The sigillion of Basil I the Macedonian, issued in June 883, is the earliest constitutional text of Mount Athos. Its importance lies in establishing the basic principles governing Mount Athos? exceptional status, while simultaneously securing a range of special privileges for the monks of the Athonite monastic communities. These privileges concern asylum, the unobstructed and inviolable way of life of the Athonite monks, as well as their tax exemption. This paper offers a new edition of this document, as well as its first translation into Modern Greek, while also providing a detailed philological commentary on this document?s content.
Georgios Gousgouriotis (Wed,) studied this question.