The List of Thessalonike’s Archontes from 14th and 15th Centuries

in Medieval Macedonian History / by Admin / on April 2, 2009 at 5:50 am /

The following list comprises two categories of people. In the first place it includes all individuals who are specifically designated as “Archon” in the available documents pertaining to Thessalonike (altogether 37 people).

As a second category, it includes a select group of fifteed infividuals who are not explicitely called Archon but have been chosen on the basis of their offical titles or other internal evidence suggesting that they were local magistrates.

The available Prosopographic data brings to light important aspects regarding the nature of the archontes’ ethnicity and in addition, significant information about the names of the well-established families of Thessalonike and their role durring 14th and 15th centuries. You can also refresh your memory by reading an older article related to Prosopographic date of these periods, namely 14th Century Names of Lay Proprietors in the Themes of Thessaloniki and Strymon.

Source: the Aristocracy in late Byzantine Thessalonike” A case study of the city’s Archontes (Late 14th and Early 15th Centuries) by Nevra Necipoglu (Dumbarton Oaks Papers, No. 57)