Enlightening the future of the contingent of the Persians in the Byzantine army after Theophobos († 842): Theophilos κόμης τῶν Περσῶν (10th century, first half)
Enlightening the future of the contingent of the Persians in the Byzantine army after Theophobos († 842): Theophilos κόμης τῶν Περσῶν (10th century, first half)

Summary/Abstract: The existence of the Khurramite military contingent in the Byzantine army goes back to Emperor Theophilos and had a brief flourishing associated with its first commander, Naṣr, and his son and successor Theophobos. Emperor Theophilos established the latter as a counterweight against the powerful Armenian faction at court and even married him to his sister Helene. In order to strengthen Theophobos’ position at court and to legitimize his ascension into the imperial family, the emperor created the terminus technicus ἐξουσιαστὴς τῶν Περσῶν, which is to be translated as “potentate of the Persians”. We thus distance ourselves from Zuckerman’s interpretation, which seeks to recognize in this term a degradation of Theophobos after the birth of Michael III (840). We gain a new perspective into the history of this contingent (after the execution of Theophobos, anno 842) from a unique seal (first half of the 10th century), which mentions an officer of lower rank who served in the theme army: Theophilos β. σπαθαροκανδιδᾶτος καὶ κόμης τῶν Περσῶν. His name probably goes back to one of his ancestors, who was named after the emperor Theophilos.

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