Gregory the Great’s vast collection of letters has allowed modern scholars to expand their knowledge on many topics, including his role as apocrisarius (diplomat) in the East and his management of the Church’s possessions in Sicily. Here, we will focus on the pope’s role as mediator between lay medical professionals and members of the high clergy of Eastern origin, but with strong economic interests in the island. The story of Archelaus – a physician, vir illustris, wealthy landowner, most likely from Cappadocia, initially protected by Gregory through the deacon Cyprian, rector patrimonii Siciliensis, then abandoned by the pope because he came into conflict with Domitian, bishop of Melitene and also of Cappadocian origin – is exemplary in highlighting the pontiff’s extraordinary ability to intervene in not only religious but also economic matters in Sicily under Byzantine rule and to take drastic decisions in this regard. Although the two figures have not been particularly studied within Gregorian prosopography, they nevertheless deserve great attention not only because of their common geographical origin, but also because of the opposing power groups they respectively represent: on the one hand, Archelaus, an influential medical professional and wealthy lay landowner in Sicily, and on the other, Domitian, a high-ranking prelate, relative, and trusted advisor to Emperor Maurice. The pope, who had initially supported the vir illustris, later preferred to back the bishop of Melitene, not only because he was a member of the high ecclesiastical hierarchy, but also because he was related to the Eastern emperor. Siding with Domitian meant currying favor with Maurice, which not only brought political support from the highest representative of temporal power in the East, but also resulted in concrete and substantial economic advantages: Maurice’s sister, in fact, donated a banquet for 3,000 nuns in Rome, and the emperor himself gave the pope 30 pounds of gold to distribute to the needy. When Maurice was replaced by Phocas, Gregory tried to find support at this new Byzantine court.
Il vastissimo epistolario di Gregorio Magno ha consentito di ampliare le conoscenze degli studiosi moderni su molte tematiche, tra le quali il suo ruolo di apocrisarius in Oriente e la gestione dei possedimenti della Chiesa in Sicilia. In questa sede si intende concentrare l’attenzione sul ruolo di mediazione del papa fra professionisti laici della medicina ed esponenti dell’alto clero di origine orientale, ma con forti interessi economici nell’Isola. La vicenda di Archelao – medico, vir illustris, ricco possidente terriero, molto probabilmente cappadoce, prima protetto da Gregorio tramite il diacono Cipriano, rector patrimonii Siciliensis, poi abbandonato dal papa perché entrato in contrasto con Domiziano, vescovo di Melitene e anch’egli di origine cappadoce – si rivela esemplare per mettere in luce la straordinaria capacità del pontefice di intervenire in questioni non solo religiose ma anche economiche della Sicilia sotto il dominio bizantino e di prendere decisioni drastiche al riguardo. Anche se i due personaggi non sono stati particolarmente studiati all’interno della prosopografia gregoriana, meritano tuttavia grande attenzione non solo per via della loro comune provenienza geografica, ma anche per i gruppi di potere contrapposti che rispettivamente rappresentano: da un lato Archelao, influente professionista dell’arte medica e facoltoso proprietario laico di terreni in Sicilia, dall’altro Domiziano, alto prelato, nonché parente e fidato consigliere dell’imperatore Maurizio. Il papa, che in un primo momento aveva sostenuto il vir illustris, preferirà in seguito appoggiare il vescovo di Melitene, non solo perché esponente dell’alta gerarchia ecclesiastica, ma anche perché imparentato con l’imperatore d’Oriente. Parteggiare per Domiziano significava ingraziarsi Maurizio e questo non comportava soltanto l’appoggio politico del massimo rappresentante del potere temporale in Oriente, ma determinava anche concreti e consistenti vantaggi economici: la sorella di Maurizio, infatti, donò un banchetto a 3.000 monache di Roma e l’imperatore in persona consegnò al papa 30 libbre d’oro da distribuire ai bisognosi. Quando Maurizio sarà sostituito da Foca, Gregorio cercherà di trovare sostegno presso questa nuova corte bizantina.
Giovanni e Archelao: il vescovo e il medico nell’epistolario di Gregorio Magno
Margherita Cassia
2026-01-01
Abstract
Gregory the Great’s vast collection of letters has allowed modern scholars to expand their knowledge on many topics, including his role as apocrisarius (diplomat) in the East and his management of the Church’s possessions in Sicily. Here, we will focus on the pope’s role as mediator between lay medical professionals and members of the high clergy of Eastern origin, but with strong economic interests in the island. The story of Archelaus – a physician, vir illustris, wealthy landowner, most likely from Cappadocia, initially protected by Gregory through the deacon Cyprian, rector patrimonii Siciliensis, then abandoned by the pope because he came into conflict with Domitian, bishop of Melitene and also of Cappadocian origin – is exemplary in highlighting the pontiff’s extraordinary ability to intervene in not only religious but also economic matters in Sicily under Byzantine rule and to take drastic decisions in this regard. Although the two figures have not been particularly studied within Gregorian prosopography, they nevertheless deserve great attention not only because of their common geographical origin, but also because of the opposing power groups they respectively represent: on the one hand, Archelaus, an influential medical professional and wealthy lay landowner in Sicily, and on the other, Domitian, a high-ranking prelate, relative, and trusted advisor to Emperor Maurice. The pope, who had initially supported the vir illustris, later preferred to back the bishop of Melitene, not only because he was a member of the high ecclesiastical hierarchy, but also because he was related to the Eastern emperor. Siding with Domitian meant currying favor with Maurice, which not only brought political support from the highest representative of temporal power in the East, but also resulted in concrete and substantial economic advantages: Maurice’s sister, in fact, donated a banquet for 3,000 nuns in Rome, and the emperor himself gave the pope 30 pounds of gold to distribute to the needy. When Maurice was replaced by Phocas, Gregory tried to find support at this new Byzantine court.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
