Saborios

Saborios or Saborius (Greek: Σαβώριος) was a Byzantine general who rose in revolt against Emperor Constans II (r. 641–668) in 667–668. He sought and obtained the aid of the Caliph Muawiyah I (r. 661–680), but was killed in a horse accident before confronting the imperial troops.

Saborios is mentioned as being of Persian descent by Theophanes the Confessor (his name is a rendering of the Persian Shapur), but most modern scholars regard him an Armenian. He is sometimes identified with a certain Pasagnathes, "patrikios of the Armenians", who rebelled in 651/652.

In 667, Saborios was the governing general (strategos) of the theme of the Armeniacs, covering the northeastern part of Byzantine Anatolia. At the time, and for several years, Emperor Constans II had been residing in Syracuse in Sicily, having left the capital Constantinople at the hands of his young son, co-emperor, and eventual successor, Constantine IV (r. 668–685). In the emperor's absence, Caliph Muawiyah had sent a series of devastating raids into Anatolia, targeting chiefly the Armeniac theme.

Taking advantage of the absence of many soldiers of the other themes with Constans in Sicily, Saborios launched a revolt in late 667. In order to secure his rear, he sent one of his generals, Sergios, to Damascus to enlist Muawiyah's support. Constantine, learning of the rebellion, also sent an envoy, the eunuch koubikoularios Andrew, to the caliph. Andrew, however, could not match the rebel's offer of a heavy tribute ("the entire public revenues" according to Theophanes) and Muawiyah agreed to support Saborios with troops. Despite this setback, Andrew arranged for Sergios, who had insulted him during the negotiations, to be captured at a pass near Arabissus in Cilicia by troops loyal to the emperor. Sergios was then castrated and impaled on a stake.

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