JEWISH PERCEPTION OF THE POLICY OF FORCED CHRISTIANIZATION IN BYZANTINE (the second half of the IXth century)

In the latter half of the 9th century, certain Jewish communities within the Byzantine Empire experienced significant upheaval. This turmoil stemmed from Emperor Basil I's (867–886) efforts to compel these communities to forsake Judaism and convert to Christianity. Basil I, the founder of the Macedonian dynasty, implemented a policy of forced conversion that affected the entire state. However, the enforcement of this policy, which apparently involved military intervention, was regionally focused. Specifically, it targeted a segment of the Jewish population in the southern part of the Apennine Peninsula. This area provides the primary references to the emotional and physical coercion employed during the Christianization efforts. These events left a profound impact on the collective memory of the local Jewish communities, an impact that is reflected in their liturgical and historical writings. The article analyzes various textual sources from the 9th to 13th centuries, originating from the southern Italian region, to explore the perceptions of forced Christianization policies from the perspective of the Byzantine Jews who were directly affected. The sources considered include a penitential prayer by Rabbi Silano of Venosa, several pieces of Jewish liturgical poetry by Amitai ben Shefatia and an anonymous poet published by Benjamin Klar, the homiletic midrash “Aggadat Bereshit” (dating to the late 9th or early 10th century), and the apocalyptic work “The Vision of Daniel” (whose date ranges from the 10th to the 13th centuries). Additionally, the family chronicle of Ahima'az ben Paltiel of Capua, written in 1054, serves as an indirect non-religious source representing the experiences of forced conversions. The examination of these sources reveals that they collectively represent the traumatic experiences of Jews compelled to abandon their faith against their will. The forced renunciation of Judaism created profound internal conflicts within the Jewish community. Over time, the coerced oaths of conversion to Christianity came to be perceived as false promises, for which the Jews did not hold themselves accountable. The figure of Emperor Basil I is portrayed with significant resentment in these sources, marking him as a formidable and negative presence deeply ingrained in the historical memory of this ethno-religious community. Furthermore, Byzantium itself is depicted as a foreign and hostile entity. The memory of forced conversions has been preserved through the centuries, notably in the Achima'atz family chronicle, and has attained a certain sacredness in “The Vision of Daniel”. Keywords: Byzantium, Basil I “the Macedonian”, Judaism, Jews, policy of conversion, Christianization, perception of authority.