ABSTRACT
The monasteries of Mt Athos accumulated property by a variety of means - donations and bequests, purchases and the absorption of other monasteries. The crucial factor in the build-up of their landed wealth was aristocratic and, especially, imperial favour. This is most evident in the case of the two best documented monasteries, Lavra and Iviron. Iviron benefited from the political importance of relations with Georgia early in Basil IFs reign and in 979-80 it swallowed up the monastery of Kolovos through an imperial Chrysobull. Kolovos itself had previously absorbed other monasteries and had become a major landowner. It was located in the eastern Chalkidiki and one of its dependent monasteries, Leontia, was situated in Thessalonike.1 Thus, at a stroke, Iviron became the largest landowner on Mt Athos, the extent of the land which it received through Basil II's Chrysobull having been estimated by Lefort at 80,000 modioi (approximately 8,000 hectares).2 How intensively it was cultivated at this time is not known. A little before 1029 Iviron also acquired the large property of Dovrovikeia from the state.3 The importance of the connection with Constantinople is demonstrated by the confiscation of five of Iviron's properties following the treason of its abbot, George, in 1029. Some landowners exploited Iviron's difficulties to usurp other estates belonging to the monastery. Although the confiscated properties were restored by Michael IV around 1035, reclaiming the usurped lands proved a more lengthy business and one at Ezova was not recovered until 1062. A Chrysobull of 1079 lists twenty-three major properties belonging to Iviron.4
