Bild

Merging Supreme Commander and Holy Man. George of Pisidia’s Poetic Response to Heraclius’ Military Campaigns

    Nadine Viermann

Jahrbuch der Österreichischen Byzantinistik 70, pp. 379-402, 2021/05/05

doi: 10.1553/joeb70s379


Autor(en):
Titel:
GoID:
Preis:
ISBN13:
Icon Shopping CartArtikel kaufen/Buy article ( € 10,–)

doi: 10.1553/joeb70s379

Einzelpreis €  124,- 

incl. VAT
PDF
X
BibTEX-Export:

X
EndNote/Zotero-Export:

X
RIS-Export:

X 
Researchgate-Export (COinS)

Permanent QR-Code

doi:10.1553/joeb70s379



doi:10.1553/joeb70s379

Abstract

After more than two centuries of sedentary monarchy, Heraclius (r. 610–641) was the first Eastern Roman emperorto leave Constantinople and personally go to war. This paper interprets Heraclius’ decision as an attempt to regain control overthe unruly military sector and traces how the emperor’s campaigns were perceived by the metropolitan public which struggledwith this change of imperial habit. In this context, the poetic oeuvre of George of Pisidia offers an insight into processes ofcommunication and negotiation between the emperor and his subjects. George’s panegyrical poems served the purpose offraming Heraclius’ controversial endeavours with a positive narrative and thus played a major role in strengthening his rule:By using specific terminology, George modelled Heraclius’ engagement as supreme commander on the ascetic practice ofHoly Men. The public impact of George’s panegyric rose from the fact that his innovative portrait of the warring emperorrelated to features of the Zeitgeist governing Constantinople in the early seventh century, which included the increasing sacralisationof war and the rise of Marian devotion.

Keywords: Heraclius, George of Pisidia, Panegyric, Monarchy, Sacralisation