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The ''sebastophoros'' ((ギリシア語:σεβαστοφόρος)) was a high Byzantine court position and rank reserved for eunuchs in the 10th–12th centuries. Its functions are unclear. ==History and functions== The office is first attested in the ''Escorial Taktikon'' of circa 975. Nicolas Oikonomides suggested that it was introduced sometime between 963 and 975.〔.〕〔.〕〔.〕 In the ''Escorial Taktikon'', it is ranked as one of the highest dignities, after the ''proedros'' and before the ''magistroi'',〔.〕 and was usually reserved for eunuchs.〔〔.〕 The first known holder was Romanos Lekapenos, the son of Stephen Lekapenos and grandson of Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (r. 920–944),〔〔.〕 but Oikonomides suggested that the title may have been first created for Basil Lekapenos, the powerful ''parakoimomenos'' and long-time first minister of the Byzantine Empire.〔.〕 The functions of the ''sebastophoros'' are unclear; the name may imply that he carried the emperor's banner, or that he was a personal messenger of the emperor, a role some of its holders are known to have fulfilled.〔〔 The title was quickly devalued, already during the 11th century: on seals, it is combined with relatively modest offices in the Byzantine imperial hierarchy. It disappeared completely after the 12th century.〔〔 In some texts, namely the ''Patria of Constantinople'' and the ''Suda'' lexicon, the ''sebastophoroi'' are identified as officials of the districts (''regeonai'', "regions") of Constantinople, who every year on October 5 performed dances before the Byzantine emperor. This statement, however, comes from the 6th-century antiquarian writer John Lydus, who alleges that this practice existed under Emperor Tiberius (r. 14–37), i.e. in Rome.〔〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sebastophoros」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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