and the scale of the title’s devaluation before and after mid-XI c. as well as the circle of persons who used to have an access to the rank of magistros. It is also discusses the practice with the foreign persons of Royals and aristocratic families of importance for the Empire who were also awarded with this title.
Bearing in mind the major contribution which the Byzantine sigillography is making to reveal the title ’s holders and a list containing 213 Byzantine magistroi known up to now by their lead seals from the period under consideration is made.
Key words: magistros, title, Byzantium, rank hierarchy, sigillography, magistros’s title holders list.
Join us in Veliko Tarnovo, this summer, between 18–22 July 2022 for the Pilot Edition of the HISTORY OF SCIENCE IN THE MEDIEVAL WORLD SUMMER SCHOOL
Deadline for submitting an application: 29 April 2022.
There is no registration fee.
Full schedule: https://www.uni-vt.bg/res/14892/SSHistMedSci_Final_Program.pdf
Please address your informal inquiries and your application materials to Dr Divna Manolova at dvmanolova@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de.
Summer School Philosophy and Vision
The School studies the wider medieval world of Afro-Eurasia and aims to shed light on Byzantium and the Slavonic world, and their intellectual heritage as agents in the development of medieval science, which, though significant, nevertheless remain largely unknown to the scholarly community. Even though current scholarship is focused on the so-called ‘Global Medieval’, the medieval Slavonic, Byzantine and Black Sea regions remain a blind spot for both the researchers and the general public outside of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Thus, the School aims at positioning Byzantium and the Slavonic world on the map of history of medieval science, thus offering the participants the rare opportunity to get acquainted with their respective heritage.
In its pilot edition, the Summer School will problematize the medieval manuscript and approach it as a space and as a territory. Building upon this conceptual premise, the School will also introduce students to the medieval epistemic fields (sciences) which study the natural world (the kosmos) as a space, namely geography, cosmography and astronomy. Students will acquire fundamental knowledge concerning the place and role of the sciences in the intellectual world of the Middle Ages. They will also develop an understanding of premodern science as a spectrum of disciplines wider than the late antique framework of the four mathematical sciences (arithmetic, music, geometry, and astronomy) and inclusive of all epistemic domains dedicated to the intellectual exploration of the natural world (the kosmos) and of humanity. The School relies on a discussion-based and experiential / experimental format. That is, the School includes workshops, which will guide the students into the use of medieval instruments and maps as preserved in the surviving manuscripts.
The common discussion language of the School will be English.
If the participants know a medieval scholarly language (for this pilot edition: Latin, Greek and/or Old Church Slavonic, but in the future also Persian, Arabic, Chinese, Classical Armenian, and so forth), this would be an advantage, but it is not an essential requirement for participation.
During the selection process, preference will be given to MA and PhD students, but researchers with interest in the Middle Ages and / or History of Science can also apply.
Available places: The School offers twelve places for in-person participants wishing to attend both the morning (lectures) and afternoon (workshops) sessions.
There is no limit for the number of online participants, but their registration is restricted solely to the morning sessions.
We cannot offer any financial support to cover travel and accommodation expenses.
There is no registration fee.
In order to apply, please send a short bio and description of what motivates your application (maximum one page altogether). Please indicate in your application whether you would like to attend the Summer School in person or online.