Strategos Leon Chitzilakes of the inscription from the seawalls of Thessaloniki. An unusual case of military patronage and prosopography

Abstract

The inscription from the seawalls of Thessaloniki which mentions the general Leon Chitzilakes, documents archaeologically the historical sources and especially Ioannes Kaminiates, who gives a revealing testimony for the ktetoric activity of the strategos with respect to the defensive works in the city before the attack by the Saracens in 904. This rare interaction between historical text and epigraphical material contributes to defining the role of military officials in financing the construction of defensive works through their fiscal authority. Additionally, the paper offers new data on Leon’s origins, creating an interesting prosopographical image of a military official.