The Xeroi, singular Xeros (Greek: Ξηρóς), were a Byzantine family belonging the Peloponnesian aristocracy and active between the 10th and 13th centuries. They were mainly bureacrats and judges. One of their distinguishing marks was the depiction of Saint Mark on their seals.
A judge named Xeros was a correspondent of Michael Psellos. The name Basil was popular with them. Judges of this name are known in the themes of Peloponnese, Hellas, the Cibyrrhaeotes and Anatolikon. In 1057, the protomystikos John Xeros presided over the trial of two monasteries on Mount Athos. An eparch named Xeros took part in the rebellion of the Anemas against Alexios I Komnenos in 1105. Thereafter, the family declined in importance. Basil Xeros served as an ambassador to King Roger II of Sicily. Increasingly they were clerics. Leo Xeros (died 1153) was the metropolitan of Athens. Around 1252, John Xeros was the bishop of Naupaktos.
References
- ^ Béatrice Caseau (2011), "Saint Mark, a Family Saint? The Iconography of the Xeroi Seals", in Chrestos Staurakos (ed.), Epeironde: Proceedings of the 10th International Symposium of Byzantine Sigillography (Ioannina, 1st–3rd October 2009), Harrassowitz, pp. 81–110.
- ^ Alexander Kazhdan (1991). "Xeros". In Kazhdan, Alexander (ed.). The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-504652-8.