Female Archons

By Elias Damianakis Archon Maestor Great Church of Christ

Dedicated

to Sub-deaconess, Archontissa Magistrissa, Angela Damianakis, BA MSW LCSW, the love of my life, my wife.

Forever and a day...

In the Roman (Byzantine) Empire, there were several titles and roles held by women, some of whom played significant roles in both the religious and secular spheres. The nature of the office was imperial and trace their roots from the time of Jesus Christ through to the 13th century in the West when the popularity of Byzantine became fashionable after the sack of Constantinople in 1204

The Archontissa’s life in Christ and her struggle in the life of piety and virtue, precede every work. The same may be said for a presbytera or the Superior of a convent -the igumenia. Both ecclesiastical offikia (title) are a nonordained lay ministry for women one by marriage and one by laying of hands “cheirothesia.” The cheirothesia is lay ecclesiastic title misnamed “Lower-Clergy” (Psalti-chanters, altar servers, candle bearers, readers, sub-deacons…) which is distinguished from cheirotonia of the “higher” clergy (bishops, priests deacons, priests, and bishops). This distortion developed in the Russian realm’s deleterious behaviors like the racist policies/politics, architecture, music, and iconography of Orthodoxy, which infiltrated the Orthodox Church…

These titles offer insights into the roles and designations of women in the Byzantine Empire, both within the imperial court and through their marital connections to influential officials and dignitaries. Here are some dedicated female titles in the Roman (Byzantine) Empire:

Augusta: The title given to the Empress of the Roman (Byzantine) Empire, or the wife of the reigning Emperor.

Despoina: A title of respect given to high-ranking noblewomen, and often the wives of officials or governors.

Hetaireiarchēs: A title given to a high-ranking court lady, the chief of the imperial court ladies.

Panhypersebastos: A title given to a woman of high rank and honor, often related to the imperial family.

Pansebastē: Title for noblewomen and ladies-in-waiting imperial court.

Zoste Patrikia: The title who is chief attendant and assistant.

The prevalence and prominence of these titles could vary over time and across different regions within the Byzantine Empire. Byzantine society, like many ancient and medieval societies, was primarily patriarchal, and women's roles were often tied to their familial connections and relationships with influential men. To confuse matters deeper many of these female titles were blessed by the church, but not necessarily ecclesiastic in nature i.e., imperial coronations.

19th Century Archontissa

Κριεζής Ανδρέας (1813 - 1878)

Υδραία αρχόντισσα, 1847

Λάδι σε μουσαμά, 101 x 82 εκ.

National Gallery of Greece

Antonina was a Roman (Byzantine) patrikia and wife of the general Belisarius. Her influence over her husband was great; Procopius features her as dominating Belisarius. The historian Paolo Cesaretti mentions her as a controversial figure and the "right arm" of the empress Theodora in the exercise of influence and power.

Born: 495 AD

Died: 565 AD

The Roman (Byzantine) Empire had a rich and varied society with numerous titles and designations, and the prominence of these titles could vary depending on the time period and specific circumstances within the empire. female titles in connection to familial connections within the Roman (Byzantine) Empire:

Augusta Mater: The title given to the mother of the reigning Emperor, signifying her status as the Empress Mother.

Autokratorissa: The wife of an autokrator, a title for a Roman (Byzantine) emperor.

Basilissa: The title given to a queen or empress consort, the wife of a king or emperor.

Chiliarchissa: The wife of a chiliarch, a high-ranking military officer.

Douxissa: The wife of a doux, a military governor of a theme.

Eparchissa: The wife of an Eparch, a high-ranking provincial governor.

Eparchoessa: The wife of an eparchoi, a provincial governor.

Epi tēs aulēs: A lady-in-waiting serving in the imperial court.

Epi tēs manoulēs: A lady-in-waiting responsible for the imperial wardrobe and garments.

Epi tēs trapezēs: A lady-in-waiting responsible for the imperial table and courtly affairs.

Epi ton oikeiakon: A lady-in-waiting overseeing the imperial household.

Epi tou hierou: A lady-in-waiting responsible for the sacred ceremonies.

Hypatosissa: The wife of a hypatos, an honorific title for high-ranking officials.

Hypertimos: The wife of a hypertimos, a title of great honor and respect.

Kaisarissa: The title given to the wife of the Roman (Byzantine) co-emperor, signifying her role as Empress.

Kaisarōnissa: The wife of a kaisar, an imperial title for co-emperors or certain imperial relatives.

Komēs: A title given to a countess, the wife of a count or provincial governor.

Kouropalatissa: The wife of a kouropalates, a high-ranking court official.

Kubernētissa: The wife of a kubernētēs, a high-ranking civil official.

Logothetissē tou dromou: The wife of the Logothetēs tou dromou, official responsible for imperial correspondence.

Magistrosissa: The wife of a magistros, a prestigious title for a senior civil or military official.

Megas Douxissa: The wife of the Megas Doux, the commander of the Roman (Byzantine) navy.

Megas Logothetissa: The wife of the Megas Logothetes, the senior finance minister.

Mētēr Anthypatissa: The title for the mother of an anthypatos, a high-ranking official.

Mētēr Anthypatōn: The title for the mother of an anthypatos, a senior honorific title.

Mētēr Basileōs: The title for the mother of the reigning emperor, the Empress Mother.

Mētēr Sebastou Autokratoros: The title for the mother of a sebastos autokrator, a senior member of the imperial family.

Mētēr Sevastou: The title for the mother of a sebastos, a high imperial title.

Pancyprian Despoina: The title given to the wife of the governor of Cyprus.

Panhypersebastos: A title given to a woman of high rank and honor, often related to the imperial family.

Patrikiosissa: The wife of a patrikios, a high-ranking honorific title for officials and courtiers.

Porphyrogennetos: The title given to a princess born in the Purple Chamber of the imperial palace.

Praipositos: The wife of a praipositos, a high-ranking court official.

Praotatos: The wife of a praotatos, a high-ranking court official.

Proedrissa: The wife of a proedros, a high-ranking civil official.

Proedrosissa: The wife of the Proedros, a high-ranking civil official.

Prōtoabla: The wife of the Prōtoablos, a high-ranking imperial official.

Sevastokratorissa: The wife of a sevastokrator, a title for a senior member of the imperial family.

Stratēgissa autokratorikē: The wife of a military governor with extensive powers.

Stratēgissa: The wife of a military governor (strategos) or a high-ranking military officer.

Stratēgos Autokratorikosissa: The wife of a military governor with broad powers and authority.

Stratēlissē: The wife of a strategos, a provincial military governor.

Tzaousi: The wife of the Tzaousios, a high-ranking military title.

Zoste Patrikia: A title also given to the wife of the Patrikios, a high-ranking military officer.

The most referred contemporary female Offikion (title) today is Zōstē patrikía. Notable due to the inexhaustible font of Patriarchal critiques. Either as a source of contention or as a personal biased demand, based on contemporary understanding the Zoste Patrikia which is unique, let me explain.

“Zōstē patrikía (Greek: ζωστὴ πατρικία) was a Roman (Byzantine) court title reserved exclusively for the woman who was the chief attendant and assistant, to the Empress. A very high title, its holder ranked as the first woman after the Empress herself in the imperial court. The title is attested from the 9th century until the 12th century, but only a handful of its holders are known.

The title means ‘girded lady-patrician,’ often translated into English as ‘Mistress of the Robes’ and was used for highranking court ladies who were attached to the Roman (Byzantine) empresses as their ladies of honor. Its origin or date of institution are unclear.

Disregarding a clearly anachronistic reference to Antonina, the wife of the great 6th-century general Belisarius, as being a zostē patrikia, the title is first attested in c. 830 for Theoktiste, the mother of Empress Theodora. The title is last attested in literary sources (the Skylitzes Chronicle) in 1018, when it was conferred to Maria, the former Empress of Bulgaria, and finally in a series of lead seals dated to the late 11th century. It disappears thereafter, along with many other titles of the middle Byzantine period, following the reforms of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos.

In Philotheos's Klētorologion of 899, the dignity of the zostē patrikia is placed very high in the imperial order of precedence, coming before the magistros and after the kouropalatēs. Her exceptional status is further illustrated by the fact that she was one of only six dignitaries who dined at the imperial table—along with the Patriarch of Constantinople, the Caesar, the nōbelissimos, the kouropalatēs and the basileopatōr—and by the prominent role she played in imperial ceremonies, especially those revolving around the Empress, such as the coronation of an empress or the birth of a child.

The zōstē patrikia functioned as the chief attendant to the empress (to whom she was usually related) and the head of the women's court (the sekreton tōn gynaikōn), which consisted mostly of the wives of high-ranking officials. Indeed, hers was the only specifically female dignity: other women bore the feminine versions of their husbands' titles. A zōstē patrikia is therefore, in John B. Bury's words, ‘the only lady who was πατρικία in her own right,’ and not to be confused with a simple patrikia, who was the spouse or widow of a patrikios. Indeed, the French scholar Rodolphe Guilland points out that the title itself appears to be a compound one, with the sources sometimes calling it "the zōstē and patrikia", indicating that the noble title of patrikia was added to the court dignity of zōstē.

The zōstē was raised to the rank in an elaborate investiture ceremony in the Theotokos of the Pharos palace chapel, which is recorded in the De Ceremoniis of Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (r. 913–959). The ceremony ended in the Chrysotriklinos audience hall, where she received from the emperor's hands the ivory tablets that were the insignium of her office. She then visited the Hagia Sophia, where the tablets were blessed by the Patriarch, before making her way to the Magnaura, where she received the congratulations of the women of the court and the spouses of the high dignitaries. Finally, she returned to the Pharos chapel, where she deposited an offering of 70 nomismata, before retiring to her apartments. The distinctive dress of the zōstē, which probably gave the title her name, was the broad belt or loros that she put on at the investiture ceremony. A descendant of the ancient Roman consular trabea, the golden lōros was the "most prestigious imperial insignium” and was also worn by the Byzantine emperor and a select few of his highest dignitaries such as the Eparch of Constantinople or the magistroi. A less likely origin of the zōstē may derive from her position as chief lady-in-waiting to the empress, among whose duties was to supervise her dress, or, as the Patria of Constantinople puts it, to "gird" the empress.

The zōstē held her title for life, even after the death of an empress she had been appointed to serve. In addition, like most Byzantine titles, the dignity could be conferred as a simple honor without the requirement of service, as was most likely the case with Theoktiste and Maria, the widow of Tsar Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria.”

Ecclesiastic Offikia are bestowed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and when His All Holiness establishes a Sisterhood Archontissa may Saints Euphemia, Solomona, Theophano, and the Panagia Theotokos bless them with abundance, dedication and perseverance to fight the good fight with dignity for the Glory of God.

Despite the prominence of their title, zōstai are rarely mentioned in contemporary sources. As Rodolphe Guilland writes, "confined to the women's quarters of the empress, they hardly had the opportunity to become known. Certainly, the women's quarters were sometimes a hotbed of intrigue and scandal; but the noise of these intrigues and these scandals hardly crossed the walls of the Great Palace." Some famous Ladies of Byzantium:

Antonina, wife of Belisarius (anachronistic reference from the Patria of Constantinople).

Theoktiste, mother of Empress Theodora, the wife of Emperor Theophilos (r. 829–842).

Anastasia, late 10th-century Life of Basil the Younger hagiography. Identifiable with Anastaso, the daughter of the patrikios Adralestos.

Olga of Kiev is sometimes considered as having been created a zōstē during her visit to Constantinople.

Miroslava of Bulgaria, daughter of Emperor Samuel of Bulgaria (997–1014), who defected to Byzantium along with her husband, Ashot Taronites.

Empress Maria, wife of Emperor Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria (r. 1015–1018). She was conferred the title after she fled to the Byzantine court following the murder of her husband.

Khousousa, wife of Seneqerim-Hovhannes, last ruler of the Kingdom of Vaspurakan known through a seal mentioning her as "zōstē and mother of David the magistros."

Irene, attested only through an 11th-century seal which describes her as a nun.

Maria Melissene, attested in a seal dated to c. 1060–1070. It has been suggested that she might be the mother of Nikephoros Melissenos, the brother-inlaw of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos.

Anna Radene, a close friend of Michael Psellos, probably c. 1070.

Helena Tornikine, "zōstē and kouropalatissa" attested in a seal dated to c. 1070–1110.