Pothos Argyros

Pothos Argyros or Argyrus was a Byzantine commander, who served as the catepan of Italy during the eventful years of 1029 to 1031. Pothos is first mentioned in the history of John Skylitzes in , or perhaps still under Basil II, as a commander in the eastern frontier, when he captured the Arab chieftain Nasr ibn Musharraf al-Rawadifi, ruler of the disputed border area of Jabal Rawadif near Antioch. Nasr succeeded in being set free after promising assistance to Pothos' superior, the doux of Antioch, Michael Spondyles. Following the rise to the throne of Romanos III Argyros, Pothos was appointed Catepan of Italy in 1029. Pothos' relation to Romanos III is unknown, but according to the historians Jean-Claude Ceynet and Jean-François Vannier, he may have been his nephew. A surviving lead seal of office gives his titles as "protospatharios and katepano [catepan] of Italy". According to Lupus Protospatharius, he arrived at Bari as the new Catepan of Italy in July 1029, and immediately fought in its vicinity against the Muslim commander Rayca, who had previously forced the capitulation of the fortress of Obbianum (probably modern Uggiano). Lupus then reports that in 1031 (or 1032, according to some modern interpretations), he faced another invasion by the Emirate of Sicily. The Italian chroniclers report that the Muslims sacked Cassano in June, and that, hurrying to confront them, on 3 July, Pothos Argyros was defeated and killed.