Aspietes (general under Alexios I)

Aspietes (Ἀσπιέτης) was an Armenian nobleman who entered the service of the Byzantine Empire and served during most of the reign of Alexios I Komnenos.

Aspietes is the first known member of the noble family of the Aspietai, which claimed descent from the Arsacid royal dynasty of Armenia. Starting with Du Cange, he has often been equated with Oshin of Lampron, but this view was rejected by Joseph Laurent.

Aspietes is first attested alongside Alexios I during the 1081 campaign against the Normans that led to the disastrous Battle of Dyrrhachium, where Aspietes himself was gravely injured. The scene is graphically narrated by Alexios' daughter Anna Komnene in her Alexiad, highlighting Aspietes' valour. The Armenian nobleman re-appears in 1105/6, when he was appointed governor of Tarsus by the Emperor. Shortly after, he succeeded Monastras as stratopedarches of the East. In this capacity he failed to react effectively to the attempt by Tancred, Prince of Antioch, to capture Mamistra. Instead, Aspietes occupied himself with debauched revelries, and, if F. Chalandon's suggestion that he is to be equated with the Ursinus of Western sources is correct, openly treated with Tancred in an effort save the city. However, although the Alexiad openly admits his neglect of duty, he is nowhere accused of treasonous dealings such as those of Ursinus.