Rhaiktor

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Seal of an 11th-century rhaiktor Basil. Legend: K[ΥΡΙ]E B[ΟΗΘΕΙ] TΩ CΩ Δ[ΟΥΛΩ] / ΒΑCΙΛΕΙΩ ΡΑΙΚΤΩΡΙ ΑΜΗΝ.

The rhaiktor (Medieval Greek: ῥαίκτωρ, the Hellenized form of Latin: rector) was a high-ranking court position of the middle Byzantine Empire.

History and functions[edit]

J. B. Bury assumed that the post was created either under Leo VI the Wise (r. 886–912) or his father Basil I the Macedonian (r. 867–886),[1] but Nicolas Oikonomides restored it in the text of the Taktikon Uspensky of c. 843.[2] The title is also found in seals of the 7th and 8th centuries, but with a different sense; thus a "rhaiktor of Calabria" was the administrator of the local estates of the See of Rome in Calabria.[3]

The Kletorologion of 899 includes the rhaiktor among the 'special dignities' (axiai eidikai).[3][4] The exact functions of the office are not clear, but, as J. B. Bury wrote, they probably "consisted in exercising some authority over the Imperial household".[1][3] Earlier authors suggested that the title was related, or even identical, to the later title of proedros, but the theory was rejected by Rodolphe Guilland.[5] His ceremony of appointment is recorded in Constantine VII's De Ceremoniis.[1] The reports of the ambassador to the Byzantine court Liutprand of Cremona show the rhaiktor as playing an important role in court ceremonies under Constantine VII.[6]

The post could be held by court eunuchs as well as clerics, even priests, but was also often combined with other high offices, such as stratopedarches or logothetes tou genikou.[3] In the lists of precedence to the imperial banquets of the 9th–10th centuries he occupied a very prominent place, coming right after the magistroi and before the synkellos and the patrikioi.[7][8] The title disappears from the sources after the reign of Constantine IX Monomachos (r. 1042–1055).[3][9]

At the same time, the title also appears as a family name: the magistros and logothetes tou dromou Michael Rhektor was a member of the regency council appointed on the death of Romanos II in 963, while under Nikephoros III (r. 1078–1081) a monk called Rhektor pretended to be Michael VII Doukas (r. 1071–1078) and tried to overthrow the emperor.[9]

List of known rhaiktores[edit]

Name Tenure Appointed by Notes Refs
John Lazares 912–913 Alexander Raised to the post on the accession of Alexander, he became a member of the regency council for Constantine VII but was soon dismissed by Empress-regent Zoe Karbonopsina. [10]
John the Rhaiktor c. 922 Romanos I Lekapenos A cleric, he was rhaiktor and paradynasteuon of Romanos, he was forced to retire to a monastery. He led a diplomatic mission to Bulgaria c. 929, and was blinded and exiled along with others in 946 for plotting against Constantine VII. [10][11]
Michael Lekapenos after 945 Constantine VII Son of Romanos I's eldest son and co-emperor Christopher Lekapenos, according to Theophanes Continuatus he was named magistros and rhaiktor by Constantine VII. [10]
Basil c. 970 John I Tzimiskes Was instrumental in suppressing a coup attempt by Leo Phokas the Younger against Tzimiskes and arresting the ringleaders. Possibly to be identified with Basil Lekapenos. [10]
Basil c. 993 Basil II Recorded only in two acts of the Great Lavra monastery as rhaiktor and genikos logothetes. [10]
Niketas c. 1035 (?) unknown Only mentioned briefly in the Peira of Eustathios Rhomaios. [10]
Sagmatas later 11th century unknown Addressee of a letter of Michael Psellos, later apparently advanced to the posts of synkellos and logothetes tou dromou. [10]
Nikephoros c. 1050 Constantine IX Monomachos A eunuch and former monk, he became a court favourite of Constantine IX, who named him rhaiktor and stratopedarches. Sent to command against the Pechenegs, he was heavily defeated in battle near the Iron Gates. [12]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Bury 1911, p. 115.
  2. ^ Oikonomides 1972, p. 308.
  3. ^ a b c d e Kazhdan 1991, pp. 1787–1788.
  4. ^ Bury 1911, pp. 115, 138.
  5. ^ Guilland 1967, pp. 212–213.
  6. ^ Bury 1911, p. 116.
  7. ^ Oikonomides 1972, pp. 136, 142, 262.
  8. ^ Bury 1911, pp. 146, 148.
  9. ^ a b Guilland 1967, p. 216.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Guilland 1967, p. 214.
  11. ^ PmbZ, Ioannes (#22937).
  12. ^ Guilland 1967, p. 215.

Sources[edit]

  • Bury, J. B. (1911). The Imperial Administrative System of the Ninth Century – With a Revised Text of the Kletorologion of Philotheos. London: Oxford University Press. OCLC 1046639111.
  • Guilland, Rodolphe (1967). "Le Recteur". Recherches sur les institutions byzantines [Studies on the Byzantine Institutions]. Berliner byzantinische Arbeiten 35 (in French). Vol. 2. Berlin and Amsterdam: Akademie-Verlag & Adolf M. Hakkert. pp. 212–219. OCLC 878894516.
  • Kazhdan, Alexander (1991). "Rhaiktor". In Kazhdan, Alexander (ed.). The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 1787–1788. ISBN 0-19-504652-8.
  • Lilie, Ralph-Johannes; Ludwig, Claudia; Pratsch, Thomas; Zielke, Beate (2013). Prosopographie der mittelbyzantinischen Zeit Online. Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften. Nach Vorarbeiten F. Winkelmanns erstellt (in German). Berlin and Boston: De Gruyter.
  • Oikonomides, Nicolas (1972). Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (in French). Paris: Editions du Centre national de la recherche scientifique.
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