423:
131:
55:
841:) to have come from the Roman province of Armenia Minor (not that he was "an Armenian"), and this figure may or may not have been related to the later family with the same surname. No source claims that any later Skleros—say, in the later tenth century—was "an Armenian," though many scholars make that claim. Let us keep in mind that Skleros' "Armenian roots" have not been proven, anyway.
494:
along with his brother, Constantine, and son, Romanos. In 987, the
Skleroi returned to Byzantium, and launched a new bid for the throne. This time Bardas Skleros allied himself with Phokas against Basil II, but was betrayed and imprisoned by Phokas, and was released only after the latter's defeat and
875:
The fact that the
Sclerus family had a Greek surname (skleros: "hard", or "severe") indicates, however, that its founding father may have been at least partly Greek; Byzantines of purely Armenian origin generally had surnames that were recognizably Armenian with a Greek suffix. Of the immediate
716:(1081–1185), and hence fell out of power. From the 12th century, members of the Skleros family appear only rarely in the sources: a certain Seth Skleros was blinded 1166/67 for practising magic; a Romanos Skleros, who lived at the turn of the 13th century and probably held large estates; a
400:
in 970. Despite a period of disgrace in 972–974, connected with a reported conspiracy against
Tzimiskes, the Skleroi remained among the most important families during his reign. In 972, Tzimiskes even married Constantine Skleros's daughter,
384:. The latter connection was of particular importance for the family's fortunes: although she died before Tzimiskes ascended the throne in 969, the Skleroi were promoted by him to senior positions in the state. Bardas was appointed as
834:
The
Skleros family is often touted as "Armenian," but the evidence for this claim is just as tenuous as for the Lakapenoi, in fact more so. It consists of one early ninth-century Skleros said by a highly unreliable text (the
599:). Under Monomachos' rule, two other Skleroi, Romanos and Maria, possibly the children of a brother of Basil's appear and gain prominence. Maria Skleraina became Constantine IX's mistress, while her brother advanced from
190:) indicates that the family's founding father may have been at least partly Greek, since Byzantines of Armenian origin generally had surnames that were recognizably Armenian with simply a Greek
422:
369:
of the small frontier theme of
Kaloudia. Bardas's siblings married into the most prominent families of the military aristocracy: Constantine Skleros married Sophia Phokaina, the niece of
642:
The family declined in importance thereafter, and most of the late 11th-century
Skleroi were civil officials rather than military leaders. Among the most important of these are: the
1203:
1089:
1222:
1118:
1037:
980:
911:
777:
1412:
559:
495:
death. Skleros renewed his resistance against Basil II for a few months, but eventually was reconciled with the emperor, honoured with the title of
1387:
1263:
868:
827:
539:
Unlike their erstwhile rivals, the
Phokades, the Skleroi managed to survive and retain high offices under Basil II and his successors.
1363:
1312:
1284:
796:
122:
family active mostly in the 9th–11th centuries as members of the military aristocracy, and as civil functionaries thereafter.
1303:
700:
393:
860:
665:
409:
234:, possibly a son or nephew of the former. Another unnamed member of the family is recorded in the 840s as serving the
151:
1355:
487:
389:
316:
1407:
837:
346:
289:
589:
341:
251:
617:
contributed to the latter's rebellion, and he was one of the main supporters of the successful revolt of
650:
104:
629:
506:
427:
370:
162:, although this is nowhere explicitly attested. It has also been suggested that the family was mixed
563:
483:
227:
486:. As a result, Bardas rose in rebellion in spring 976, but was defeated by an imperial army under
406:
231:
324:
216:
military aristocracy, in the 9th century its members are mostly attested as being active in the
1383:
1359:
1308:
1298:
1294:
1280:
1259:
864:
823:
813:
713:
683:
644:
491:
320:
155:
509:
is unclear: he remained in active military service, and W. Seibt suggested that he served as
1345:
727:
618:
548:
518:
455:
The death of
Tzimiskes in 976 saw yet another change in the family's standing: the powerful
336:
163:
61:
628:). He may have even been promoted to Domestic of the Schools under Isaac or his successor,
614:
523:
462:
438:
301:
247:
205:
in the 970s and 980s were centred. After that, they seem to have moved their base to the
588:
Basil
Skleros and Pulcheria Argyropoulina had a daughter, who became the second wife of
695:
687:
582:
457:
397:
381:
358:
284:
206:
202:
171:
147:
92:
521:. According to J.-C. Cheynet, Romanos may have been either Bourtzes' deputy or even a
1401:
656:
540:
502:
130:
54:
1373:
497:
239:
201:, where a member of the family was active in the 840s, and where the rebellions of
170:. However, the evidence for the family's alleged Armenian origins is tenuous. The
1377:
1349:
1276:
The
Empress Theophano: Byzantium and the West at the Turn of the First Millennium
1274:
1253:
854:
817:
801:
the Sclerus family was a mixture of Greek and Armenian with roots in Cappadocia.
790:
327:, who has been tentatively identified as a member of the Skleros clan, became
269:
143:
135:
476:), regarded Bardas Skleros as a threat to the new regime, and demoted him to
402:
275:
273:
Theodore Skleros is recorded in 869–870. His sons Antony and Niketas became
263:
222:
167:
159:
119:
856:
The Days of the Warlords: A History of the Byzantine Empire, A.D. 969-991
718:
678:
605:
466:
432:
332:
213:
209:, where they are recorded to have had large estates in the 11th century.
198:
158:. Due to their place of origin, they have been traditionally regarded as
1382:. Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press.
319:
families. In turn, the Skleroi seem to have supported the usurpation of
514:
449:
294:
243:
217:
17:
723:
312:
191:
138:
and the Arab–Byzantine frontier zone in the middle of the 9th century
1307:. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 1911–1912.
197:
The Skleros have been linked more specifically with the area around
1323:
421:
235:
129:
246:, possibly indicating a fall from favour of the family under the
59:
Bardas Skleros receives officials as emperor, miniature from the
250:. The family seems to have regained a prominent position under
478:
444:
388:
of the East, suppressing the revolt of the Phokas clan led by
380:), while Maria Skleraina married Nikephoros Phokas's nephew,
1183:
1181:
1179:
1177:
1175:
293:), while he is also recorded as leading an embassy to the
1214:
1212:
1110:
1108:
1106:
1104:
1102:
1100:
1098:
1029:
1027:
1025:
972:
970:
968:
757:
755:
753:
751:
749:
747:
745:
743:
903:
901:
899:
886:
884:
287:
and Niketas possibly as admiral of the imperial fleet (
345:
for a short time in 944–945, before being replaced by
1332:(in Greek). Athens: Foundation of the Hellenic World
573:), whose sister Pulcheria he had married. He became
300:
The Skleroi fell into obscurity during the reign of
230:
in 805, and in 811, the same office was occupied by
77:
69:
34:
726:in 1336; and a Demetrios Skleros, official of the
1258:(in French). Paris: Publications de la Sorbonne.
694:Leo Skleros, civil governor of the Anatolic and
465:, who assumed the tutelage of the young emperor
349:after the downfall of the Lekapenoi from power.
1330:Encyclopaedia of the Hellenic World, Asia Minor
603:of the Thracesian Theme to the supreme rank of
822:. Harvard University Press. pp. 178–179.
1255:Pouvoir et Contestations à Byzance (963–1210)
8:
1351:A History of the Byzantine State and Society
876:ancestry of Bardas Sclerus, little is known.
819:Romanland: Ethnicity and Empire in Byzantium
797:Armenian General Benevolent Union of America
712:The Skleroi did not intermarry with the new
357:The most distinguished scion of the family,
517:, but the post was occupied at the time by
175:
1218:
1199:
1114:
1085:
1033:
976:
907:
773:
501:and allowed to retire with his brother to
53:
1279:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
1004:
935:
585:, before being exiled again ca. 1032/33.
592:, later in life Emperor Constantine IX (
490:in 979 and forced to seek refuge in the
142:The family descended from north-eastern
1322:Stouraitis, Ioannis (10 October 2003).
1234:
1187:
1166:
1154:
1142:
1130:
1073:
1061:
1016:
992:
959:
947:
923:
890:
761:
739:
1049:
31:
543:, a son of Romanos, is attested as a
7:
1169:, pp. 68, 311 note 41, 340–341.
535:Rise and decline in the 11th century
353:Bardas Skleros and the family's apex
212:Although the family belonged to the
1304:The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
730:of Zichnoi (near Serres) in 1362.
708:Skleroi of the 12th–14th centuries
25:
1379:The Making of Byzantium, 600–1025
1413:Greek people of Armenian descent
220:: the first Skleros known was a
634:
623:
594:
568:
553:
471:
414:
375:
306:
256:
562:, but was rehabilitated under
1:
1252:Cheynet, Jean-Claude (1990).
613:of Antioch. His rivalry with
701:chartoularios tou vestiariou
361:, first appears in 956 as a
861:University Press of America
666:Grand Drungary of the Watch
238:and being in conflict with
1429:
558:), when he was exiled and
1356:Stanford University Press
1273:Davids, Adelbert (2002).
488:Bardas Phokas the Younger
390:Bardas Phokas the Younger
279:, with Antony serving as
96:
52:
47:
1354:. Stanford, California:
1324:
664:Nicholas, who served as
654:Andronikos Skleros; the
126:Origin and early members
73:North-eastern Asia Minor
37:
853:Blaum, Paul A. (1994).
838:Chronicle of Monembasia
722:Skleros, landholder at
347:Bardas Phokas the Elder
290:droungarios tou ploimou
114:(Σκλήραινα), Latinized
1297:(1991). "Skleros". In
1133:, pp. 39–40, 193.
590:Constantine Monomachos
529:domestikos ton scholon
505:. The fate of his son
452:
386:domestikos ton scholon
342:domestikos ton scholon
252:Basil I the Macedonian
139:
27:Noble Byzantine family
1157:, pp. 1911–1912.
651:logothetes tou dromou
430:, with the titles of
425:
133:
926:, pp. 215, 323.
799:. 1995. p. 63.
630:Constantine X Doukas
371:Nikephoros II Phokas
352:
311:), who favoured the
1007:, pp. 507–508.
682:and civil judge of
564:Romanos III Argyros
99:; plural: Σκληροί,
1299:Kazhdan, Alexander
1295:Kazhdan, Alexander
1204:Auxiliary Catalogs
814:Kaldellis, Anthony
453:
407:Holy Roman Emperor
140:
1389:978-0-520-20496-6
1346:Treadgold, Warren
1265:978-2-85944-168-5
1076:, pp. 33–34.
1064:, pp. 27–29.
1052:, pp. 79–81.
870:978-0-8191-9657-6
829:978-0-674-98651-0
714:Komnenian dynasty
645:protonobelissimos
560:partially blinded
492:Abbasid Caliphate
442:of the East, and
321:Romanos Lekapenos
174:surname Skleros (
85:
84:
16:(Redirected from
1420:
1393:
1369:
1341:
1339:
1337:
1318:
1290:
1269:
1238:
1232:
1226:
1216:
1207:
1197:
1191:
1185:
1170:
1164:
1158:
1152:
1146:
1140:
1134:
1128:
1122:
1112:
1093:
1083:
1077:
1071:
1065:
1059:
1053:
1047:
1041:
1031:
1020:
1014:
1008:
1002:
996:
990:
984:
974:
963:
957:
951:
945:
939:
933:
927:
921:
915:
905:
894:
888:
879:
878:
863:. pp. 5–6.
850:
844:
843:
810:
804:
803:
795:. Vol. 36.
792:Ararat Quarterly
787:
781:
771:
765:
759:
638:
637: 1059–1068
636:
627:
626: 1057–1059
625:
619:Isaac I Komnenos
609:and the post of
598:
597: 1042–1055
596:
572:
571: 1028–1034
570:
557:
556: 1025–1028
555:
549:Constantine VIII
519:Michael Bourtzes
475:
473:
418:
416:
379:
377:
337:Thracesian Theme
310:
308:
260:
258:
189:
186:
183:
180:
177:
110:, feminine form
98:
62:Madrid Skylitzes
57:
32:
21:
1428:
1427:
1423:
1422:
1421:
1419:
1418:
1417:
1398:
1397:
1396:
1390:
1372:
1366:
1344:
1335:
1333:
1326:
1321:
1315:
1293:
1287:
1272:
1266:
1251:
1247:
1242:
1241:
1237:, pp. 108.
1233:
1229:
1219:Stouraitis 2003
1217:
1210:
1200:Stouraitis 2003
1198:
1194:
1190:, p. 1912.
1186:
1173:
1165:
1161:
1153:
1149:
1141:
1137:
1129:
1125:
1115:Stouraitis 2003
1113:
1096:
1086:Stouraitis 2003
1084:
1080:
1072:
1068:
1060:
1056:
1048:
1044:
1034:Stouraitis 2003
1032:
1023:
1015:
1011:
1003:
999:
991:
987:
977:Stouraitis 2003
975:
966:
958:
954:
946:
942:
934:
930:
922:
918:
908:Stouraitis 2003
906:
897:
889:
882:
871:
852:
851:
847:
830:
812:
811:
807:
789:
788:
784:
774:Stouraitis 2003
772:
768:
764:, p. 1911.
760:
741:
736:
710:
633:
622:
615:George Maniakes
593:
567:
552:
537:
524:stratopedarches
507:Romanos Skleros
474: 976–1025
470:
463:Basil Lekapenos
439:stratopedarches
428:Romanos Skleros
413:
374:
355:
305:
302:Leo VI the Wise
255:
248:Amorian dynasty
187:
184:
181:
178:
128:
78:Place of origin
65:
43:
40:
39:
36:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1426:
1424:
1416:
1415:
1410:
1408:Skleros family
1400:
1399:
1395:
1394:
1388:
1370:
1364:
1342:
1319:
1313:
1291:
1285:
1270:
1264:
1248:
1246:
1243:
1240:
1239:
1227:
1208:
1192:
1171:
1159:
1147:
1145:, p. 195.
1135:
1123:
1094:
1078:
1066:
1054:
1042:
1021:
1019:, pp. 24.
1009:
1005:Treadgold 1997
997:
995:, p. 325.
985:
964:
962:, p. 345.
952:
950:, p. 339.
940:
938:, p. 447.
936:Treadgold 1997
928:
916:
895:
893:, p. 215.
880:
869:
845:
828:
805:
782:
766:
738:
737:
735:
732:
709:
706:
583:Anatolic Theme
536:
533:
458:parakoimomenos
417: 973–983
382:John Tzimiskes
378: 963–969
359:Bardas Skleros
354:
351:
323:: the general
309: 886–912
259: 867–886
242:, the emir of
207:Anatolic Theme
203:Bardas Skleros
148:Lesser Armenia
146:, either from
127:
124:
118:, was a noble
83:
82:
79:
75:
74:
71:
70:Current region
67:
66:
58:
50:
49:
45:
44:
41:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1425:
1414:
1411:
1409:
1406:
1405:
1403:
1391:
1385:
1381:
1380:
1375:
1374:Whittow, Mark
1371:
1367:
1365:0-8047-2630-2
1361:
1357:
1353:
1352:
1347:
1343:
1331:
1327:
1320:
1316:
1314:0-19-504652-8
1310:
1306:
1305:
1300:
1296:
1292:
1288:
1286:0-521-52467-9
1282:
1278:
1277:
1271:
1267:
1261:
1257:
1256:
1250:
1249:
1244:
1236:
1231:
1228:
1224:
1220:
1215:
1213:
1209:
1205:
1201:
1196:
1193:
1189:
1184:
1182:
1180:
1178:
1176:
1172:
1168:
1163:
1160:
1156:
1151:
1148:
1144:
1139:
1136:
1132:
1127:
1124:
1120:
1116:
1111:
1109:
1107:
1105:
1103:
1101:
1099:
1095:
1091:
1087:
1082:
1079:
1075:
1070:
1067:
1063:
1058:
1055:
1051:
1046:
1043:
1039:
1035:
1030:
1028:
1026:
1022:
1018:
1013:
1010:
1006:
1001:
998:
994:
989:
986:
982:
978:
973:
971:
969:
965:
961:
956:
953:
949:
944:
941:
937:
932:
929:
925:
920:
917:
913:
909:
904:
902:
900:
896:
892:
887:
885:
881:
877:
872:
866:
862:
858:
857:
849:
846:
842:
840:
839:
831:
825:
821:
820:
815:
809:
806:
802:
798:
794:
793:
786:
783:
779:
775:
770:
767:
763:
758:
756:
754:
752:
750:
748:
746:
744:
740:
733:
731:
729:
725:
721:
720:
715:
707:
705:
703:
702:
697:
693:
689:
685:
681:
680:
675:
671:
670:protoproedros
667:
663:
659:
658:
657:protoproedros
653:
652:
647:
646:
640:
631:
620:
616:
612:
608:
607:
602:
591:
586:
584:
580:
576:
565:
561:
550:
546:
542:
541:Basil Skleros
534:
532:
530:
526:
525:
520:
516:
512:
508:
504:
503:Didymoteichon
500:
499:
493:
489:
485:
481:
480:
468:
464:
460:
459:
451:
447:
446:
441:
440:
435:
434:
429:
424:
420:
411:
408:
404:
399:
395:
391:
387:
383:
372:
368:
364:
360:
350:
348:
344:
343:
338:
334:
330:
326:
322:
318:
314:
303:
298:
296:
292:
291:
286:
282:
278:
277:
272:
271:
266:
265:
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
224:
219:
215:
210:
208:
204:
200:
195:
193:
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
145:
137:
132:
125:
123:
121:
117:
113:
109:
106:
102:
94:
90:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
63:
56:
51:
46:
33:
30:
19:
1378:
1350:
1334:. Retrieved
1329:
1302:
1275:
1254:
1235:Cheynet 1990
1230:
1195:
1188:Kazhdan 1991
1167:Cheynet 1990
1162:
1155:Kazhdan 1991
1150:
1143:Cheynet 1990
1138:
1131:Cheynet 1990
1126:
1081:
1074:Cheynet 1990
1069:
1062:Cheynet 1990
1057:
1045:
1017:Cheynet 1990
1012:
1000:
993:Cheynet 1990
988:
960:Whittow 1996
955:
948:Whittow 1996
943:
931:
924:Cheynet 1990
919:
891:Cheynet 1990
874:
855:
848:
836:
833:
818:
808:
800:
791:
785:
769:
762:Kazhdan 1991
717:
711:
699:
691:
677:
674:kouropalates
673:
669:
662:kouropalates
661:
655:
649:
643:
641:
610:
604:
600:
587:
578:
574:
544:
538:
528:
522:
510:
498:kouropalates
496:
477:
456:
454:
443:
437:
431:
385:
366:
362:
356:
340:
339:and finally
328:
299:
288:
280:
274:
268:
262:
240:Umar al-Aqta
221:
211:
196:
141:
115:
111:
107:
100:
88:
86:
60:
29:
1223:Chapter 2.5
1119:Chapter 2.4
1050:Davids 2002
1038:Chapter 2.3
981:Chapter 2.2
912:Chapter 2.1
698:themes and
484:Mesopotamia
261:), for the
232:Leo Skleros
228:Peloponnese
185:hard/severe
1402:Categories
1336:25 October
734:References
728:metropolis
690:; and the
325:Pantherios
270:anthypatos
144:Asia Minor
136:Asia Minor
134:Byzantine
778:Chapter 1
692:magistros
684:Macedonia
676:Michael,
601:strategos
579:strategos
575:magistros
545:patrikios
405:, to the
403:Theophano
394:defeating
367:strategos
363:patrikios
335:, of the
329:strategos
281:strategos
276:patrikioi
264:magistros
223:strategos
214:Anatolian
160:Armenians
156:Sebasteia
120:Byzantine
116:Scleraena
112:Skleraina
105:latinized
1376:(1996).
1348:(1997).
816:(2019).
719:sebastos
696:Opsician
679:exisotes
606:proedros
467:Basil II
433:proedros
426:Seal of
333:Lykandos
297:in 894.
199:Melitene
168:Armenian
81:Melitene
1325:Σκληροί
1301:(ed.).
1245:Sources
581:of the
515:Antioch
450:Antioch
410:Otto II
295:Magyars
244:Malatya
226:of the
218:Balkans
179:
150:or the
108:Sclerus
101:Skleroi
97:Σκληρός
89:Skleros
42:Sclerus
38:Σκληρός
35:Skleros
18:Skleroi
1386:
1362:
1311:
1283:
1262:
1090:Note 7
867:
826:
724:Serres
688:Thrace
668:; the
547:under
392:, and
317:Phokas
313:Doukas
285:Hellas
192:suffix
48:Family
236:Arabs
172:Greek
164:Greek
152:theme
93:Greek
1384:ISBN
1360:ISBN
1338:2010
1309:ISBN
1281:ISBN
1260:ISBN
865:ISBN
824:ISBN
686:and
672:and
660:and
648:and
611:doux
577:and
511:doux
479:doux
445:doux
398:Rus'
396:the
365:and
315:and
267:and
176:lit.
87:The
639:).
527:or
513:of
482:of
448:of
419:).
331:of
283:of
154:of
103:),
1404::
1358:.
1328:.
1221:,
1211:^
1202:,
1174:^
1117:,
1097:^
1088:,
1036:,
1024:^
979:,
967:^
910:,
898:^
883:^
873:.
859:.
832:.
776:,
742:^
704:.
635:r.
624:r.
595:r.
569:r.
554:r.
531:.
472:r.
461:,
436:,
415:r.
376:r.
307:r.
257:r.
194:.
95::
1392:.
1368:.
1340:.
1317:.
1289:.
1268:.
1225:.
1206:.
1121:.
1092:.
1040:.
983:.
914:.
780:.
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166:–
91:(
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