Peter Barsymes

Peter Barsymes was a Byzantine official, associated mainly public finances and administration during the rule of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I.

According to historian Procopius, Barsymes was a Syrian banker very skillful in banking affairs who put his talents in the service of the state. Before being appointed to the post of “Comes sacrarum largitionum” or ("Count of the Sacred Largess", that is, minister for the public treasury) he held an office in the staff of the praetorian prefecture of the East.

As the minister of public treasury since around 540, he was awarded with the titles of honorary consul and patrician. In the period from 543 until 546 he held the post of the Pretorian prefect of the East. In order to replenish the state treasury, he restarted the sale of offices, but his speculation with the grain supply of the capital failed, and he was dismissed soon after by Justinian.

However, enjoying the protection of Empress Theodora who admired his competence, he was in 547 appointed to the office of Count of the Sacred Largesses in charge for overseeing imperial revenues and expenses. During his office, he established a monopoly on the production and sale of silk, which brought huge profits to the Emperor and him.

He remained in office until ca. 550 or perhaps until 555, when he was reappointed as Praetorian prefect of the East after the death of Empress Theodora. He kept this post until 562.