Ἡ ἐκκλησιαστική πολιτική τοῦ αὐτοκράτορα Bαρδάνη-Φιλιππικοῦ (711-713). Ἡ μονοθελητική σύνοδος τοῦ 712 καί ἡ ἐμπλοκή τῶν ἐπισκόπων Γερμανοῦ Κυζίκου καί Ἀνδρέα Κρήτης

Abstract

The emperor Bardanes-Phlippicus lived in the years of the so called “anarchy” (late 7th c.), during which the empire institution suffers serious shocks from the frequent changes of emperors after coups or rebellions. After several troubles and exiles, Bardanes-Phlippicus found himself on the throne of Byzantium as a result of the revolution, which dethroned Justinian II, bringing an end to the second reign of the latter and simultaneously to the Heraclius dynasty. Although the length of reign of Bardanes-Phlippicus (711-713) was very short, he was able to cause a huge upheaval on all the levels of the empire, political, social and ecclesiastical. However, the main remembrance of his reign is connected to his ecclesiastical policy and the stirring of Monothelitism, and its imposition as an official orthodox dogma, just thirty years after its original condemnation by the VIth Ecumenical Synod (680-681). This decision, without any obvious intent, caused a serious upheaval in society and brought the Church-State relations to a critical condition. From the rescued historical material no social tendencies or consequences can be discerned in this move of Bardanes-Phlippicus. The testimony that high rank clerics participated in the “synod” he called in 712, like the patriarch Ioannis, Germanus the bishop of Cyzikus, and Andreas the archbishop of Crete, including state officials, is very weak as proof of social acceptance, if it is taken into account that he initiated a state of violence and oppression after he managed to get the throne. The policy of Bardanes-Phlippicus was short lived and expired immediately after he was overthrown by his immediate colleague the imperial chef-secretary Artemius Anastasius (June 713). The new emperor directly reversed the ecclesiastical policies of Philippicus and he got proved pious and orthodox; he withdrew Philippicus’ monothelite decrees restored Orthodoxy with the authority of the VIth Ecumenical Synod thus closing a parenthesis which so much troubled the State and the Church. Bardanes-Phlippicus and his tumultuous but brief reign, directly after his deposition became a distant remembrance, which also faded away due to the hurricane of Iconoclasm, which ensued. I contend that the Bardanes-Phlippicus case, especially his ecclesiastical policy, is the best introduction into the next period of Iconoclasm.