Anonymus 239

Prosopography of the Byzantine Empire
SexM
FloruitE/M VIII
Dates715 (tpq) / 727 (taq)
LocationsItaly
TitlesSpatharios (dignity);
Doux, Rome (office)
Textual SourcesLiber Pontificalis, ed. L. Duchesne, Le liber pontificalis. Texte, introduction et commentaire, 2 vols. (Paris, 1886-92); re-issued with 3rd vol. by C. Vogel, (Paris, 1955-57) (chronicle)

Anonymus 239 was a spatharios, who was sent to Italy, probably in succession to the spatharios and doux of Rome, Marinos 12, with orders from the emperor Leo III (Leo 3) to secure the removal of pope Gregory II (Gregorios 72); the attempt was made by the exarch Paulos 48 and failed: Lib. Pont. 91. 16 ( post hunc (perhaps after Marinos 12) spatharius cum iussionibus missus est alter, ut pontifex a sua sede amoveretur ). It is not certain if this man succeeded to the office of Marinos 12 (who was the doux of Rome), or was simply an imperial spatharios sent by the emperor Leo 3 to Ravenna with orders with orders for the exarch of Italy, Paulos 48. The date seems to have been earlier than the iconoclast controversy, which began with Leo 3 s order against images in c. 727.

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