"Judges of the Velum" and "Judges of the Hippodrome" in Thessalonike (11th c.)
Authors: GKOUTZIOUKOSTAS Andreas 
Published: November 2014

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-layout-grid-align:none; punctuation-wrap:simple; text-autospace:none; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --><p style="text-align: center; text-indent: 17pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-layout-grid-align:none; punctuation-wrap:simple; text-autospace:none; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p.MsoFootnoteText, li.MsoFootnoteText, div.MsoFootnoteText {mso-style-noshow:yes; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-layout-grid-align:none; punctuation-wrap:simple; text-autospace:none; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p.MsoHeader, li.MsoHeader, div.MsoHeader {margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; tab-stops:center 207.65pt right 415.3pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none; punctuation-wrap:simple; text-autospace:none; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p.MsoBodyText, li.MsoBodyText, div.MsoBodyText {margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:justify; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; font-style:italic;} p.BodyText2, li.BodyText2, div.BodyText2 {mso-style-name:"Body Text 2"; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:justify; text-indent:17.0pt; line-height:13.0pt; mso-line-height-rule:exactly; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-hyphenate:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; punctuation-wrap:simple; text-autospace:none; font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1; mso-footnote-position:beneath-text;} --></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-style: normal">The present study focuses on judicial officers coming from </span><span style="font-style: normal">Constantinople</span><span style="font-style: normal"> to Thessalonike in the 11<sup>th</sup> century. The </span><span>judge of the theme of Thessalonike</span><span style="font-style: normal"> was in charge of trying cases in the region. From the second fifth of the 11<sup>th</sup> century, however, his jurisdiction was extended to the greater financial and judicial unit of </span><span>Boleron, Strymon and Thessalonike </span><span style="font-style: normal">as well. Lead seals and documents from the archives of the monasteries of Athos prove that many of the </span><span>krites of Boleron, Strymon and Thessalonike</span><span style="font-style: normal"> had been previously </span><span>krites of the velum </span><span style="font-style: normal">and </span><span>judges of the hippodrome</span><span style="font-style: normal"> who performed their duties in the capital and belonged to the ranks of the “small judges”. These judicial officers tried cases that were referred to them, while they could also function as assessors of the “great” or superior judges of </span><span style="font-style: normal">Constantinople</span><span style="font-style: normal">, i.e. the </span><span>droungarios of the vigla</span><span style="font-style: normal">, the </span><span>dikaiodotes</span><span style="font-style: normal">, the </span><span>protoasecretis</span><span style="font-style: normal">, the </span><span>eparchos of the city</span><span style="font-style: normal">, the </span><span>koiaistor</span><span style="font-style: normal"> and the </span><span>epi ton kriseon</span><span style="font-style: normal">. The latter could delegate the authority to try cases to the “small” or inferior judges. Consequently, the </span><span>judges of the velum</span><span style="font-style: normal"> and the </span><span>judges of the hippodrome</span><span style="font-style: normal"> could also be sent from </span><span style="font-style: normal">Constantinople</span><span style="font-style: normal"> to the </span><span>themes </span><span style="font-style: normal">by the emperor or other officials, in order to examine some cases and then return to the capital. This is confirmed by the primary sources, which mention for example the case of </span><span>judge of the hippodrome</span><span style="font-style: normal"> Michael Rhodios, who was sent by Alexios I Komnenos in 1084 from </span><span style="font-style: normal">Constantinople</span><span style="font-style: normal"> to the region of Thessalonike, in order to examine a dispute between the Lavra monastery and the brother of the emperor, Adrian. Some years later Michael Rhodios was sent again to try cases in Thessalonike, but this time as </span><span>krites of Boleron, Strymon and Thessalonike</span><span style="font-style: normal">. Consequently, apart from the </span><span>judge of Boleron, Strymon and Thessalonike</span><span style="font-style: normal">, other judges delegated by the emperor or by high officers could also examine cases there, as happened in other </span><span>themes</span><span style="font-style: normal">. F</span><span style="font-style: normal">rom the 14<sup>th</sup> century on, as </span><span style="font-style: normal">Macedonia</span><span style="font-style: normal"> developed its own law schools, a person who had acquired legal training and judicial experience in Thessalonike could continue his judicial career in </span><span style="font-style: normal">Constantinople</span><span style="font-style: normal">.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 17pt" class="MsoFootnoteText"> </p><p style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0cm" class="BodyText2"> </p><p style="line-height: normal" class="BodyText2"> </p><br /><p> </p>