Editing Photios I of Constantinople (section)

== Secular life ==
Most of the popular sources treating Photius's life are written by persons hostile to him. The chief contemporary authority for the life of Photius is his bitter enemy, [[Niketas David Paphlagon]], the biographer of his rival Ignatius.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=484}} Modern scholars are thus cautious when assessing the accuracy of the information these sources provide.{{cref|b}} Little is known of Photius's origin and early years. It is known that he was born into a notable family and that his uncle Saint Tarasius had been the patriarch of Constantinople from 784–806 under both Empress [[Irene of Athens]] (r. 797–802) and Emperor [[Nikephoros I]] (r. 802–811).<ref>Photius, ''Epistola II'', CII, 609; {{harvnb|Tougher|1997|p=68}}.</ref> During the second [[Iconoclasm (Byzantine)|Iconoclasm]], which began in 814, his family suffered persecution since his father, Sergios, was a prominent [[iconophile]]. Sergios's family returned to favor only after the restoration of the icons in 842.<ref>{{harvnb|Tougher|1997|p=68}}.</ref> Certain scholars claim that Photius was, at least in part, of [[Armenians|Armenian]] descent,{{cref|c}} but this has been challenged.{{cref|d}} Other scholars merely refer to him as a "[[Byzantine Greeks|Greek Byzantine]]".<ref>{{harvnb|Gren|2002|p=110}}: "Something of it, though, has been saved for posterity in the extracts made later by the Greek Byzantine patriarch Photius..."</ref> Byzantine writers also report that Emperor [[Michael III]] (r. 842–867) once angrily called Photius "[[Khazar]]-faced", but whether this was a generic insult or a reference to his [[ethnicity]] is unclear.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunlop|1954|p=194}}; {{harvnb|Fortescue|2001|loc=Chapter IV - "The Schism of Photius", pp. 146–147}}.</ref>

Although Photius had an excellent education, we have no information about how he received this education. The famous library he possessed attests to his enormous erudition (theology, history, grammar, philosophy, law, the natural sciences, and medicine).<ref name="Tat102">{{harvnb|Tatakes|Moutafakis|2003|p=102}}.</ref> Most scholars believe that he never taught at [[University of Constantinople|Magnaura]] or at any other university;<ref>{{harvnb|Mango|1980|pp=168–169}}; {{harvnb|Treadgold|1983|p=1100}}.</ref> Vasileios N. Tatakes asserts that, even while he was patriarch, Photius taught "young students passionately eager for knowledge" at his home, which "was a center of learning".<ref name="Tat102" /> He was a friend of the Byzantine scholar and teacher [[Leo the Mathematician]].<ref name="Vlasto">{{Cite book |title=The Entry of the Slavs into Christendom - An Introduction to the Medieval History of the Slavs |last=Vlasto |first=A. P. |date=1970 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |location=Cambridge |page=33}}</ref>{{cref|e}}

Photius I says that, when he was young, he had an inclination for the monastic life, but instead he started a secular career. The way to public life was probably opened for him by (according to one account) the marriage of his brother Sergios to Irene, a sister of Empress [[Theodora (wife of Theophilos)]], who upon the death of her husband Emperor [[Theophilos (emperor)|Theophilos]] (r. 829–842) in 842, had assumed the regency of the Byzantine Empire.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=483}} Photius became a captain of the guard (''[[protospatharios]]'') and subsequently chief imperial secretary (''[[Protasekretis]]''). At an uncertain date, Photius participated in an embassy to the [[Abbasids]] of [[Baghdad]].<ref>{{harvnb|Plexidas|2007|loc=Introduction, p. 17}}; {{harvnb|Shepard|2002|p=235}}.</ref>

Photius achieved a dazzling reputation as a scholar. In a feud with Patriarch Ignatius, Photius invented a fanciful theory that people have two souls, for the sole purpose of tricking Ignatius into embarrassing himself by being seen to take it seriously, whereupon Photius withdrew his proposal and admitted he had not been serious. The historian [[John Julius Norwich]] described this as "perhaps the only really satisfactory practical joke in the whole history of theology".<ref>{{harvnb|Norwich|1991|pp=63–64}}</ref>