The Skleros or Sclerus (Greek: Σκληρός; plural: Σκληροί, Skleroi), feminine form Skleraina/Scleraena (Greek: Σκλήραινα), was a noble Byzantine family active mostly in the 9th–11th centuries.
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The family descended from north-eastern Asia Minor, either from Lesser Armenia or the theme of Sebasteia. Due to their origin, they have been traditionally regarded as Armenians, although this is nowhere explicitly attested.[1][2][3]
Although the family belonged to the Anatolian military aristocracy, in the 9th century its members are mostly attested as being active in the Balkans: the first Skleros known was a strategos of the Peloponnese in 805, and in 811, the same office was occupied by Leo Skleros, possibly a son or nephew of the former.[1][4] Another unnamed member of the family is recorded in the 840s as serving the Arabs and being in conflict with Umar al-Aqta, the emir of Malatya, possibly indicating a fall from favour of the family under the Amorian dynasty.[4][5] The family seems to have regained a prominent position under Basil I the Macedonian (r. 867–886), for the magistros and anthypatos Theodore Skleros is recorded in 869–870. His sons Antony and Niketas became patrikioi, with Antony serving as strategos of Hellas and Niketas possibly as admiral of the imperial fleet (droungarios tou ploimou), while he is also recorded as leading an embassy to the Magyars in 894.[1][4][6]
The Skleroi fall into obscurity during the reign of Leo VI the Wise (r. 886–912), who favoured the Doukas and Phokas families. In turn, the Skleroi seem to have supported Romanos Lekapenos: the general Pantherios, who has been tentatively identified as a member of the Skleros clan, became strategos of Lykandos, Thrakesion and finally Domestic of the Schools for a short time in 944–945, before being replaced by Bardas Phokas the Elder.[7][8]
The most distinguished scion of the family, Bardas Skleros, first appears in 956 as a patrikios and strategos of the small frontier theme of Kaloudia. Bardas's siblings married into the most prominent families of the military aristocracy: Constantine married Sophia Phokaina, the niece of Nikephoros II Phokas (r. 963–969), while Maria Skleraina married Nikephoros Phokas's nephew, John Tzimiskes. The latter connection was of particular importance for the family's fortunes: although she died before Tzimiskes ascended the throne in 969, the Skleroi were promoted by him to senior positions in the state.[8] Bardas was appointed as Domestic of the Schools of the East, suppressing the revolt of the Phocas clan led by Bardas Phokas the Younger and defeating the Rus' in 970.[9] Despite a period of disgrace in 972–974, connected with a reported conspiracy against Tzimiskes, the Skleroi remained among the most important families during his reign.[1][10] In 972, Tzimiskes even married Constantine Skleros's daughter, Theophano, to the Holy Roman Emperor Otto II (r. 973–983).[11]