Granary built near Raidestos by Nikephoritzes to establish wheat monopoly & brutally enforce it

Summary:
With the permission of Michael VII, Nikephoritzes established a granary outside Raidestos, which was a very prosperous place as the local centre of grain sales. An order was issued to gather the region's entire harvest there, thus establishing a monopoly that led to a famine. The granary was rented out and Nikephoritzes enjoyed its considerable revenue 
Dates:
1074 (Uncertain) 
Emperor Michael VII Doukas (Michael 7)
  • Granted permission to Nikephoros 63 to order the gathering of all carts carrying wheat at the granary which the latter built outside Raidestos (:) βασιλικῷ γράμματι τοῦτο διορισάμενος Attaleiates: History 202.4-5 / 148.22-24
Nikephoritzes (Nikephoros 63)
  • Envious of the prosperity generated by the wheat trade at the kastron of Raidestos, he built a granary outside the city and ordered with imperial consent the carts to gather there, creating a monopoly by banning the purchase of wheat from elsewhere (:) φούνδακα ἐκτὸς τοῦ ἄστεως ὁ παγκάκιστος ἐποικοδομεῖ Attaleiates: History 201.19-202.8 / 148.17-149.1
  • Let out the granary (phoundax) he had built at Raidestos for 60 pounds (of gold) and enjoyed its revenues, while everybody else was in need not only of wheat but of everything else too (:) ἐνηβρύνετο τῷ ἐξ αὐτοῦ πορισμῷ Attaleiates: History 203.23-204.2 / 150.3-5
  • Established a phoundax (granary) at Raidestos, imposed a monopoly, and prevented the sale (of wheat) outside the imperial granary, thus causing a great famine and giving the emperor (Michael 7) his nickname of Parapinakios (:) Skylitzes Continuatus 162.9-17
  • Being cunning and most inventive he caused a famine by establishing a monopoly (on wheat) and a phoundax (granary) at Raidestos, preventing farmers from selling (their produce), and thus gave the emperor Michael 7 his nickname of Parapinakes (:) μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων αὐτοῦ κακιῶν καὶ τοῦ κερδαλέου φροντίζων ἅτε ποριμώτατος ὢν εἰς κακίαν καὶ λιμὸν πραγματεύεται Glykas 614.14-21