Keywords
Epistolography, The Middle Byzantine Period, Homoeroticism, Konstantinos VII, Macedonian Dynasty, Gender Studies
Abstract
The presence of homoeroticism in the letters of elite Byzantine men was both the product of long-term literary developments and was employed for many purposes. As a medieval society which saw a unique level of social mobility, an individual’s connections and how they managed and negotiated them within the competitive elite milieu was of utmost importance to their relevance. Letters naturally emerge as a suitable literary genre to affirm and recognize relationships, to ask for favors, or introduce a new member to the group. As the evidence suggests, homoeroticism was employed within the male-centered world of business and politics as a collectively recognized marker of education (paideia) and to soften the more unseemly aspects of hierarchical obligations. To demonstrate these points, the letters of Nikephoros Ouranos, Konstantinos VII, Symeon the Logothete, and others are explored using intertextuality and an analysis of the presence of hierarchy.
Thesis Completion Year
2025
Thesis Completion Semester
Summer
Thesis Chair
Edward Dandrow
College
College of Arts and Humanities
Department
Department of History
Thesis Discipline
History
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Length of Campus Access
None
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Raffington, Nicholas Elijah, "“Some Small Kiss From Your Sweet Lips”: Navigating Hierarchy In Eastern Roman Letters" (2025). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 380.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/380
Rights Statement
