Basil I (867-886), the Founder of the Macedonian Dynasty - A Study of the Political and Military History of the Byzantine Empire in the Ninth Century (PhD thesis)

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Basil I (867-886), the Founder of the Macedonian Dynasty - A Study of the Political and Military History of the Byzantine Empire in the Ninth Century (PhD thesis)

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TOBIAS, Norman, 1938BASIL I (867-886), THE FOUNDER OF THE MACEDONIAN DYNASTY: A STUDY OF THE POLITICAL AND MILITARY HISTORY OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE IN THE NINTH CENTURY. [Portions of Text in Greek], Rutgers—The State University, Ph.D., 1969 History, medieval University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan

©

NORMAN TOBIAS

1970

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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BASIL I

( 8 6 7 - 8 8 6 ) , THE POUNDER OP THE MACEDONIAN DYNASTY

A STUDY OP THE POLITICAL AND MILITARY HISTORY OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE IN THE NINTH CENTURY

By NORMAN TOBIAS

A t h e s is su b m itte d to The G r a d u a te S c h o o l of R u tg ers U n i v e r s i ty i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t o f th e r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r th e d e g r e e o f D o c to r o f P h i l o s o p h y

W ritte n under th e d i r e c ti o n o f P r o f e s s o r P e t e r C h a ran is o f t h e D e p a rtm e n t o f H i s t o r y

New B ru n sw ic k , New J e r s e y May, 1969

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PLEASE NOTE:

Mounted illustrations are not original copy. Some are blurred and indistinct. Filmed in the best possible way. UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS

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ABSTRACT OP THE THESIS B a s i l t h e F i r s t ( 8 6 7 - 8 8 6 ) , t h e P o u n d e r o f t h e M aced onian D y n a s ty A S tu d y o f th e P o l i t i c a l a n d M i l i t a r y H i s t o r y o f t h e B y z a n t i n e Empire i n t h e N i n t h C e n tu r y by NORMAN TOBIAS, P h .D . T h e sis d i r e c t o r :

P r o f e s s o r P e te r C h aran is

S in c e t h e f i r s t m onograph on B a s i l t h e F i r s t

(8 6 7 -8 8 6 )

was w r i t t e n i n 1908 by A l b e r t V o g t, a c o n s i d e r a b l e am ount o f r e s e a r c h h a s b e e n u n d e r t a k e n b y many i n t e r n a t i o n a l sc h o la rs.

New s o u r c e s , c r i t i c a l a n a l y s e s o f th e c h a r a c t e r

o f t h e o l d e r s o u r c e s , and new i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s have r e v i s e d and b r o a d e n e d t h e w hole p e r s p e c t i v e o f t h e n i n t h c e n t u r y , a l t e r i n g t h e t r a d i t i o n a l p i c t u r e o f B a s i l ’s p l a c e i n h i s t o r y . T h is d i s s e r t a t i o n h a s a t w o f o l d p u r p o s e :

one, to

p r o v i d e a new s y n t h e s i s o f t h e f o u n d e r o f th e M a ce d o n ian d y n a s t y w h ic h i s now l o n g o v e r d u e ; tw o, t o f i l l i n t h e d e f i c i e n c i e s o f V o g t’s e a r l i e r s tu d y , e s p e c i a l l y th e p o l i t i ­ c a l a n d m i l i t a r y c a r e e r o f t h e E m peror B a s i l . To a c h i e v e my o b j e c t i v e I h a v e made a c a r e f u l a n a l y s i s o f t h e r e l e v a n t G re e k , L a t i n , A rm e n ia n , S y r i a c , H ebrew , and S la v ic s o u r c e s as w e ll as th e se c o n d a ry l i t e r a t u r e w h ic h h a s em e rg ed i n

th e l a s t s i x t y y e a r s s in c e V o g t’s s tu d y .

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT.........................................................................................................

ii

P R E F A C E .........................................................................................................

iv

C h a p te r I. TEE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF BASIL

THE FIRST . . .

1

II.

THE EARLY LIFE OF B A S I L ..................................................

$1

III.

BASILS RISE TO IOW ER.......................................................

9l)-

IV .

THE EASTERN THEATER: BASIL’ S WARS WITH THE PAULI CI A N S ............................................................................. 157

V.

BASIL'S WARS WITH THE EASTERNARABS 8 7 3 - 8 8 6 : LAND AND NAVAL OPERATIONS............................................ 200

V I. V II. V III. IX . X.

THE WESTERN THEATER: THE DALMATIAN AND ITALIAN CAMPAIGNS..........................................................261 BASIL AND THE SICILIAN WARS.............................................. 3^2 BASIL’ S RELATIONS WITH OTHER PERIPHERAL STATES 86 7 -8 8 6

383

. BASIL’ S INTERNAL P O L IC Y ......................................................1)43 THE CONCLUSION; THE DEATH OF PLACE IN HISTORY

APPENDIX:

BASIL AND HIS ....................................... lj-71

REPRESENTATIONS....................................................................I(.8l

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS............................................................................. I4.88 BIBLIOGRAPHY..................................................................................................... 1l91 V I T A ........................................................................................................................ 525

iii R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f th e copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout perm ission.

PREFACE I n 1908 t h e f i r s t m onograph on F irst

(8 6 7 -8 8 6 ) was w r i t t e n by

t h e Em peror

th e B y z a n tin is t

T h is s t u d y , e n t i t l e d B a s i l e I er\

B a s ilth e A l b e r t V o g t.

e m p e re u r de B yzance e t l a

c i v i l i s a t i o n b y z a n t i n e a l a f i n du IX8 s i e c l e , d e s c r i b e d t h e i n s t i t u t i o n a l , r e l i g i o u s , and c u l t u r a l h i s t o r y o f t h e n i n t h c e n tu ry .

As t h i s h a s b e e n th e o n l y m onograph on th e

Em peror B a s i l , V o g t ’ s b ook h a s s i n c e ' s e r v e d a s t h e s t a n d a r d r e f e r e n c e f o r t h e f o u n d e r o f t h e M acedo nian d y n a s t y . In th e l a s t s i x t y y e a r s , our u n d e rs ta n d in g o f th e n i n t h c e n t u r y h a s b e e n s i g n i f i c a n t l y a l t e r e d and b r o a d e n e d by t h e i l l u m i n a t i n g s t u d i e s o f many i n t e r n a t i o n a l s c h o l a r s . dom ain o f a d m i n i s t r a t i v e h i s t o r y , f o r i n s t a n c e ,

I n th e

th e re a re

now t h e s t u d i e s o f J . B. B u ry , H. G l y k a t z i - A h r w e i l e r , L. B r e l a i e r , and R. G u i l l a n d . The b r i l l i a n t a n d s t i m u l a t i n g s t u d i e s o f H. G r e g o i r e have changed ou r p e r s p e c tiv e o f th e c o n t r i b u t i o n s o f th e A m o ria n s , p l a c i n g B a s i l ' s r i s e

t o pow er i n a new l i g h t .

I n a s i m i l a r m anner F . D v o rn ik i n h i s a n a l y t i c a l s t u d y , The P h o t i a n S c h is m , h a s r e i n t e r p r e t e d t h e r e l i g i o u s p ro b le m s w h ic h p l a g u e d t h e E m p ire .

On t h e s u b j e c t o f B a s i l ’ s e a r l y

l i f e , N. A don tz h a s a d d ed much i n f o r m a t i o n .

More r e c e n t l y

t h e c h r o n o l o g i c a l p ro b le m s and l e g e n d s w h ic h c o m p l i c a t e d t h e

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s t u d y o f B a s i l ’s l i f e

and r e i g n h a v e a l s o b e e n c l a r i f i e d by

s u c h s c h o l a r s a s V. Grum el, F . H a l k i n , R. J . H. J e n k i n s , and G. M o r a v c s ik , t o m e n tio n o n l y a fe w . I n t h e l i g h t o f t h e many s t u d i e s s i n c e V o g t ’s m onograph, a r e - e x a m i n a t i o n o f B a s i l ' s r e i g n i s now l o n g o v e r d u e .

T h is

s t u d y h a s , t h e r e f o r e , e n d e a v o r e d t o f i l l t h i s n e e d i n two w ays:

f i r s t , by c a r e f u l l y e x a m in in g t h e p r i m a r y s o u r c e s i n

v iew o f r e c e n t s t u d i e s i n o r d e r t o p r o v i d e a s y n t h e s i s o f t h e r e s e a r c h o f t h e p a s t s i x t y y e a r s ; s e c o n d , by f i l l i n g i n t h e d e f i c i e n c i e s w h ic h s t i l l r e m a i n .

For i n s t a n c e , i n th e

a r e a s o f m i l i t a r y and p o l i t i c a l h i s t o r y l i t t l e

e x is ts o u tsid e

o f V o g t 's c u r t t r e a t m e n t and A. A. V a s i l i e v ’ s o l d e r s t u d y , V i z a n t i . j a i A raby ( 1 9 0 0 - 1 9 0 2 ) . As i n a l l w o r k s , h o w e v e r, many t o p i c s i n t h i s s t u d y h a v e a l r e a d y b e e n to u c h e d on b y o t h e r s c h o l a r s . am g r e a t l y i n d e b t e d .

To them I

At t h e same tim e my c o n c l u s i o n s a r e my

own, e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e a r e a o f t h e p o l i t i c a l and m i l i t a r y h i s t o r y o f B a s i l , w here I p l a c e t h e e m p e r o r ’ s r e i g n i n i t s proper p e rs p e c tiv e .. I n c o n c l u s i o n I w is h t o e x p r e s s my m o st s i n c e r e a p p r e c i a ­ t i o n t o t h e f a c u l t y o f t h e D e p a r tm e n t o f H i s t o r y a t R u t g e r s U n i v e r s i t y , t o P r o f e s s o r E. W. M cD onnell, and e s p e c i a l l y to P r o f e s s o r P e t e r C h a r a n i s , who s t a r t e d me on t h i s r o a d and g u i d e d my f i r s t s t e p s . Norman T o b ia s

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1

CHAPTER I THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF BASIL THE FIRST On S e p te m b e r 2 Ip, 867 A .D .^ a t S t . Mamas, a s u b u r b a n i m p e r i a l p a l a c e a c r o s s t h e G olden H o rn , a g r o u p o f Arm enian c o n s p i r a t o r s s t o l e q u i e t l y i n t o th e i m p e r i a l b e d -c h a m b e r w here t h e E m peror M ic h a e l I I I , s t u p e f i e d w i t h w i n e , l a y a s l e e p and p r o m p t l y d i s p a t c h e d h im .

The m a s te r m i n d o f t h i s

c rim e was h i s c o -E m p e ro r, B a s i l t h e M a c e d o n ia n , who owed e v e ry th in g in c lu d in g h i s p o s i t io n to th e m u rdered s o v e re ig n . F ear o f lo s in g h i s r e c e n t l y a c q u ire d p o s i t i o n to a p o s s ib le r i v a l c o u p le d w i t h an i n s a t i a b l e a m b i t i o n c o m p e ll e d B a s i l to consummate t h i s a t r o c i t y a g a i n s t h i s b e n e f a c t o r .

W ith b l o o d ­

s t a i n e d h a n d s h e a t t a i n e d t h e p i n n a c l e o f h i s m o r t a l a m b i t io n and e s t a b l i s h e d one o f t h e m o st d i s t i n g u i s h e d d y n a s t i e s i n B y z a n tin e h i s t o r y . P r io r to t h i s e v e n t l i t t l e co n ce rn in g th e c a r e e r o f B a s i l .

c an b e s a i d w i t h c e r t a i n t y H is e a r l y y e a r s a r e

e n t a n g l e d i n a l a b y r i n t h o f l e g e n d s a n d m y th s c o n c e i v e d by h i s g ran d so n , C o n sta n tin e P o rp h y ro g e n itu s, and th e c o u rt ^ T h e o p h a n e s C o n t i n u a t u s , C h r o n o g r a p h ! a , e d . I . B ekker (Bonn, CSBH, 1 8 3 8 ) , p . 2 1 0 , 1)4,“T H ’r ^ lvT fy'v, € ( K cf t T t T 75-^ N ice ta s o f P a p h l a g o n i a , V i t a I g n a t i i , e d . M igne, P.G-. , 1 05 i n Symeon tio n e d in I . Bekker

( P a r i s , 1 8 6 2 ) , p p . 5 6 5 - 6 8 . The s t o r y i s r e p e a t e d M a g i s t e r , w here t h e M o n a s te r y o f S k e p e s i s men­ c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e e x i l e ; Symeon M a g i s t e r , e d . (Bonn, CSHB, 1 8 3 8 ) , p . 6 8 9 , 1 3 5 - 8 .

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25 lin e a g e .

76 As a r e s u l t , h e i n v e n t e d a l i n e o f d e s c e n d e n t s

■which b e g a n w i t h t h e A rm enian King T i r i d a t e s , a c o n te m p o ra r y o f S a i n t G r e g o r y t h e I l l u m i n a t o r and e n d e d w i t h B a s i l ’ s fa th e r.

77

T h is e l a b o r a t e g e n e a lo g y h e w r o t e o u t i n A le x a n ­

d r i a n c h a r a c t e r s on an o l d p a r c h m e n t, a n d h a d i t bound w i t h a c o v e r o f an o l d m a n u s c r i p t .

To i t h e a d d e d a p o r p h e c y

t h a t B a s i l ’ s f a t h e r w o u ld h a v e a son c a l l e d B e k la s who h a d a l l t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f B a s i l and who w o u ld be t h e m ost h a p p y and l o n g - l i v e d e m p e ro r.

7ft

The name B e k l a s , he s a i d ,

was composed f r o m t h e i n i t i a l l e t t e r s and h i s f a m i l y : (K)ons t a n t i n e ,

( B ) a s i l; h i s w ife, (L )eo ,

o f t h e names o f B a s i l

( E ) u d o c i a ; and h i s so n s

(A )lex a n d er, and ( S ) te p h e n .7^

Once

c o m p le te d , t h i s docum ent was p l a c e d i n t o t h e I m p e r i a l L i b r a r y by a c o n f e d e r a t e , t h e c l e r i c T h e o p h a n e s, who a t an o p p o r tu n e moment showed i t

t o t h e e m p ero r a s a b o o k p r o p h e c y w h ic h ftn o n ly P h o tiu s c o u ld r e a d . As a c o n s e q u e n c e , t h e em p e ro r

r e c a l l e d P h o t i u s , w hose i n t e r p r e t a t i o n so i m p r e s s e d t h e em peror t h a t h e r e i n s t a t e d h im .

I t i s now c e r t a i n b e c a u s e

o f P . D v o rn ik ’ s th o ro u g h i n v e s t i g a t i o n t h a t P h o tiu s ’ 7^ V i t a I g n a t i i . . ,. p . 565* 77I b i d . 78I b i d . 79 On t h e c h r o n o l o g y o f B a s i l ’ s s o n s , s e e C. P o r p h y r o g e n i t u s , V i t a B a s i l i i . e d . I . B e k k er (Bonn, CSHB, 1 8 3 8 ) , p . 261]., 3 5 , 9 - 1 7 ; a l s o V i t a E u t h y m i i , B y z a n t i o n , 2 5 - 2 7 , 1 0 , 2 1 . F o r a new s t u d y on t h i s c h r o n o l o g i c a l p r o b ­ le m , s e e J e n k i n s , P . O . P . . 1 9 , 9 8 . 8° V i t a I g n a t i i

p . 568.

I b i d . A d o n tz , B y z a n t i o n , 9 , 2 3 2 - 5 9 , h a s shown a p a r a l l e l to t h i s s t o r y t o one i n th e V i t a M e t h o d ii i n w h ic h a s i m i l a r d i s c o v e r y i s made f o r t h e E m peror T h e o p h i l u s ’ b e n e fit.

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26 r e s t o r a t i o n t o i m p e r i a l f a v o r was h a r d l y due t o s u c h a f a n c i ­ f u l c o n t r i v a n c e a s N i c e t a s d e s c r i b e d b u t more so to p o l i t i c a l 82 c irc u m s ta n c e s. The v e r a c i t y o f t h e V i t a I g n a t i i . h o w e v e r, s h o u l d n o t be t o t a l l y r e p u d i a t e d p u r e l y b e c a u s e o f i t s P h o tia n b i a s .

a n ti-

On th e c o n t r a r y , w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e p r o b le m

o f th e f a b r i c a t i o n o f B a s i l ’s g e n e a lo g y , i t h a s , I t h in k , O p r e s e r v e d a germ o f th e t r u t h . ^ Who b u t P h o t i u s was b e t t e r q u a l i f i e d i n such m a tte r s ?

In th e f i r s t p la c e , h e h a d th e

p r e r e q u i s i t e s o f e ru d itio n and s c h o la r s h ip in a n c ie n t h i s t o r y w h ic h a r e v i v i d l y d i s c e r n i b l e i n h i s volum inous B i b l l o t h e c a . ^ F u r t h e r m o r e , h e h i m s e l f h a d a common i n t e r e s t i n B a s i l ’ s l i n e a g e b e c a u s e o f h i s A rm enian a n c e s t r y t h r o u g h h i s m o t h e r , I r e n e , th e s i s t e r of A rsab e r. ^

To t h i s m ust be a d d e d t h e

e v i d e n c e o f t h e p ro p h e c y w h ic h P h o t i u s gave t o B a s i l ’ s g e n e a lo g y .

A c c o rd in g t o b o t h t h e V i t a B a s i l i i o f C o n s t a n t i n e

V II a n d t h e A rm enian h i s t o r i a n V a r d a n , a s i m i l a r p r o p h e c y D v o r n i k , op. c i t . , p . 161}.. O^ ^The d a t e o f t h i s f o r g e r y i s d i f f i c u l t t o d e t e r m i n e , b u t i t m u s t be b e tw e e n P h o t i u s ’ r e t u r n from e x i l e a n d t h e F u n e r a l O r a t i o n o f Leo w h ic h a l r e a d y r e f e r s to i t . E v e ry th in g h i n g e s on when P h o t i u s r e t u r n e d . The v iew s on t h i s v a r y : H e r g e n r o t h e r , o p . c i t . , p . 2 6 6 , s u p p o r t s th e y e a r 8 7 6 ; D v o r n ik , o p . c i t . , p . 161)., s a y s t h a t i t was n o t l a t e r t h a n 8 7 3 ; 3 . L a u r d a s , O r t h o d o x i a , 25 ( 1 9 5 0 ) , l+72-7k-> s a y s i t was i n th e y e a r 875. ^ " P h o t i u s , B i b l i o t h e c a , e d . R. Henry ( 5 v o l s . ; P a r i s , (more i n p r o g r e s s ) . I n V o l. I , one c an s e e P h o t i u s ’ i n t e r e s t n o t o n ly i n h i s t o r y b u t i n t h a t o f th e P a r t h i a n s a n d P e r s i a n s i n p a r t i c u l a r ; s e e s e c . $Q, p p . 5 1 - 5 2 , a n d s e c . 7 2 , p p . 105-^4-7. He may h a v e a l s o i n f l u e n c e d G e n e s iu s a n d C o n s t a n t i n e b e c a u s e o f h i s i n t e r e s t i n A l e x a n d e r a n d t h e S u c c e s s o r s ; see V o l . I I , s e c . 9 1 , p p . l 6 - 2 o , a n d sec. 92, pp. 2 0 -3 3 . 85 ^Theophanes C o n tin u a tu s , p . 1 7 5 * 2 2 , 1 - 6 . 1959-1967)

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27 f o r e t o l d t h e a s c e n s i o n o f a n A r s a c i d to t h e B y z a n t i n e th ro n e .

86

V a r d a n 's p r o p h e c y h a s b e e n , f u r t h e r m o r e , l i n k e d

c h r o n o l o g i c a l l y to th e P h o t i u s e r a .

A c c o rd in g t o t h e

B y z a n t i n i s t N. A d o n tz , V a r d a n ' s a c c o u n t was d e f i n i t e l y b a s e d on a G re e k p r o t o t y p e d a t i n g a p p r o x i m a t e l y fro m t h e tim e o f B a s i l ’ s a s c e n s i o n to t h e t h r o n e i n o r d e r t o e s t a b l i s h h i s 8° r o y a l a n d A r s a c i d o r i g i n . 1 T h is new e v id e n c e f u r t h e r v a l i d a t e s N i c e t a s ’ a cc o u n t o f th e P h o tian g e n e a lo g y . To t h e d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e V i t a I g n a t i i

m u s t be a d d e d DO a n o th e r h a g io g r a p h ic a l s o u r c e , th e V ita E u th y m ii♦ A v a il­ a b le to th e s c h o la r s in c e de B o o r’ s p u b l ic a t i o n i n 1888, t h i s c o n te m p o ra r y w o rk , w h i l e i t i s s i l e n t a b o u t B a s i l ’ s a lle g e d n o b ility a n c e s t r y w i t h tfcu.

.■'es, n e v e r t h e l e s s , a t t e s t h i s A rm enian 11 owing r e m a r k :

I t was S t y l i a n u s c a l l e d Z a o u t z e s i n t h e A rm en ia n d i a l e c t , s e e i n g h e was a M ace d o n ian o f A rm enian d e s c e n t l i k e h im ­ s e l f , whom he l e f t i n c h a r g e , c o m m ittin g t o h im t h e gg d i r e c ti o n o f a l l m a t t e r s , e c c l e s i a s t i c a l and p o l i t i c a l . O/ V i t a B a s i l i i , p . 2ifi., 1 7 - 2 3 , t e l l s o f t h e p r o p h e c y of Isaac. The h i s t o r i a n V a r d a n t e l l s o f t h e p r o p h e c y o f S a a k o r S a h a k ; s e e V a rd a n , U n i v e r s a l H i s t o r y (Moscow, l 8 6 l ) . A d o n tz q u o t e s U n i v e r s a l H i s t o r y , -p. 83, and H ayapa t oum. I I , ij-2-lj_8, i n B y z a n t i o n , 9 , 255* O•y I b i d . S e e , a l s o , ^P. G a ra b e d d er S a h a g h ia n , "Un d o cum ent a rm e n ie n de l a g e n e a l o g i e de B a s i l e I e r , ” B .Z . , 20 ( 1 9 1 1 ) , 1 6 3 - 7 6 .

88

E u th y m iu s was P a t r i a r c h o f C o n s t a n t i n o p l e fro m 907 t o 9 1 2 . H is b i o g r a p h y b e g i n s w i t h t h e h u n t i n g a c c i d e n t w h i c h c a u s e d th e d e a t h o f B a s i l (Aug. 21, 886) a n d e n d s w i t h t h e d e a t h o f E u th y m iu s (Aug. 1*., 9 1 7 ) . T h ere a r e s e v e r a l la c u n a s b o th a t th e b e g in n in g and end o f th e c o m p o s itio n , w h ic h was w r i t t e n no l a t e r t h a n 9 2 0 . See B y z a n t i o n , 2 9 - 2 7 , 1 - 1 7 2 , 71*7-78. 8Q V i t a E u th y m ii, B y z a n tio n . 2 5 -2 7 , 1 0 , 2 1 -2 8 ; E n g lis h tr a n s la ti o n p . 11.

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f th e copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout perm ission.

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The C o u r t H i s t o r i a n s In th e te n th c e n tu ry th e c o u rt h i s t o r i a n s f u r t h e r m o d if ie d and e la b o r a te d t h e o r i g i n a l le g e n d o f B a s i l ’s g e n e a lo g y , p erh ap s to enhance th e p o s i t io n o f th e r e - e s t a b ­ l i s h e d M acedonian d y n a s t y a f t e r t h e l o n g u s u r p a t i o n o f t h e L a c a p e n o i.

90

F i r s t a m o n g st t h e s e was J o s e p h G e n e s i u s ,

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90

T h is h a s b e e n a c c e p t e d b y t h e f o l l o w i n g s c h o l a r s : A d o n t z , B y z a n t i o n , 9 , 2 3 2 - 4 5 ; B u ry , E . R . E . ; F . B o l g e r , B y z a n tin is c h e D ip lo m a tik ( E t t a l , 1958) j p • 388; D v o rn ik , o p. c i t . , p . 164; H ergenr o t h e r , o p . c i t . , p p . 2 5 8 -5 9 ; H i r s c h , o p . c i t . , p p . 2 3 1 - 3 2 ; Le B eau, o p . c i t . , p . l 8l ; V a s i l i e v , JVVV., 1 2 , 1 4 8 - 6 5 ; V o g t, B a s i l e I , p . 2 2 ; M o r a v c s ik , P .O .P . . l5 7 ~ £ 8 ff. 91

The i d e n t i t y o f G e n e s i u s was s u b j e c t t o some d e b a t e f o r a c o n sid e ra b le p e r io d . The c o n t r o v e r s y a r o s e fro m a N l i n e i n 4t h e C h r o n i c l e o f Leo G ram m aticu s ( o S T Q/>/+ i \, t uj v o yv «*T^ p 0 J TTo.T^>i k/'o \j h'C'i y s v e o- i"o v c',/>ov a V'°S T n~s S " ) ; s e e Chr o n o g r a p h i a , e d . I . B e k k e r (Bonn, CSHB, 1 8 4 2 ) , p . 2 4 9 , 7 - 9 - H i r s c h , o p . c i t . , p p . 1 1 6 -7 4 ? t h e r e f o r e , c o n j e c t u r e d w ro n g ly t h a t t h e G e n e s iu s r e f e r r e d t o i n t h e C h r o n o g r a p h ! a was n one o t h e r t h a n t h e h i s t o r i a n . K rum bach er, o p . c i t . . p p . 264-65? a l s o a c c e p t e d t h i s v ie w ( " J o s e p h G e n e s io s stam m te a u s e i n e r vornehm en F a m i l i e i n B yzanz; s e i n V a t e r K o n s t a n t i n w a r u n t e r M ic h a e l I I I B e feh lsh a b er d er L eib g ard e und L o g o th e t" ). T h i s , how­ e v e r , p r e s e n t e d a c h r o n o l o g i c a l p ro b le m which, was f i r s t n o t i c e d b y H. Waschke i n an a r t i c l e , " G e n e s i o s , " P h i l o l o g u s , 37 (1 8 7 8 ) , 2 5 5 -7 5 ( " d a r s j e n e r K o n s t a n t i n , d e r u n t e r M ic h a e l I I I l e b t e , n i c h t d e r V a t e r d e s G e n e s io s gew esen s e i n KcSnne" ) . I n 1901 C. de 3 o o r f i n a l l y i d e n t i f i e d b o t h Thomas and G e n e s iu s fro m t h e c o r r e s p o n d e n c e o f Leo C h o e r o s p h a k t e s ; s e e "Z u G e n e s i o s ," B .Z . , 1 0 ( 1 9 0 1 ) , 6 2-65* A c c o r d in g to de B o o r , Thomas h e l d t h e p o s i t i o n o f 71 j h r , 0 $ /r