“He would Thunder from an Artificial Sky, as Salmoneus”: Constantine Komnenodoukas’ Patronage of a ‘Persian’ soufa in Naupaktos (ca. 1220)

Abstract

Around 1220, Constantine Komnenodoukas undertook the construction of an unconventional building in Naupaktos, Greece, referred to as a ‘Persian’ soufa. Information on this construction is contained in a letter written by the city’s metropolitan, John Apokaukos, who maintained an adversarial rapport with him. The soufa is described as a rectangular structure with two levels. In the higher one, reserved for Constantine and his retinue, a throne shaped as an episcopal throne was placed. Conversely, the lower level accommodated more humble guests who could only listen to him thundering like Salmoneus from an artificial sky. This architectural venture served as a symbolic manifestation of Constantine’s secular authority, deliberately positioned in contrast to the ecclesiastical figure of the bishop. Noteworthy is Constantine’s deliberate appropriation of ideas, forms, and language acquired during his sojourn in Asia Minor several years before. The resulting structure stands as a singular manifestation, representing a distinctive historical juncture influenced by the personality of Constantine Komnenodoukas, wherein elements of both Byzantine and Islamic art are combined.