Eunuchs reached special prominence within the Byzantine empire, beginning in the seventh century. They wielded the most influence between the tenth and eleventh centuries CE.

Indeed, Narses, the senior general under the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, was a eunuch. The world would be very different today if, 1,500 years ago, Narses hadn't destroyed the Ostrogoths and ...

Byzantine art depicted angels akin to eunuchs, as beardless and rosy cheeked men. Certain Byzantine stories also relate how angels were mistaken to be eunuchs, such as the legend of St Michael and ...

Narses was a eunuch and one of the Byzantine emperor Justinian’s great generals. He managed to recapture Italy, including Rome, from the Goths (a Germanic people who had invaded Italy).

In the Byzantine Empire they called eunuchs the perfect servants; they had no family ambitions." Having a eunuch as a detective also has its disadvantages, however.

Throughout their history, eunuchs often found themselves stigmatised. Bridget Kendall traces the controversial practice of castrating young boys and men to work as loyal servants. Show more Since ...