'''Leo Sarakenopoulos''' ({{langx|el|Λέων Σαρακηνόπουλος}}, {{floruit|970s}}) was a 10th-century [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] military commander who was active in the northeastern [[Balkans]].
==Biography== Leo Sarakenopoulos first appears in 971, at the end of the [[Rus'–Byzantine War (970–971)|Rus'–Byzantine War of 970–971]], when he was appointed by Emperor [[John I Tzimiskes]] (r. 969–976) as military governor (''[[strategos]]'') of Dristra/Dorostolon (modern [[Silistra]]) on the [[Danube]]. Prior to that, Sarakenopoulos had been commander (''[[domestikos]]'') of the elite regiment (''[[tagma (military)|tagma]]'') of the ''[[Hikanatoi]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Stephenson|2000|p=53}}.</ref><ref name=PmbZ>{{harvnb|PmbZ|loc=Leon Sarakenopulos (#24520)}}.</ref> Sometime before 975, his province was extended and he was also given control over the old [[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarian]] capital, [[Preslav]] (renamed Ioannopolis by Emperor Tzimiskes). Leo moved his headquarters to Preslav, where a large number of his seals, bearing his full title of "''[[protospatharios]]'' and ''[[strategos]]'' of Ioannopolis and Dristra" have been discovered.<ref>{{harvnb|Stephenson|2000|p=56}}.</ref> From this position, Sarakenopoulos oversaw a major programme of [[fortifications]] in the [[Dobruja]], to safeguard against another Rus' attack. The long-abandoned Roman forts of the old ''[[Limes (Roman Empire)|limes]]'' were re-occupied and restored, and new facilities created.<ref>cf. {{harvnb|Stephenson|2000|pp=56–58}}.</ref>
Shortly after 976, when the revolt of the [[Cometopuli]] brothers broke out, Sarakenopoulos was given joint command of Ioannopolis with the old [[theme (Byzantine district)|theme]] of [[Thrace (theme)|Thrace]], probably in order to counter the rebellion. In this he failed, and was recalled to [[Constantinople]] in circa 979. There, he was raised to the rank of ''[[patrikios]]'' as a consolation and given the position of [[Count of the Stable]], while at a later date, according to his seals, he also received the post of ''[[protostrator]]''.<ref name=PmbZ/><ref>{{harvnb|Stephenson|2000|pp=58–59}}.</ref>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==Sources== * {{PMBZ | volume=online | url = http://www.degruyter.com/view/db/pmbz}} *{{cite book|last=Stephenson|first=Paul|title=Byzantium's Balkan Frontier: A Political Study of the Northern Balkans, 900–1204|location=Cambridge, United Kingdom|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2000|isbn=0-521-77017-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ILiOI0UgxHoC}}
==Further reading== *{{cite journal|last=Jordanov|first=Ivan|title=Sceaux de Leon Sarakenopoulos de Veliki Preslav |journal=Arheologia|volume=24|issue=1|year=1982|pages=12–23}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarakenopoulos, Leo}} [[Category:10th-century births]] [[Category:10th-century Byzantine people]] [[Category:Byzantine generals]] [[Category:10th century in Bulgaria]] [[Category:Patricii]] [[Category:Protospatharioi]] [[Category:Date of death unknown]] [[Category:Year of death unknown]] [[Category:Governors of the Theme of Thrace]]