Constantine Diogenes

Constantine Diogenes
Native name	Κωνσταντῖνος Διογένης
Died	1032
Allegiance	Byzantine Empire
Commands held	strategos and doux of various themes
Wars	Byzantine conquest of Bulgaria, campaigns against Sermon and the Pechenegs
Relations	Romanos IV Diogenes (son)

Constantine Diogenes (Greek: Κωνσταντῖνος Διογένης; died 1032) was a prominent Byzantine general of the early 11th century, active in the Balkans. He served with distinction in the final stages of the Byzantine conquest of Bulgaria under Emperor Basil II, and occupied high commands in the Balkans until his arrest in 1029, as the result of his participation in a conspiracy against Emperor Romanos III Argyros. Imprisoned and forced to enter a monastery, he committed suicide in 1032 during an inquest on a further conspiracy. He was the father of Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes.

Constantine Diogenes is the first notable member of the noble Cappadocian Diogenes family, which played an important role in 11th-century Byzantium. Diogenes began his career as a commander of one of the western tagmata during the reign of Basil II (r. 976–1025), in the latter's campaigns against Bulgaria. In 1014, he participated in the decisive Byzantine victory at the Battle of Kleidion (July 29), and he subsequently succeeded Theophylact Botaneiates as commander (doux) of Thessalonica with the rank of patrikios, making him the second-most senior general of the Empire in the Balkans after David Arianites. Following the death of Tsar Samuel of Bulgaria in October, Diogenes and Nikephoros Xiphias were dispatched to the region of Moglena as the vanguard of the emperor and the main army. During this campaign, Diogenes constructed the fortress of Mylobos, as attested in a founder's inscription.

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