Spartenos

The Spartenos family (Greek: Σπαρτενοσ) is one of the major Byzantine aristocratic families. Although the family's origins date back to the 9th century, they are often considered one of Theodore II Laskaris' New Men.
The feminine form of the name is Spartena. Its plural form is Spartenoi.
==History==
Through their name, it is possible that they hailed from the ancient city of Sparta in Laconia, but it was in Italy that their fortunes were made and lost. In the ninth century, Sergios Spartenos broke away from the Roman Empire after his acclamation as Duke of Naples by the Neapolitan people, and promptly aided the Franks and the Lombards in expelling the Romans from Italy. His successors sought closer ties with Constantinople, but the Empire was weakened by then and the Duchy of Naples was threatened from all sides by the Normans in the early twelfth century. When Sergios VII died childless, Naples was incorporated into the Norman kingdom.
The Spartenoi resurfaced in Thessalonica a hundred years later, when Demetrios Spartenos plotted with his namesake Demetrios Iatropoulos against the city's governor Theodore Philes, to open the gates to Theodore II Laskaris as he marched north after his subjugation of the rival claimant Theodore Komnenodoukas at Athens. For his loyalty, Demetrios and his family were brought to Constantinople, where he was made protonotarios in the Bureau of Barbarians.
His cousins, the brothers Leon and Manuel Spartenos, were war-minded and marched with Theodore II in Asia, fighting with distinction at the Battle of Myriokephalon. Manuel was brought back to Constantinople to raise the Emperor's sons and wards in arms, whereas Leon was named the governor of Nicomedia and later commanded the Byzantine forces in Armenia, to put down the nobles' rebellion. He was promoted to Doux of [[Kibyrrhaiotai (theme)|Kibyrrhaiotai]], the newly won lands around Attaleia, shortly thereafter. Later in life, Leon served as governor of the Byzantine exclave city of Caesarea Maritima.
Category:Byzantine families