Platon 1

Prosopography of the Byzantine Empire
SexM
FloruitL VIII/E IX
Dates787 (taq) / 811 (tpq)
ReligionChristian;
Iconophile
LocationsEchekolla (Monastery of);
Echekolla (Monastery of) (residence);
Symboloi (Monastery of the);
Symboloi (Monastery of the) (residence);
Constantinople (officeplace);
Stoudios (Monastery of, Constantinople) (burialplace);
Princes' Islands (exileplace);
Princes' Islands (residence);
Princes' Islands;
Stoudios (Monastery of, Constantinople) (officeplace);
Stoudios (Monastery of, Constantinople) (residence);
Stoudios (Monastery of, Constantinople);
Constantinople;
Olympus (Mt, Bithynia);
Sakkoudion (Monastery of, Bithynia) (officeplace);
Sakkoudion (Monastery of, Bithynia) (residence);
Constantinople (residence);
Sakkoudion (Monastery of, Bithynia);
Stoudios (Monastery of, Constantinople);
Nikaia
OccupationHegoumenos;
Monk
TitlesHegoumenos, Sakkoudion (Bithynia) (office);
Hegoumenos, Stoudios (Constantinople) (office);
Zygostates (office)
Textual SourcesNikaia, Second Council of (Seventh Ecumenical Council, a. 787) (Mansi XII-XIII) (conciliar);
Theodorus Studita, Epistulae, ed. G. Fatouros, CFHB 31.1-2 (Berlin/New York, 1992) (letters);
Theodorus Studita, Laudatio Platonis (BHG 1553), PG 99. 804-850 (hagiography);
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 A Theodori Studitae, Auctore Theodoro Daphnopate? (BHG 1755), PG 99. 113-232 (hagiography);
Vita B Theodori Studitae, Auctore Michaele Monacho Studita (BHG 1754), PG. 99. 233-328 (hagiography);
Vita C Theodori Studitae, Auctore Incerto (BHG 1755d), ed. B. Latyshev, "Vita S. Theodori Studitae in codice Mosquensi musei Rumianzoviani no 520", VV 21 (1914), pp. 258-304 (hagiography);
Zonaras = Ioannis Zonarae Epitome Historiarum, libri XIII-XVIII, ed. Th. Büttner-Wobst, (Bonn, 1897) (history)

Platon 1 was the maternal uncle of Theodoros 15 (Theodore the Stoudite): Vita C Theod. Stud. §7, p. 261 (Πλάτων ὁ ὁσιώτατος καὶ πρὸς μητρὸς θεῖος τῷ Θεοδώρῳ), §6, pp. 261-2 (τοὺς ἀφ' αἵματος αὐτῷ συγγενεῖς, φημὶ δὴ τὸν νῦν εὐφημούμενον Θεόδωρον, ἐξ ἀδελφῆς ὄντα ἀνεψιόν), §10, p. 262 (τοῦ θείου Πλάτωνος), §11, p. 263 (παρὰ τοῦ θείου ... Πλάτωνος), §19, p. 268 (σὺν τῷ θείῳ Πλάτωνι), Vita B Theod. Stud. 240D (τὸν ὁσιόφρονα ἀδελφιδοῦν Θεόδωρον), 269B (τῷ θείῷ αὐτῶν καὶ καθηγεμόνι Πλάτωνι), Vita A Theod. Stud. 121A (ἐξ ἀδελφῆς ὄντα ἀνεψιὸν - of Theodoros 15). His sister, Theodoros 15's mother, was Theoktiste 3: Vita B Theod. Stud. 240C (Θεοκτίστης ὁμαίμων Πλάτων ὁ σεβασμιώτατος). He was also the brother of Anna 13 and a relative of Theodote 1; cf. Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis V 28 (832A). Nephew of Anonymus 653: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis I 5 (808A). He was uncle of Ioseph 3 and Euthymios 14 and had a niece (Anonyma 74): Vita A Theod. Stud. 121A (καὶ πατέρας τοῦ Θεοδώρου καὶ ἀδελφοὺς, Ἰωσὴφ καὶ Εὐθύμιον σὺν ἅμα καὶ μικρᾷ αδελφῇ). He also had three brothers (Anonymi 31): Vita A Theod. Stud. 121A (ὁ Πλάτων καὶ ἀδελφοὺς τοὺς οἰκείους αἱρεῖ τρεῖς). He was born in c. 735; see Vita A Theod. Stud. 165B (cited below).

The hegoumenos of Sakkoudion; in 787 Platon 1 attended the Second Council of Nikaia (the Seventh Ecumenical Council), where he is attested at the second and fourth sessions, on 26 September and 1 October 787: Mansi XII 1111 (Πλάτων ἡγούμενος Σακουδέωνος), XIII 152 (Πλάτων ἡγούμενος καὶ ἀρχιμανδρίτης Σακκουδέων (sic)). At the second session he supported the traditional veneration of icons as described in statements from pope Hadrian I (Hadrianos 1): Mansi XII 1111. At the fourth session he subscribed the statements read out from the Fathers in support of the veneration of icons: Mansi XIII 152. He lived as a monk on Mt Olympus (in Bithynia) from an early age (τὸν Ὄλυμπον ἐκ νέου οἰκῶν): Vita A Theod. Stud. 121A. He was summoned from Mt Olympus to attend the Council of Nikaia: Vita B Theod. Stud. 240CD, Vita C Theod. Stud. §7, p. 261 (Πλάτων ὁ ὁσιώτατος), Vita A Theod. Stud. 121A. At the Council he is said to have created a favourable impression and to have been consulted by the patriarch Tarasios 1: Vita C Theod. Stud. §7, p. 261, Vita B Theod. Stud. 240CD (σύμβουλος αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα καὶ συλλήπτωρ δεξιὸς of Tarasios 1).

After the conclusion of the Council, he visited Constantinople, where he converted many people to "philosophy" (i.e. to the virtues of the ascetic life as a monk), especially some of his blood relations, including Theodoros 15 (Theodore the Stoudite), Theodoros 15's mother, Theoktiste 3 (who was also his own sister), the two brothers and the sister of Theodoros 15, and three other relations; they sold all they had and followed him to pursue the life of a monk: Vita C Theod. Stud. §8, pp. 261-2, Vita B Theod. Stud. 240D (ἄλλους μὲν πολλοὺς τῶν συνήθων ..., μάλιστά γε μὴν τὴν ἰδίαν ἀδελφὴν καὶ τὸν ὁσιόφρονα ἀδελφιδοῦν Θεόδωρον). He gave the tonsure to Theodoros 15: Vita A Theod. Stud. 121D. He and Theodoros 15 settled at Sakkoudion, where Theodoros 15 placed himself wholly under the guidance of Platon 1: Vita C Theod. Stud. §10, p. 262, Vita B Theod. Stud. 241C, Vita A Theod. Stud. 124BC (δεξιὸν ἐποιεῖτο τῶν πρακτέων συλλήπτορα). At Sakkoudion he entrusted Theodoros 15 with the task of building a Church to St John the Theologos: Vita C Theod. Stud. §11, p. 263, Vita B Theod. Stud. 244B, Vita A Theod. Stud. 125B. When Theodoros 15 approached him with plans for reforms to the monastery, Platon 1 gave him permission: Vita C Theod. Stud. §13-14, p. 265, Vita B Theod. Stud. 245C (τῷ πρεσβύτῃ Πλάτωνι), Vita A Theod. Stud. 128C-129A. He then took Theodoros 15 to Constantinople and arranged for the patriarch Tarasios 1 to ordain him as a priest: Vita C Theod. Stud. §15, p. 265, Vita B Theod. Stud. 248A (Πλάτων ὁ σοφὸς ποιμνιάρχης), Vita A Theod. Stud. 129C. He planned to make Theodoros 15 hegoumenos (καθηγητής), as he himself was old and weary; Theodoros 15 was unwilling but agreed when Platon 1 fell gravely ill: Vita C Theod. Stud. §15-16, p. 266 (Theodoros 15 was aged thirty-five at the time; the year was therefore 794), Vita B Theod. Stud. 248D-249B, Vita A Theod. Stud. 132B-133C. He remained an hegoumenos, together with Theodoros 15: Vita B Theod. Stud. 269B (καθηγεμών in 809).

Platon 1 was hegoumenos of Sakkoudion (Πλάτων, ὁ τοῦ Σακκουδίωνος ἡγούμενος) in 796: Theoph. AM 6288 (the monastery of Sakkoudion was near Prousa in Bithynia; see Beck, Kirche, pp. 209, 491). In 796 Platon 1 broke off communion with the patriarch Tarasios 1 for communicating with the emperor Constantine VI (Konstantinos 8) and for allowing Konstantinos 8 to send his wife Maria 2 to a nunnery and for the hegoumenos Ioseph 2 to crown Konstantinos 8 and Theodote 1; he was brought to Constantinople (see Ioannes 17 and Bardanes 3) and imprisoned in a cell in the Church of the Archangel (Michael) in the palace; his nephews and the other monks were exiled to Thessalonike: Theoph. AM 6288, Zon. XV 13. 1-2 (Πλάτων ὁ καθηγητὴς τῆς τοῦ Σακκουδίωνος μονῆς; imprisoned, but he received support from the empress Eirene 1). With Theodoros 15 he broke off communion with the emperor Konstantinos 8 because of this marriage: Vita B Theod. Stud. 253A-D (he was imprisoned in the monastery of Sergios), Vita C Theod. Stud. §19, p. 268. He was released after the blinding and death of Konstantinos 8 in 797, and returned to Sakkoudion, of which he was the founder: Vita B Theod. Stud. 257B-D (ἀρχιτέκτων ταύτης τῆς θεοσυστάτου τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἱερὰς σκηνοπηγίας). Platon 1 rebuked the emperor Konstantinos 8 to his face for divorcing Maria 2 and then marrying Theodote 1; he was then thrown into prison: Theod. Stud., Ep. 443.

In 806 Platon 1 and Theodoros 15 were hegoumenoi of the monastery of Stoudios at Constantinople (Πλάτων δὲ καὶ Θεόδωρος, ἡγούμενοι τῆς μονῆς τῶν Στουδίου); they objected to the selection of Nikephoros 2 as patriarch of Constantinople on the grounds that it was wrong for a layman to be so quickly raised to the position of bishop; according to Theophanes they were prepared to divide the church on the issue (σχίσμα μελετήσαντες) and the emperor Nikephoros I (Nikephoros 8) was narrowly prevailed upon not to exile them: Theoph. AM 6298, Zon. XV 14. 15-16.

Described as a hermit (ἅμα Πλάτωνι ἐγκλείστῳ), Platon 1 later joined Theodoros 15 and Ioseph 3 in refusing to communicate with the patriarch Nikephoros 2 over the affair of Ioseph 2 and the coronation of Kostantinos 8 and Theodote 1; for this they were all expelled from the monastery of Stoudios and exiled from Constantinople by a council of bishops and hegoumenoi called by the emperor Nikephoros 8 in January 809: Theoph. AM 6301. He was exiled with Theodoros 15 and Ioseph 3 to the islands near Constantinople for their opposition to the restoration to the priesthood of Ioseph 2: Vita B Theod. Stud. 269B (τῷ θείῳ αὐτῶν καὶ καθηγεμόνι Πλάτωνι), Vita C Theod. Stud. §30, p. 275, Vita A Theod. Stud. 160BC (Πλάτωνα τὸν σοφόν). When Michael I Rhangabe (Michael 7) became emperor in October 811 they were still detained in custody, but under the new emperor's policy of reconciliation they were reunited with the church: Theoph. AM 6304, cf. Zon. XV 17.8 (he and Theodoros 15 were τοὺς τῆς μονῆς τοῦ Στουδίου ἡγεμονεύσαντας), Vita C Theod.Stud. §32, p. 277 (recall of Theodoros 15 and the others). He died during the reign of Michael I Rhangabe (Michael 7), at the age of seventy-nine (ὀγδοηκοστὸν ἐπιβιοὺς ἔτος ἑνὸς δέοντος), and was buried with honour by the patriarch Nikephoros 2: Vita A Theod. Stud. 165B. He was therefore born in c. 735. He was buried in the monastery of Stoudios: Vita B Theod. Stud. 328A, Vita C Theod. Stud. §81, p. 304, Vita A Theod. Stud. 232B.

Platon 1 was the addressee of several letters from Theodoros 15 (Theodore the Stoudite): Theod. Stud., Ep. 1 (a. March/April 797; addressed Πλάτωνι πνευματικῷ πατρί), Ep. 2 (a. spring 797; addressed τῷ αὐτῷ), Ep. 3 (a. April/August 797; addressed τῷ αὐτῷ), Ep. 57 (before April 4, 814; addressed πρὸς Πλάτωνα τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πατέρα), Ep. 554 (a. 809/811; addressed Πλάτωνι οἰκείῳ πατρί). He was joint author with Theodoros 15 of two letters sent to Rome in 809, to the bishop of Rome Leo III (Leo 11) and the hegoumenos Basilios 135 concerning the Moechian dispute: Theod. Stud., Epp. 34, 35 (Πλάτων ἐγκλειστὸς καὶ Θεόδωρος πρεσβύτερος καὶ ἡγούμενος τῶν Στουδίου). Theodoros 15 mentions him in several other letters: Theod. Stud., Epp. 41, 79, 111, 144, 216, 443. In 809/811 he was one of the monks whom Theodoros 15 proposed to refer to by means of a letter code, for security reasons; he assigned Platon 1 the letter alpha: Theod. Stud., Ep. 41. He is alluded to as dead in letters written during the persecution under the emperor Leo V (Leo 15): Theod. Stud., Epp. 79, 111, 144, 216. Three letters (Theod. Stud., Epp. 1, 2, 3) were written to him when Theodoros 15 was in exile in 797 over their opposition to the second marriage of Konstantinos 8. Theodoros 15 regularly addressed him as ὦ πάτερ or similar throughout the letters. Platon 1 is also alluded to in some of Theodoros 15's sermons: Theod. Stud., Catech. Parva 33, 69, 95, 123 (pp. 121ff., 241, 326, 430 Auvray), Theod. Stud., Catech. Magna 2, 56 (pp. 6, 171, in NPB IX).

Platon 1 was the subject of a Laudatio by Theodoros 15 (Theodore the Stoudite): Vita B Theod. Stud. 240D, Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis. Son of Sergios 100 and Euphemia 4 (πατέρες): Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis I 3 (805A). Of noble family (εὐγενὴς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα): Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis II 11 (813B). He had two sisters (δυσὶ θυγατράσι): Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis I 3 (805B). They were Anna 13 and Theoktiste 3. His parents died during a plague at Constantinople, when Platon 1 was young: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis I 3 (805B), 5 (808A - κομιδῇ παῖς τυγχάνων). He was brought up by a relation (ὑφ' ἑνὶ τῶν συγγενῶν) (who was an uncle, Anonymus 653, cf. below): Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis I 5 (808A). He learned the skills of a notarios and helped the uncle (Anonymus 653) who had taken charge of him in his office as a zygostates, demonstrating such capacity that he became well known among the imperial finance officers and attracted the attention of grandees and of the emperor (καρποφορεῖ δὲ, ταῖς παρ' ἑαυτοῦ σπουδαῖς τε καὶ φιλοζηλίαις, τὴν παίδευσιν τῆς νοταρικῆς μεθόδου, ὡς οὔπω τις τῶν καὶ πατρικαῖς ἐπιμελείαις προμηθευομένων, συζυγοστατῶν τε αὐτῷ προσειληφότι θείῳ τὰ βασιλικὰ χρήματα. Καὶ τοσοῦτον φανεὶς ἐνταῦθα περιδέξιος, ὡς ὄνομα μόνον ἔχειν ἐκεῖνον τῆς ἀρχῆς, τὸν δὲ τὸ ἔργον γνωρίζεσθαι, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα ἐπίσημον μὲν εἶναι ἐν τοῖς βασιλικοῖς ταμιεύμασιν, ἀσπαστὸν δὲ τοῖς ἄρχουσι, γνώριμόν τε καὶ αὐτῷ τῷ Καίσαρι): Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis I 5 (808B). He lived soberly and avoided the distractions of youth, concentrating on his work as a zugostates (σχολαῖς δὲ ἐπιπόνοις ἐφεστὼς τῇ ζψγοστασίᾳ) and accumulating considerable wealth to add to the fortune which he had inherited: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis I 6 (808CD). He made known privately to an unnamed hegoumenos his preference for a religious life: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis I 7 (808D-809A). He sold his property, including his ancestral estate, and donated the proceeds to the poor, and he freed his slaves; he retained enough means only to support his two sisters (ταῖς δυσὶν ἀδελφαῖς), and then left Constantinople; following the suggestion of an unnamed archimandrite at Constantinople, he withdrew to the monastery of the Symbola under the hegoumenos Theoktistos 21; with one attendant he left Constantinople, as far as a place called Basileis, where he had his attendant cut his hair; then he donned mean clothes, sent the attendant back and proceeded on his way alone: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis I 8 (809BC).

When Platon 1 renounced the world he was successful and prosperous and in the flower of his youth (ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ ἄνθει τῆς ἡλικίας): Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis II 9 (809D-812A). He undertook his share of menial tasks, while living partly with one companion in seclusion under the guidance of Theoktistos 21: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis II 11 (813AB). He became a trusted confidant of Theoktistos 21: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis II 13 (816AB). After the death of Theoktistos 21, Platon 1 went to live in his cell and became a solitary (τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἀσπάζεται): Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis II 14 (816C). He was then chosen by the monks to be their spiritual director, as the successor (κατὰ διαδοχὴν) of Theoktistos 21, alongside the hegoumenos: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis III 15 (817B). One of his leading disciples (δυοῖν φοιτητῶν καθηγητὴς) was Antonios 35, still alive in old age under Theodoros 15, from whom Theodoros 15 drew information for his Life of Platon 1 about his uncle's way of life: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis III 15ff. (817Bff.). Platon 1 copied works of the Fathers (τοὺς τὰ ἐκείνου πονήματα εἵτ' οὖν βιβλιοδάρια ἔχοντας, ἐκ διαφέρων Πατέρων ἀνθολογηθέντα) and his manuscripts were still available in monasteries when Theodoros 15 was writing: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis III 16 (820A). This was during the reign of Konstantinos 7, after whose death Platon 1 visited Constantinople on business, where his reappearance created a great impression and his influence on moral conduct is described as considerable: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis III 17-18 (820B-821B). He was allegedly offered the post of hegoumenos of one of the monasteries in Constantinople, and was also offered the bishopric of Nikomedeia by the then patriarch, but refused both offers, preferring to return to the life of a monk: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis III 19 (821BC).

Under Eirene 1 the whole of Platon 1's family renounced the world and Platon 1, though reluctantly, became hegoumenos (ἡ μετὰ τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἡγεμονία), partly under pressure from his relatives: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis IV 21 (824BC). On becoming hegoumenos he looked for advice especially to the writings of St Basil and reformed the conduct and organisation of the monastery: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis IV 22-23 (824C-825C). Theodoros 15 himself helped him in this task (συναγωνιστήν τε καὶ συλλήπτορα): Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis IV 23 ad fin. (825C). At the request of the patriarch Tarasios 1 he was present at the council called by the empress Eirene 1 in the Church of the Holy Apostles to settle the problem of iconoclasm (in 785), and after that was broken up by disorderly elements he attended the later council summoned by the empress at Nikaia (in 787): Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis IV 24 (825C-828B). After the Council he returned to his monastery, and then falling gravely ill, transferred the role of hegoumenos to Theodoros 15; he was then able to resume his life as an ascetic monk: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis IV 25 (828BC).

Platon 1 opposed the second marriage of the emperor Constantine VI (Konstantinos 8) and endured a year of harrassment in consequence: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis V 26 (829AB). When he refused to give way, he and his monks were driven from their monastery and barred from receiving help at other monasteries: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis V 27 (829BD). Taken before the emperor, he spoke out against him, and was then imprisoned in a cell: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis V 28 (832AB). He was detained in the monastery of Echekolla, under the guard of the hegoumenos who had crowned both the emperor and his second wife (i.e. Ioseph 2): Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis V 29 (832B-833A). With the overthrow of Konstantinos 8, Platon 1 was released from captivity and treated as a hero and a martyr by everyone who had formerly criticised him; even Ioseph 2 asked his forgiveness: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis V 30 (833AB). The exiled monks all returned and Platon 1 was reconciled to the patriarch (Tarasios 1), while Ioseph 2 was deposed: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis V 31 (833BC). Because of the danger of barbarian attack, the monks all moved to Constantinople, where Platon 1 handed over the responsibility of running the monastery to Theodoros 15 and returned to the life of a hermit: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis VI 32 (833D-836C). In his new cell he inflicted hardships on himself, fastening a heavy chain to his foot, while praying and performing pastoral work: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis VI 33 (836C-837A).

Following the death of the patriarch (Tarasios 1), Platon 1 was among those asked to suggest who should succeed him; others (which Theodoros 15 does not record) agreed with his recommendation but it was overruled by the emperor: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis VI 34 (837AC). He then incurred the displeasure of the emperor Nikephoros I (Nikephoros 8) after paying a visit one night to a monk who happened to be a relative of the emperor, for medical reasons; for this he was detained in custody for twenty-four days; shortly afterwards the affair concerning Ioseph 2 began: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis VI 35 (837C-840A). Platon 1 was arrested and taken into custody and then produced before the so-called Moechian synod with three colleagues; he was then old and weak and had to be carried: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis VI 36 (840AB). He was exiled to one of the islands near Constantinople, as was also Theodoros 15's brother Ioseph 3: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis VI 37 (840C). In exile on the island of St Mamas, he suffered hardships and being old and weak fell gravely ill; the emperor ordered his return to Constantinople, but then perished himself in battle; under the next rulers (i.e. Michael I Rhangabes, Michael 7) Platon 1 was restored to his flock: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis VI 39 (841B-844A). Now free, Platon 1 was weakened and no longer able to perform physical tasks but was confined to his bed, and spent his last days praying and reading and giving spiritual advice; he died in his seventy-ninth year; he had lived twenty-four years before he renounced the world, spent forty-eight years as a monk, four years as a victim of persecution and three years of illness: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis VII 42-44 (844C-845A). His last days are described in Theod. Stud., Laudatio Platonis VII 42-44 (845A-848B).

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