Leo Rhabdouchos

Leo Rhabdouchos or Rhabduchus (Greek: Λέων Ῥαβδοῦχος; fl. 917) was a Byzantine nobleman and diplomat.

Biography

Leo was apparently a relative to the ruling Macedonian dynasty, and a brother-in-law of the famed diplomat Leo Choirosphaktes.^[1] In 917, he was governor (strategos) of the theme of Dyrrhachium, and was sent to the Serbian ruler Petar Gojniković (r. 892–917) to persuade him to attack Simeon I of Bulgaria (r. 893–927), with whom the Byzantines were at war. Leo was successful, but the Serbian attack failed and Petar was taken captive.^[2] From the De Administrando Imperio of Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (r. 913–959), it is also known that Leo was later promoted from his rank of protospatharios to that of magistros, and became Logothete of the Drome (foreign minister).^[3]

References

1. Tougher 1997, p. 229.
2. Stephenson 2000, pp. 26–27
3. Moravcsik & Jenkins 1967, p. 157.

Sources

• Moravcsik, Gyula; Jenkins, R. J. H., eds. (1967). Constantine Porphyrogenitus: De Administrando Imperio. Washington, District of Columbia: Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies.
• Stephenson, Paul (2000). Byzantium's Balkan Frontier: A Political Study of the Northern Balkans, 900–1204. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-77017-3.
• Tougher, Shaun (1997). The Reign of Leo VI (886-912): Politics and People. Leiden, The Netherlands; New York, New York; Köln, Germany: Brill. ISBN 90-04-10811-4.

Further reading

• Ostrogorski, Georgije (1955). Lav Ravduh i Lav Hirosfakt: Léon Rhabdouchos et Léon Choerosphactès (in Serbo-Croatian). Beograd, Serbia: Zbornik radova Vizantološkog instituta.