Between Norman Administrators and Local Advocates: Archontes in Greek Archival Sources of Calabria in the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries

Nathan Leidholm

Article Details

Between Norman Administrators and Local Advocates: Archontes in Greek Archival Sources of Calabria in the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries

Authors:

Nathan Leidholm

Publisher:

Ankara University

Main Topics:

Bizans Tarihi | Ortaçağ Avrupa Tarihi

Journal:

Tarih Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.43 Issue 77, pp.309-333

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2024

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001328779

pISSN:

1015-1826

Keywords:

Abstract:

 In both the Byzantine and Norman periods of rule, Greek notarial documents and other archival records from Southern Italy and Sicily frequently mention a group known as archontes, a collective term referring to local notables or potentates. While notoriously difficult to define with precision, this group encompassed a wide range of individuals and families, including those who held title or office often originating in the Byzantine period as well as those whose influence was more informal or due primarily to wealth or land ownership. Those families included among these archontes display a large degree of continuity between the early eleventh and mid-twelfth centuries, and they almost universally represent local, Greek-speaking elements rather than individuals appointed to administrative positions from elsewhere. This article argues that this group of families in Calabria played a specific role as intermediaries between the local, Greek-speaking population and the newly established Norman powers, particularly in the first century of the latters arrival in the region. This role is most visible in records of legal disputes, especially when land ownership was involved, when judicial decisions were made and issued jointly in the name of a Norman-appointed judge and an assembly of local archontes. I contend that this role can be more thoroughly understood through the comparative use of archival documents from Greek monasteries in the region and the legal handbook known as the Prochiron Legum or Prochiron Calabriae, which may suggest that this legal function quickly became quasi-formalized and supported by written legislation.

 In both the Byzantine and Norman periods of rule, Greek notarial documents and other archival records from Southern Italy and Sicily frequently mention a group known as archontes, a collective term referring to local notables or potentates. While notoriously difficult to define with precision, this group encompassed a wide range of individuals and families, including those who held title or office often originating in the Byzantine period as well as those whose influence was more informal or due primarily to wealth or land ownership. Those families included among these archontes display a large degree of continuity between the early eleventh and mid-twelfth centuries, and they almost universally represent local, Greek-speaking elements rather than individuals appointed to administrative positions from elsewhere. This article argues that this group of families in Calabria played a specific role as intermediaries between the local, Greek-speaking population and the newly established Norman powers, particularly in the first century of the latters arrival in the region. This role is most visible in records of legal disputes, especially when land ownership was involved, when judicial decisions were made and issued jointly in the name of a Norman-appointed judge and an assembly of local archontes. I contend that this role can be more thoroughly understood through the comparative use of archival documents from Greek monasteries in the region and the legal handbook known as the Prochiron Legum or Prochiron Calabriae, which may suggest that this legal function quickly became quasi-formalized and supported by written legislation.

 In both the Byzantine and Norman periods of rule, Greek notarial documents and other archival records from Southern Italy and Sicily frequently mention a group known as archontes, a collective term referring to local notables or potentates. While notoriously difficult to define with precision, this group encompassed a wide range of individuals and families, including those who held title or office often originating in the Byzantine period as well as those whose influence was more informal or due primarily to wealth or land ownership. Those families included among these archontes display a large degree of continuity between the early eleventh and mid-twelfth centuries, and they almost universally represent local, Greek-speaking elements rather than individuals appointed to administrative positions from elsewhere. This article argues that this group of families in Calabria played a specific role as intermediaries between the local, Greek-speaking population and the newly established Norman powers, particularly in the first century of the latters arrival in the region. This role is most visible in records of legal disputes, especially when land ownership was involved, when judicial decisions were made and issued jointly in the name of a Norman-appointed judge and an assembly of local archontes. I contend that this role can be more thoroughly understood through the comparative use of archival documents from Greek monasteries in the region and the legal handbook known as the Prochiron Legum or Prochiron Calabriae, which may suggest that this legal function quickly became quasi-formalized and supported by written legislation.

 Hem Bizans hem de Norman egemenliği altındaki Güney İtalya ve Sicilyada, Yunanca noter belgeleri ve diğer arşiv kayıtları sıklıkla archontes olarak bilinen bir gruptan bahseder. Bu terim, yereldeki saygın kişiler veya yetki sahiplerinden oluşan bir grubu adlandırmak için kullanılır. Kesin olarak tanımlanması oldukça zor olsa da bu grup, genellikle Bizans döneminde unvan ya da makam sahibi olanlarla malvarlıkları nedeniyle dolaylı şekilde yetki sahibi olan bireyleri ve aileleri kapsar. On birinci yüzyılın başlarıyla on ikinci yüzyılın ortaları arasında büyük ölçüde süreklilik gösteren bu archonler arasında yer alan ailelerin neredeyse tamamı idari pozisyonlara dışarıdan atananları değil yerel ve Yunanca konuşan bireyleri temsil eder. Bu makale, Calabriadaki archontes olarak adlandırılan bu aile grubunun, özellikle Normanların bölgeye gelişinin ilk yüzyılında, Yunanca konuşan yerel halk ile yeni kurulan Norman güçleri arasında bir tür aracı rolü üstlendiğini öne sürmektedir. Bu rol özellikle yargı kararlarının Normanlar tarafından atanan bir yargıç ve yerel archonteslerden oluşan bir kurulun ortaklaşa verdiği toprak mülkiyeti gibi hukuki anlaşmazlıkların kayıtlarında göze çarpar. Makale bölgedeki Yunan manastırlarındaki arşiv belgeleri ile Prochiron Legum veya Prochiron Calabriae olarak bilinen hukuk el kitabını karşılaştırarak, archonteslerin hukuki işlevlerinin nasıl hızla yarı resmileştiğini ve yazılı mevzuatla desteklendiğini ortaya koymaktadır.

Article Details

Between Norman Administrators and Local Advocates: Archontes in Greek Archival Sources of Calabria in the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries

Authors:

Nathan Leidholm

Publisher:

Ankara University

Main Topics:

Bizans Tarihi | Ortaçağ Avrupa Tarihi

Journal:

Tarih Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.43 Issue 77, pp.309-333

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2024

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001328779

pISSN:

1015-1826

Norman Italy

Byzantine and Norman law

Italo-Greek aristocracy

CalabriaNorman İtalya

Bizans ve Norman hukuku

İtalyan-Yunan aristokrasisi

Calabria

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Nathan Leidholm

Publisher: Ankara University

Main Topics: Bizans Tarihi | Ortaçağ Avrupa Tarihi

Journal: Tarih Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.43 Issue 77, pp.309-333

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 9/2024

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001328779

pISSN: 1015-1826

Issues

Authors:

Nathan Leidholm

Publisher:

Ankara University

Main Topics:

Bizans Tarihi | Ortaçağ Avrupa Tarihi

Journal:

Tarih Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.43 Issue 77, pp.309-333

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2024

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001328779

pISSN:

1015-1826