PROTOSTRATOR IN BYZANTIUM AND GEORGIA FROM THE 8TH TO THE 12TH CENTURIES

Abstract

Protostrator is a Greek term and means “the first among the strators”. Strator in Greek means a groom. Besides the imperial court, the strators served to the various members of the official administration of Byzantine Empire. Strators formed the independent scholae at the court of the Byzantine emperor. Probably to distinguish them from the other strators, they were referred as strators of the imperial stratorikion. This group was lead by the protostrator. The latter was named as basilikos protostrator, or protostrator of the imperial court.Influence of the protostrators in Byzantium was especially increased in the 11th century. This could be certified by the activities of persons who held the office of protostrator and other important offices and court titles in Byzantine Empire. Among them was Romanos Skleros, scion of famous Bardas Skleros. He became magistros and protostrator in 1042, but later by 1050 Romanos received office of doux of Antioch instead of protostrator. The latter was given to someone, probably to the famous Georgian feudal eristavt-eristavi Liparit IV Baghvashi, who was the most trusted ally of Constantine IX Monomachos. Liparit was ransomed from Seljuk captivity by the Byzantine Emperor in 1050, hence at that time he was ready to accept this office.Liparit IV Baghvashi was the first Georgian protostrator according to the Georgian inscriptions. In the Georgian inscription of the church in the village named as Darakoy (Kvemo Kartli region) the term “protatisasa” appears, which must be read as “prot(ostr)at(or)isasa”, hence the term “protostrator” appears at the first time in the Georgian inscriptions. The analogical reading we find on the St. George’s icon that belongs to the Holy Virgin church at Labetchini (Svaneti region). Inscription was made by the order of Ivane Vardanisdze. Also, the term “protatos” is not found in the Byzantine dictionary, hence the presence of this type of Byzantine title must to be rejected.This inscription from St. George’s icon is important for the study of the title of protostrator in Georgia. Ivane, son of Vardan, is named as protostrator in this inscription. Ivane had belonged to the famous Vardanisdze noble family, the members of this family had the office of eristavi of Svaneti for many years. During the rule of David IV the Restorer Ivane Vardanisdze had several leading offices in Georgia including, the office of eristavi of Svaneti (governor of Svaneti province) and metchurtchletukhutsesi (the master of treasury) as well. From the inscription of St. George’s icon that belongs to the Holy Virgin church at Labetchini we learn that he also had the Byzantine title of protostrator.