LA CERIMONIA D’INAUGURAZIONE DELLA VENDEMMIA ED IL BASILEUS “PORTATORE DI ABBONDANZA”: IL “TEATRO DEL POTERE” E LE STRATEGIE PROPAGANDISTICHE DI UN RITO RISERVATO ALL’ÉLITE

Abstract

The ancient feast of the harvest’s inauguration survived in the Byzantium of the X century. This celebra-tion, linked to the fertility of the Earth, was not only confined to the rural world, but even found space in the ceremonies of the Imperial palace. This ceremony exploited the grapes’ symbolism, an ancient sign of prosperity, which became a gift between the Emperor and the Patriarch and the other patricians. It survived within the context of the Roman Eastern court as it was connected to the aeterna basileia and celebrated the imperium sine fine , which the Roman Emperor held.