At the Right Hand of the Lord: Eunuchs in Middle Byzantine Christianity, 843-1118 CE

This dissertation examines the place and participation of eunuchs in Byzantine Christianity from 843-1118 CE through a primarily material lens. By an analysis of several types of evidence, including lead seals, artistic commissions, and monastic documentary material, it shows that eunuchs were not daunted by (sometimes vociferous) contemporary opposition to their inclusion in the fullness of Christian life. On the contrary, elite eunuchs were enthusiastic in their pursuit of normative Christian activities, such as personal iconography, artistic patronage, and monastic profession. At the same time, some individual eunuchs leveraged their distinctive identity as eunuchs to produce spectacular—and unique—expressions of piety. Long downplayed or ignored by mainstream historiography, this dissertation re-centers eunuchs in Byzantine society and writes these marginalized perspectives back into their own history, opening significant possibility for future expansion.