Artabasdos 1 | Prosopography of the Byzantine Empire |
| Sex | M |
| Floruit | E/M VIII |
| Dates | 715 (taq) / 743 (tpq) |
| PmbZ No. | 632 |
| Variant Names | Artabazos; Artauasdos; Artaustus; Artabas |
| Religion | Christian; Iconophile |
| Ethnicity | Armenian |
| Locations | Constantinople (residence); Chora (Monastery of the, Constantinople) (exileplace); Chora (Monastery of the, Constantinople) (residence); Constantinople (officeplace); Asia; Opsikion (officeplace); Armeniakoi (officeplace); Armenia (birthplace); Armeniakoi; Opsikion; Nikaia; Dorylaion (Phrygia); Krasos; Sardis (Lydia); Kyzikos; Pouzanes (Opsikion); Constantinople |
| Titles | Kouropalates (dignity); Patrikios (dignity); Augustus (office); Emperor (office); Komes, Opsikion (office); Strategos, Armeniakoi (office) |
| Textual Sources | Bar Hebraeus, Chronographia, tr. E. A. W. Budge, The Chronography of Abu 'l-Faraj (London, 1932; repr. Amsterdam, 1976) (history); Chronicon Anonymi ad annum 1234 pertinens, ed. and tr. J.-B. Chabot, I = CSCO 81-82 (Paris, 1916-20), II = CSCO 109 (Louvain, 1937) (chronicle); Chronique de Denys de Tell-Mahré, ed. and tr. J.-B. Chabot (Paris, 1895); tr. A. Palmer, The Seventh Century in West-Syrian Chronicles (Liverpool, 1993), pp. 54-65 (chronicle); Grierson, P., A Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection, II: Phocas to Theodosius III, 602-717; III: Leo III to Nicephorus III 717-1081 (numismatics); Liber 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); Nicephorus, Breviarium Historiae, ed. C. Mango, Nikephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople: Short History; prev. ed. C. de Boor Nicephori ArchiepiscopiConstantinopolitani Opuscula Historica Leipzig 1880 (history); Theophanes Confessor, Chronographia, ed. C. de Boor, 2 vols. (Leipzig, 1883-85, repr. Hildesheim/NewYork, 1980); tr. and comm. C. Mango and R. Scott, The Chronicle of Theophanes Confessor, Oxford 1997 (chronicle); Vita Michaelis Syncelli (BHG 1296), ed. M. Cunningham, The Life of Michael Synkellos , Belfast Byzantine Texts and Translations 1 (Belfast, 1991) (hagiography); Zonaras = Ioannis Zonarae Epitome Historiarum, libri XIII-XVIII, ed. Th. Büttner-Wobst, (Bonn, 1897) (history) |
| Seal Sources | Ebersolt, J. "Sceaux byzantins du Musée de Constantinople", RN 4.18 (1914), pp. 207-243, 377-409; Mordtmann, A, Sur les sceaux et les plombs byzantins, Conférence tenue dans la Société Littéraire Grecque (Hellenikos Philologikos Syllogos) (Constantinople, 1873); Oikonomides, N., A Collection of Dated Byzantine Lead Seals (Washington, DC, 1986); Schlumberger, G. Sigillographie de l'empire byzantin (Paris, 1884); Zacos, G. and Veglery, A., Byzantine Lead Seals, vol. I (in 3 parts) (Basel, 1972). |
Artabasdos 1 was an Armenian: Theoph. AM 6207 (Ἀρτάυασδον Ἀρμένιον), Zon. XIV 28.2 (τὸν τῶν Ἀρμενιακῶν στρατηγὸν Ἀρτάβασδον τὸν Ἀρμένιον).
In 715, when Theodosios 2 overthrew the emperor Anastasios II (Anastasios 6), Artabasdos 1 was strategos of the Armeniakoi (τῶν Ἀρμενιακῶν στρατηγόν: Theoph. AM 6207); Artabasdos 1 supported Leo 3 in refusing to recognise Theodosios 2 (Theodosios III) as emperor; Artabasdos 1 was betrothed to and eventually married Anna 1, the daughter of Leo 3: Theoph. AM 6207, AM 6209 (they married after Leo 3 became emperor), Zon. XIV 28.2 (τὸν τῶν Ἀρμενιακῶν στρατηγὸν Ἀρτάβασδον τὸν Ἀρμένιον), XV 1.22 (καὶ αὐτίκα τὴν θυγατέρα τῷ Ἀρταβάσδῳ συνῴκισε, κουροπαλάτην αὐτὸν τιμήσας), Leo Gramm. 172, Theod. Mel. 119, Symeon Slav. 75, 31-34, Cedr. I 787.
Artabasdos 1 was appointed kouropalates (κουροπαλάτην) by Leo 3, apparently when he married Anna 1: Theoph. AM 6209 (p. 395) (and see below), Zon. XV 1.22 (καὶ αὐτίκα τὴν θυγατέρα τῷ Ἀρταβάσδῳ συνῴκισε, κουροπαλάτην αὐτὸν τιμήσας). Son-in-law (γαμβρὸν) of the emperor Leo III (Leo 3) and brother-in-law of the emperor Constantine V (Konstantinos 7), father of Niketas 4 and Nikephoros 4: Nic. Brev. de Boor 59, Mango 64, Theoph. AM 6209, AM 6232, AM 6234, Zon. XV 5.3 (οὗ δὴ θέματος τὴν ἀρχὴν ὁ γαμβρὸς αὐτοῦ περιέζωστο ὁ κουροπαλάτης Ἀρτάβασδος, ἐπεβούλευε τούτῳ δὴ τῷ οἰκείῳ γαμβρῷ), Zon XV 3.17 (καὶ τὸν τοῦ Ἀρταβάσδου υἱὸν Νικήταν συνέσχε καὶ πεδήσας ἐδείκνυεν αὐτὸν τῷ πατρί), cf. Chron. 1234, §167 (brother-in-law of Constantine). Cousin of Tiridates 1: Theoph. AM 6234.
Artabasdos 1 had a strator, Konstantinos 9, who was killed fighting in Nikaia in 727: Theoph. AM 6218. Artabasdos 1 was presumably himself in Nikaia at the time and may therefore have been komes of the Opsikion then (see below).
In 741, when Leo III (Leo 3) died, Artabasdos 1 was kouropalates and komes of the Opsikion (κουροπαλάτῃ καὶ κόμητι τοῦ Ὀψικίου): Theoph. AM 6232, cf. Nic. Brev. de Boor 59, Mango 64:5 (στρατηγὸς δὲ τοῦ Ὀψικίου λαοῦ), Zon. XV 5.3 (οὗ δὴ θέματος (sc. τοῦ Ὀψικιοῦ) τὴν ἀρχὴν ὁ γαμβρὸς αὐτοῦ περιέζωστο ὁ κουροπαλάτης Ἀρτάβασδος). When Constantine V (Konstantinos 7) continued the policies of his father the opponents of iconoclasm turned to Artabasdos 1 and offered him the crown: Theoph. AM 6232, Zon. XV 5.4-7.
In 742 (but see below on the date) Artabasdos 1 was at Dorylaeum with his sons and his troops: (μετὰ τοῦ Ὀψικίου λαοῦ): Theoph. AM 6233, cf. Nic. Brev. de Boor 59, Mango 64. Nicephorus states that Artabasdos 1 revolted as soon as he heard of the death of Leo III (Leo 3). The date of the rebellion was therefore 741, not 742 as in Theophanes; the earlier date is supported by Chronicle 2, in P. Schreiner, ed., Die Byzantinischen Kleinchroniken (Vienna, 1975-1979), I 47. See also Speck, Artabasdos (see below), pp. 72ff., C. Mango, Nikephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople: Short History. Text, Translation and Commentary (Dumbarton Oaks Texts, Washington, 1990), p. 214. According to Theophanes the two men were suspicious of one another; the emperor Constantine V (Konstantinos 7) sent to Dorylaeum (June 742) to request the attendance of the sons of Artabasdos 1, intending to detain them as guarantees of Artabasdos 1's loyalty; suspecting the emperor's motives and obtaining the support of his troops, Artabasdos 1 marched against Constantine V (Konstantinos 7) with all his men; he executed Beser 1, who was sent to meet him, and the emperor then fled: Theoph. AM 6233. According to Nicephorus, Artabasdos 1 planned to win the throne for himself and obtained from his men an oath of loyalty that they would accept no-one but him as emperor; then when summoned by Constantine V (Konstantinos 7) to a meeting in the plain of Krasos in order to discuss a campaign against the Arabs, Artabasdos 1 came with the intention of overthrowing him; Constantine V (Konstantinos 7), realising Artabasdos 1's plans when Artabasdos 1 killed Beser 1, took flight: Nic. Brev. de Boor 59-60. Mango 64. Artabasdos 1 sent a message to Theophanes 1 at Constantinople via Athanasios 1 and with his support was proclaimed emperor there: Theoph. AM 6233 (because he was orthodox and a champion of divine teachings), Nic. Brev. de Boor 60, Mango 64. With his troops from the Opsikion he went to Constantinople and re-erected the holy icons which had been removed: Nic. Brev. de Boor 60, Mango 64, Theoph. AM 6233. In 743 Artabasdos 1 crowned one of his sons, Nikephoros 4, emperor and the other, Niketas 4, he made strategos of the Armeniakoi; he sent an envoy, Gregorios 8, to the Arab caliph, al-Walid II (Walid 2); in May he made his way to the districts of the Opsikion and attacked Asia, but was defeated near Sardis by Constantine V (Konstantinos 7); he fled first to Kyzikos and then to Constantinople: Nic. Brev. de Boor 61, Mango 65, Theoph. AM 6234.
From September 743 Artabasdos 1 was besieged in Constantinople by Constantine V (Konstantinos 7); when an attempt to fetch fresh supplies of corn failed and the city grew increasingly short of provisions, he tried a sally by land and also an attack by boat on Konstantinos 7's fleet, but both attempts failed, and as the population began to starve he was compelled to allow some of them to leave; his son Niketas 4 was taken prisoner, and he then lost the city and made his escape to the Opsikion district: Theoph. AM 6235, Zon. XV 5. 12-17. He fled to Nikaia where he managed to raise fresh troops but he was then trapped in the fortress of Pouzanes and was himself captured together with his sons; he was taken to Constantinople and put on display in the hippodrome and was then kept in prison and eventually blinded: Nic. Brev. de Boor 62, Mango 66, Theoph. AM 6235, Zon. XV 5.18-21.
Artabasdos 1 was crowned emperor by the patriarch Anastasios 2 and was subsequently overthrown by Constantine V (Konstantinos 7): Theoph. AM 6221. His reign lasted for two years: Zon. XV 8.25.
The papal envoy bearing the synodical letter of pope Zacharias 16 to the emperor Constantine V (Konstantinos 7) found Constantinople in the possession of Artabasdos 1 ("
Said by the Chron. 1234 to have rebelled against the emperor Constantine V (Konstantinos 7) in the year after Leo III (Leo 3) died; as Constantine V (Konstantinos 7) was away from Constantinople Artabasdos 1 was able to seize it and occupy the palace; Constantine V (Konstantinos 7) besieged the city during the summer and then withdrew to Amorion; in the following year Artabasdos 1 marched out against him and battle was joined; Artabasdos 1 was defeated and fled and his followers submitted to Konstantinos 7: Chron. 1234, §167 (pp. 313-314).
According to Pseudo-Dionysios of Tell-Mahre, Artabas (sic) was the son-in-law of the emperor Konstantinos 7; in the year 1045 Sel. (733/734) he rebelled, seized Constantinople and assumed the imperial crown, breaking an agreement which he had made with the emperor Leo III (Leo 3); while Konstantinos 7 was occupied fighting enemies elsewhere Artabas remained in Constantinople with his troops, who were drawn from Pelozonium, to defend it; then when the emperor's army came to Constantinople he defended it against him; meanwhile Pelozonium was allowed to fall into the hands of the Arabs under Sulayman 2 and suffer plunder and pillage; later Artabas was seized and blinded by the emperor Leo 3: Pseudo-Dion., Chron., pp. 171, 16 - 172, 9 = pp. 129ff.
Son-in-law of the emperor Konstantinos 7, Artabasdos 1 rebelled against Konstantinos 7 and occupied Constantinople; after the following winter he marched against Konstantinos 7 and was defeated and fled: Bar Hebr., pp. 110-111, cf. p. 112 (his defeat).
Artabasdos 1 was an orthodox emperor (τὸν ὀρθοδοξότατον ἄνακτα Ἀρτάβασδον τοὔνομα), husband of Anna 1 (sister of the emperor Constantine "
Artabasdos 1 is to be identified with the Artabasdos who owned a number of surviving seals (cf. Zacos and Veglery, p. 996). 1) Zacos and Veglery 1742a, 1742b and 1742c = Oikonomides, Dated Seals, p. 44, no. 32. The inscription reads: τω - δου - λω σου - +Αρτ - αυασδω - πατρικιω- και κουραπ - αλατη+. The obverse has a cruciform monogram of Θεοτόκε βοήθει. A similar seal is Zacos and Veglery 1423.2) Zacos and Veglery 3078A = Oikonomides, Dated Seals, pp. 44-45, no. 33. The inscription reads: Αρταυ - ασδω - +πατρ - κουρ και κ - ομ του θ - εοφ βασι - . Οψικ+. These seals date between 718 and 741, but the evidence does not allow either to be dated more closely; see Oikonomides, Dated Byzantine Seals, p. 45. 3) Zacos and Veglery 1743a and 1743b. Obv.; cruciform monogram of Θεοτόκε βοήθει, with τω - δου - λω - σου in the corners; rev.; Αρταυας - δω πατρ - ικιω - και στ - ρατηγω. 4) Ebersolt, Sceaux byzantins, p. 233, no. 355 (dateable to the iconoclast period); obv.: cruciform monogram in the name of the Virgin; rev.: Ἀρτ[αβ]άσδῳ πατρικίῳ καὶ κουροπαλάτῃ. 5) Schlumberger, Sig., p. 249, no. 2 = Mordtmann, "Byz. Molybdoboullon" I, p.71, no. 10. The text as given in Schlumberger reads: obv.: invocative monogram of Θεοτόκε βοήθει with the legend Ἀρταυάσδῃ; rev.: πατρ' κουρ' και κομ' του θεοφ' β' [Οπσικιου].
There is an imperial seal of Artabasdos in Schlumberger, Sig., p. 420 (facsimile). The obverse has his image and name, the reverse those of his son Nikephoros 4. See also Zacos and Veglery 35 = Whittemore, Orientalia Christiana Periodica 13 (1947), 376-383 (the name and title read: Ἀρταύασδος πιστὸς βασιλεὺς Ῥωμαίων), Likhachev, "Nekotorie" 529, Konstantopoulos, JIAN 9, 382a, Likhachev, "Nekotorie", p. 530, Schlumberger, in REG 13 (1900) 180, Likhachev-Shandrovskaia LIX 8 = Shandrovskaia, "Pamjatniki", p. 249 (= M 8130).
For Artabasdos 1's coins, see Grierson, Catalogue 3.1, pp. 283-89 (he included the name of his son Nikephoros 4 on his coinage). The names of both Artabasdos 1 and Konstantinos 7 (Constantine V) appear on a solidus minted at Rome: Grierson, Catalogue 3.1, p. 288.
See also P. Speck, Artabasdos der Rechtgläubiger Vorkämpfer der göttlichen Lehren. Untersuchungen zur Revolte des Artabasdos und ihrer Darstellung in der byzantinischen Historiographie (Poikila Byzantina 2, Bonn, 1981), Rochow, Theophanes, pp. 143ff., Rochow, Konstantin V, pp. 207-209.
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