Damianos 2 was a eunuch, of Slav origin; he was patrikios and parakoimomenos during the reign of Michael III (Michael 11): Theoph. Cont. V 16 (p. 234) (εἶχε δὲ κατὰ τοὺς χρόνους ἐκείνους παρακοιμώμενον ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν εὐνοῦχον Δαμιανὸν τὸν πατρίκιον, τῷ γένει Σκλάβον), cf. Leo Gramm. 235-236, 241-242, Georg. Mon. Cont. 821-822, 827, Ps.-Symeon 657, 675 (Δαμιανὸς πατρίκιος καὶ παρακοιμώμενος, or similar).

Damianos 2 was perhaps a commander of the Roman fleet which captured Damietta on 22 May 853 and is identical with the man called Ibn Qatuna in the Arabic sources; see CMH IV.1, p. 106, n. 1, Ostrogorsky, History, p. 222, with n. 2, but see also Sergios 57. Cf. also Bardas 5 and Ooryphas 3.

A friend of the Kaisar Bardas 5, Damianos 2 used his influence over the emperor Michael 11 to obtain Bardas 5's recall from exile and then his readmittance to the palace; he subsequently conspired with Bardas 5 and Theophanes 7 to overthrow and kill Theoktistos 3, chief ally of the empress regent Theodora 2, on the grounds that only his removal would enable Michael 11 to exercise power; he also secured Michael's support for the plot: Leo Gramm. 235-236, Georg. Mon. Cont. 821-822, Ps.-Symeon 657. The date was 856. He later offended Bardas; while sitting with the senate at the Horologion he failed to rise in his honour when Bardas arrived in procession; Bardas complained to the emperor, who had Damianos arrested, tonsured and made a monk at St Mamas, where he was kept under guard (cf. Maximianos 1); Damianos was succeeded as parakoimomenos by Basilios 7 (the future emperor Basil I): Leo Gramm. 241-242, Georg. Mon. Cont. 827, Ps.-Symeon 675. The story of his downfall is told differently in Theophanes Continuatus; he was critical of the way various people were conducting public affairs and he complained to the emperor Michael 11 about, among others, the kaisar Bardas 5, whom he accused of taking too much power to himself and of misleading the emperor; in consequence the emperor cancelled certain measures which Bardas 5 had taken; Bardas 5 therefore intrigued against Damianos 2 and eventually turned Michael 11 against him and secured his dismissal; after some delay Basilios 7 was appointed as his successor and Bardas 5 commented that he had disposed of a fox only to see it replaced by a lion: Theoph. Cont. V 16 (pp. 234-235).

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