Democharis 1

Prosopography of the Byzantine Empire
SexM
FloruitE IX
Dates821 (taq) / 821 (tpq)
PmbZ No.1322
ReligionChristian
TitlesGenikos logothetes (office);
Strategos (office)
Textual SourcesIgnatios of Nicaea, Epistulae, in C. Mango, The Correspondence of Ignatios the Deacon, Dumbarton Oaks Texts 11 (Washington, DC, 1997) (letters);
Theodorus Studita, Epistulae, ed. G. Fatouros, CFHB 31.1-2 (Berlin/New York, 1992) (letters)

Democharis 1 was logothetes genikos; addressee of a letter from Theodoros 15 (Theodore the Stoudite); he came of well-born family (ῥίζης εὐφυοῦς ἀγαθὸν βλάστημα: p. 596, line 6); he was well-educated and orthodox (i.e. he supported the veneration of icons); he had held many offices and had risen to the highest positions in the state (ἀρχὰς ἐξ ἀρχῶν ἀμείβουσα εἰς τὴν κορυφαιοτάτην τῶν ἐν τέλει ἀνέδραμεν εὖγε καὶ πάνυ εἰκότως: p. 596, lines 9-10); he earned the approval of Theodoros because he had once argued with Ioannes Grammatikos (i.e. Ioannes 5); Theodoros 15 addresses Democharis 1 as ὦ δέσποτά μου (p. 597, line 22) and styles him τῇ ὑπερφυεῖ καὶ εὐσεβεστάτῃ σου μεγαλωσύνῃ (p. 596, line 5) and τῇ μεγίστῃ σου ὑπεροχῇ (p. 597, line 23): Theod. Stud., Ep. 426, pp. 596-597 (addressed Δημόχαρι λογοθέτῃ γενικῷ). The letter is dateable shortly after the accession of the emperor Michael II (Michael 10), i.e. early 821. Subsequently Theodoros 15 wrote a letter to the wife of Democharis, Anonyma 93 (it is addressed τῇ ὁμόζυγι Δημόχαρι), consoling her on the death of her husband, who is referred to as τοῦ μακαρίου στρατηγοῦ (p. 643, line 2; he was therefore a strategos at the time of his death or shortly before); he is described as good and pious and a champion of orthodoxy and peace (ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς καὶ εὐσεβής, πρόμαχος ὀρθοδοξίας καὶ ἀγωνιστὴς εἰρήνης: p. 643, lines 8-9) (suggesting that he not only supported the veneration of icons himself but actively tried to moderate the iconoclast persecution); he left his widow with children and a fine property (τέκνα ἐχεις καὶ οἰκία σοι πάρεστιν μεγαλοφυὴς: p. 643, lines 18-19); he was well educated (πεπαιδευμένου ἀνδρὸς: p. 644, line 26), and was learned and wise enough to have undertaken the instruction of catechumens (καὶ γνωστικὸς καὶ σοφὸς καὶ παιδευτὴς τῶν ἀμυήτων: p. 644, line 27): Theod. Stud., Ep. 454, pp. 643-644. The letter is dateable between 821 and 826, since it is later than Ep. 424.

Democharis 1 was the addressee of four letters from Ignatios 9 (Ignatius the Deacon): Ignatius Diac., Ep. 21 (addressed Δημοχάρει γενικῷ λογοθέτῃ), Ep. 22 (addressed τῷ Δημοχάρει γενικῷ λογοθέτῃ), Epp. 23-24 (both addressed τῷ αὐτῷ). He was a close acquaintance of Ignatios 9 and a man of learning; Ignatios 9 alludes to the Pythagorean concept of friendship in two letters: Epp. 21, 22. Democharis 1 was appealed to by Ignatios 9 on behalf of a group of men from the island of Androte (location unknown; cf. Mango, Ignatios, pp. 179-180) who captained grainships for Constantinople and who had taken wheat from their cargo in a time of need and replaced it with barley, and who had been beaten and had their hair shorn in consequence and were now facing financial penalties; he is asked to cancel the fine; Ignatios 9 alludes to τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀμνησίκακον τελειότητα: Ignatius Diac., Ep. 21. He received a petition from Ignatios 9 on behalf of an unnamed widow and agreed to resolve it, but when time passed and nothing was done Ignatios 9 wrote once more urging her case; the language of Ignatios 9, that Democharis 1 was neglecting his duties and acting as if already out of office, suggests that Democharis 1's time in the post was nearing its end: Ep. 23. The fourth letter was written to him soon after his removal from office (ἐπὶ τῇ συμβάσῃ τῆς ἀξίας ἀποβολῇ: lines 22-23), which was apparently against his wishes (note ἄκοντες in line 20) and recommends the benefits of retirement; he had daughters who had born him grandsons (ἐπὶ θυγατράσιν υἱοί σου); Ignatios 9 alludes to τὴν ὑμετέραν ἐν Χριστῷ σεβασμιότητα: Ep. 24. Possibly identical with Democharis 2.

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