Mizizios 1

Prosopography of the Byzantine Empire
SexM
FloruitM VII
Dates668 (taq) / 669 (ob.)
PmbZ No.5163
Variant NamesMezezius;
Mzyzy;
Mecetius;
Mezetius
EthnicityArmenian
LocationsSyracuse (Sicily) (deathplace);
Armenia (birthplace);
Sicily
TitlesPatrikios (dignity)
Textual SourcesChronicon Anonymi ad annum 1234 pertinens, ed. and tr. J.-B. Chabot, I = CSCO 81-82 (Paris, 1916-20), II = CSCO 109 (Louvain, 1937) (chronicle);
Liber Pontificalis, ed. L. Duchesne, Le liber pontificalis. Texte, introduction et commentaire, 2 vols. (Paris, 1886-92); re-issued with 3rd vol. by C. Vogel, (Paris, 1955-57) (chronicle);
Michael the Syrian, Chronicle, ed. and tr. J.-B. Chabot, La chronique de Michel le Syrien (Paris, 1899-1904) (chronicle);
Paulus Diaconus, Historia Gentis Langobardorum, ed. L. Bethmann and G. Waitz, MGH, Scr. Rer. Lang., pp. 12-187; also in MGH, Scr. Rer. Ger. 48, pp. 49-242 (history);
Theophanes Confessor, Chronographia, ed. C. de Boor, 2 vols. (Leipzig, 1883-85, repr. Hildesheim/NewYork, 1980); tr. and comm. C. Mango and R. Scott, The Chronicle of Theophanes Confessor, Oxford 1997 (chronicle);
Zonaras = Ioannis Zonarae Epitome Historiarum, libri XIII-XVIII, ed. Th. Büttner-Wobst, (Bonn, 1897) (history)

Mizizios 1 was an Armenian (τινα Ἀρμένιον) (and a patrikios, Chron. 1234, Mich. Syr.), proclaimed emperor in Sicily after the murder of Constans II (Konstans 1) in 668, allegedly against his will; described (in Theophanes, and cf. Mich. Syr.) as a fine looking and handsome man (εὐπρεπὴς καὶ ὡραιότατος); defeated and killed by Konstantinos 2 (son of Constans): Theoph. AM 6160, Chron. 1234, §139 (p. 287) ("the Romans, however, elected as king a certain patrician by the name of Mizizios the Armenian (Mzyzy 'rmny')"), Mich. Syr. II 451, Zon. XIV 20. 1-2. In some MSS of Theophanes it is stated that he revolted against Constans and had him murdered but was then overthrown himself with his supporters and beheaded: Theoph., de Boor, p.352, n. to line 9 (probably a marginal note which has entered the text, as it contradicts the other version). On the end of this revolt, in 669, see Ostrogorsky, History, p.123, n. 1 (in 669). According to the Liber Pontificalis, Mezezius was in Sicily with the eastern army ("qui erat in Sicilia cum exercitu Orientali") when he rebelled and seized the throne; the army of Italy ("exercitus Italiae") however seized Syracuse and killed Mezezius; many of his officials were mutilated and taken to Constantinople, and his own head was taken there ("simul et caput eiusdem intartae"): Lib. Pont. 79. 2. According to Paulus Diaconus in the Historia Langobardorum, he seized the throne but without support from the army of the east and was killed at Syracuse by troops who came from Italy, Africa and Sardinia; his officials were mutilated and taken to Constantinople, as was his head: Paul. Diac., Hist. Lang. V 12 ("Mecetius in Sicilia regnum arripuit, sed absque orientalis exercitus voluntate"), cf. V 30 ("punitoque qui ei (sc. Constanti) successerat Mezetio tyranno"). Supposedly father of Ioannes 524: Mich. Syr. II 455.

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