Porphyrogennetos

From a purple birth ( Porphyrogenese; Greek πορφυρογέννητος Porphyrogenitus or πορφυρογέννητη porphyrogénnēte " purple born " ) is called since late antiquity, when sons and daughters of the reigning emperor of the Byzantine Empire one as a potential heir to the throne in Porphyra, a chamber of the Great Palace in Constantinople Opel to time were born to the father already held the rule.

The term is also used purple born in the non -Byzantine context to refer to children of rulers who were born during the reign of her father.

Origin

How exactly the name comes is unclear.

For example, the color of the diapers or the marble cladding of some palaces is considered as the origin. Owes its name to the Porphyra in Egypt at Mons Porphyrites degraded purple porphyry, were lined with the floor and walls of the chamber. Earlier emperors had to send for this stone from Rome.

However, it is not without controversy, whether the name can actually be traced back to this space, as the Greek name πορφυρογέννητος Porphyrogenitus " purple born " refers to the purple color that was traditionally regarded as the color of kings and emperors because of their preciousness.

The term is however also used in historical research ( figuratively ) when purple played no equivalent role in a society.

Importance

Of particular importance was the purple birth in the case of disputes about the will - sometimes competed a candidate with reference to his purple birth with an older brother, to the one used in many monarchies principle of primogeniture invoked ( the right of the firstborn ). That is, the older brother had been born before the throne of his father. One example among many, the rivalry between the Persian prince Arsikes (later Artaxerxes II ) and his younger brother Cyrus, who pointed out, though younger son, but " purple eldest born " was to be a prince.