Romanos garrisoned Mantzikert with Byzantine troops, cruelly punishing misdemeanors

Summary:
Romanos IV sent a Roman garrison into Mantzikert and returned to the camp accompanied by singing and acclamations. Discipline was harsh: he sentenced a soldier accused of stealing a donkey from the Turks to have his nose slit, showing an apparent concern for justice. He was left unmoved by the soldier's appeal to the icon of the Blachernitissa, carried as usual on campaign as an invincible weapon. Attaleiates intensely disapproved. But the next day, while arranging the city's defence, he received news of a Turkish attack on his foraging troops 
Dates:
1071 
soldier who stole a donkey at Mantzikert (Anonymus 111)
  • Accused of stealing a donkey from the Turks at Mantzikert, he was taken in chains before the emperor (Romanos 4) and was sentenced not to pay a fine but to have his nose slit -a punishment greater than his crime (:) τιμωρία δ ᾿ ἐψηφίσθη τοῦ ἁμαρτήματος ὑπερφέρουσα Attaleiates: History 152.23-153.4 / 114.7-10
  • Pleaded against his sentence offering all his possessions and called upon the icon of the Blachernitissa which the emperors take on campaign, but failed to move the emperor (Romanos 4) and had his nose slit before everybody, screaming and groaning (:) κράξας μέγα καὶ στενάξας τὸ βύθιον Attaleiates: History 153.4-12 / 114.10-16
  • After stealing a donkey from the Turks at Mantzikert and despite calling upon the Virgin, Christ and all the saints to intercede, he had his nose slit by the emperor (Romanos 4) who had taken an oath to guarantee the Turks' security (:) ῥινοτμηθῆναι Skylitzes Continuatus 145.9-12
Michael Attaleiates (Michael 202)
  • Predicted that the wrath of God would fall upon the Romans after the emperor (Romanos 4) sentenced a soldier (Anonymus 111) to have his nose slit, a punishment greater than the crime comitted (theft of a donkey) that showed the emperor's impiety (:) μεγάλην ἡμῖν ἔσεσθαι τὴν ἐκ τοῦ θείου νέμεσιν προωττευσάμην αὐτός Attaleiates: History 153.12-14 / 114.16-17
Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes (Romanos 4)
  • Sentenced a soldier who was accused of stealing a donkey from the Turks at Mantzikert (Anonymus 111) to have his nose slit, imposing a punishment greater than the crime and appearing to show his concern for justice, but in reality being impious (:) ἄμετρον δὲ τὴν τιμωρίαν καὶ οὐκ εὐσεβῆ συντιθέμενον Attaleiates: History 152.21-153.4 / 114.5-10
  • Was left unmoved by the soldier (Anonymus 111)'s appeal to the icon of the Blachernitissa, carried as usual on campaign as an invincible weapon, and watched together with everybody else as the soldier's nose was slit in the presence of the icon (:) οὐκ εἰσήει οἶκτος τῷ βασιλεῖ Attaleiates: History 153.8-14 / 114.13-17
  • Sent a Roman garrison into Mantzikert under a commander (Anonymus 5070) and returned to the camp accompanied by singing and acclamations, but the next day, while arranging the city's defence, he received news of an enemy attack on his foraging troops (:) παιάνοις καὶ εὐφημίαις καὶ νικητικοῖς ἐπιφωνήμασι σεμνυνόμενος Attaleiates: History 153.15-23 / 114.18-24
  • Captured Mantzikert, granted the terrified Turks the security guarantees they requested, and keeping the oaths he gave them, had the nose of a Roman who had stolen a Turkish donkey (Anonymus 111) slit, despite the latter's appeals to the Virgin (:) Skylitzes Continuatus 145.7-12