BALSAMON, TEODORO. — One of the most renowned canonists of the dissident Greek Church, born around the middle of the 12th century in Constantinople and died there after 1195. Having entered the clergy of the Great Church at a young age, he obtained the offices of *monophylax* and *chartophylax*. Around 1193, he was elected Bishop of Antioch, though he never took possession of the see.
Prompted by Emperor Manuel Comnenus and the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Anchialus, he composed around 1170 a voluminous *Commentary* in fourteen titles on the *Syntagma* or *Collection*.
This work comprises two parts: the collection of Sacred Canons and their explanation (*PG* 137 and 138) and the interpretation of the *Nomocanon* (ibid., 104, 975–1218).
It is unclear why the editors published the two parts separately, as they constitute a single and unified work. Under the title of the canons are included the Apostolic Canons, the decrees of general and particular councils, and some letters of the Church Fathers. To Justinian’s *Novellae* and the *Basilica*, he adds various laws of the emperors and decrees of the patriarchs issued subsequently.
Among his other works worthy of note are: *Eight Meditations* or *Responses* (*PG* 119); *Response to 74 Canonical Questions* posed by Mark, Patriarch of Alexandria (ibid., 112 and 138); *Commentary on the Questions of Some Monks* (ibid., 138).