Eustratios 12 was an agent of Photios 1; a stranger in Constantinople (ξένος τις ἄνθρωπος ἄχρις ἐκείνου πρὸς πάντων ἀγνοούμενος), he appeared dressed as a monk (σχῆμα δὲ μοναχοῦ περικείμενος) at the patriarchal palace with two letters supposedly written by Ignatios 1 to pope Nikolaos 28 and by Nikolaos 28 to Photios 1, designed to turn the emperor against Ignatios 1; his claim that Ignatios 1's friend Kyprianos 6 had given him copies of the letters was soon disproved; he was questioned and punished by Bardas 5 (μάστιξιν ὑπὸ τοῦ Καισάρος πικροτάταις ἐκεῖνος κατῃκίσθη), but then Photios 1 rewarded his services to him by making him captain of the diogmitai (μετὰ ταῦτα διωγμητῶν τοῦτον ἄρχοντα καθίστησι, πλῆθος ῥαβδούχων ὑποτάξας αὐτῷ): Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 528D-529C.

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