The Armeniac Theme (Greek: Ἀρμενιακόν [θέμα], Armeniakoi [thema]), more properly the Theme of the Armeniacs (Greek: θέμα Ἀρμενιακῶν, thema Armeniakōi) was a Byzantinetheme (a military-civilian province) located in northeastern Asia Minor (modern Turkey).
The Armeniac Theme was one of the four original themes, established sometime in the mid-7th century out of the territory of Lesser Armenia (also known as "Armenia Minor"). Although the mention of a "George, tourmarchēs of the Armeniacs" in 629, during the Persian campaigns of Emperor Heraclius (r. 610–641),[1] may suggest the existence of the theme at such an early date, the first unambiguous reference to it in literary sources occurs during the revolt of its general, Saborios, in 667/668.[2] It is next mentioned on a seal of 717/718.[3] Together with the other themes, it was created from the remnants of one of the field armies of the old East Roman army following the disastrous defeats suffered during the first wave of the Muslim conquests, a process probably complete by the late 640s.[4] Thus, the army of the magister militum per Armeniae (the "Armeniacs") was withdrawn and settled in the areas of Pontus, Paphlagonia and Cappadocia, giving its name to the region.[5]
The Byzantine themes of Asia Minor in circa 842, showing the fragmentation of the large original themes into smaller circumscriptions.
The theme's capital was at Amaseia, and it was governed by a stratēgos, who ranked, together with the stratēgoi of the Anatolic and Thracesian themes, in the first tier of stratēgoi, drawing an annual salary of 40 gold pounds.[2] In the 9th century, it fielded some 9,000 men and encompassed 17 fortresses. Its size and strategic importance on the Byzantine Empire's north-eastern frontier with the Muslims made its governor a powerful figure, and the theme's forces participated in several revolts in the 8th century.[2] Consequently, in the 9th century it was broken up: the smaller provinces of Charsianon and Cappadocia were formed, first as kleisourai and later as full themes, along the border in the south and east, while in circa 819, the coastal themes of Paphlagonia and Chaldia were split off, followed later by the area of Koloneia (first under a doux, by 863 under a full strategos), leaving a rump Armeniac theme encompassing the western Pontus.[6]
The theme remained in Byzantine hands until the late 11th century. In 1073, however, following the disastrous Battle of Manzikert, Frankish mercenaries under Roussel de Bailleul seized control and governed the region, until Byzantine authority was restored by future emperor Alexios Komnenos in 1075.[7][8] Shortly after, the region was overrun by the Seljuk Turks, with only a few coastal forts holding out. The Komnenian emperors managed to recover the coastal regions for the Empire, but the Armeniac theme was not restored.
^Ragia 2009, p. 217: "The inscriptions on the seals of the warehouses in the beginning of the 8th c. took the following forms: "the warehouse of Koloneia and Kamacha" (702-704), "of Koloneia, Kamacha and Armenia IV" (713-715), which finally became "of Koloneia and all the provinces of the Christ-loving Armeniakoi" (717/8)." [Ragia, in footnote #78, is citing McGeer, Nesbitt & Oikonomides 2001, No. 65.1, 74.4, 22.27.]
^ODB, "Armeniakoi" (C. Foss), p. 177; "Koloneia 1. Koloneia on the Lykos in interior Pontos" (C. Foss), p. 1138, "Paphlagonia" (C. Foss), p. 1579; Treadgold 1995, p. 31.
Beihammer, Alexander Daniel (2017). Byzantium and the Emergence of Muslim-Turkish Anatolia, Ca. 1040-1130. Taylor & Francis. ISBN1351983865.
Gyftopoulou, Sofia (May 20, 2003). Αρμενιάκων Θέμα. Encyclopedia of the Hellenic World: Asia Minor (in Greek). Foundation of the Hellenic World. Retrieved 7 October 2009.
Haldon, John F. (1997). Byzantium in the Seventh Century: The Transformation of a Culture. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-0-521-31917-1.
Haldon, John (1999). Warfare, State and Society in the Byzantine World, 565–1204. London: UCL Press. ISBN1-85728-495-X.
Leveniotis, Georgios Athanasios (2007). Η πολιτική κατάρρευση του Βυζαντίου στην Ανατολή: το ανατολικό σύνορο και η κεντρική Μικρά Ασία κατά το β' ήμισυ του 11ου αι [The Political Collapse of Byzantium in the East: The Eastern Frontier and Central Asia Minor During the Second Half of the 11th Century] (PhD thesis) (in Greek). Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. doi:10.12681/eadd/19246. hdl:10442/hedi/19246.
McGeer, Eric; Nesbitt, John W.; Oikonomides, Nicolas, eds. (2001). Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 4: The East. Washington, District of Columbia: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection. ISBN0-88402-282-X.
Pertusi, A. (1952). Constantino Porfirogenito: De Thematibus (in Italian). Rome, Italy: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana.
Ragia, Efi (2009). . Byzantine Symmeikta. 19: 195–245. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
Treadgold, Warren T. (1995). Byzantium and Its Army, 284–1081. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. ISBN0-8047-3163-2.
January 07, 2023
armeniac, theme, greek, Ἀρμενιακόν, θέμα, armeniakoi, thema, more, properly, theme, armeniacs, greek, θέμα, Ἀρμενιακῶν, thema, armeniakōi, byzantine, theme, military, civilian, province, located, northeastern, asia, minor, modern, turkey, theme, armeniacsΆρμεν. The Armeniac Theme Greek Ἀrmeniakon 8ema Armeniakoi thema more properly the Theme of the Armeniacs Greek 8ema Ἀrmeniakῶn thema Armeniakōi was a Byzantine theme a military civilian province located in northeastern Asia Minor modern Turkey Theme of the ArmeniacsArmeniakon 8ema Armeniakwn Armeniakon 8emaTheme of the Byzantine Empire640s 660s c 1073The Byzantine themes of Asia Minor in circa 780 after the split of the Opsikion CapitalAmaseiaHistoryHistorical eraMiddle Ages Established640s 660s Fall to Frankish mercenaries and then Seljuks c 1073Today part ofTurkeyHistory EditThe Armeniac Theme was one of the four original themes established sometime in the mid 7th century out of the territory of Lesser Armenia also known as Armenia Minor Although the mention of a George tourmarches of the Armeniacs in 629 during the Persian campaigns of Emperor Heraclius r 610 641 1 may suggest the existence of the theme at such an early date the first unambiguous reference to it in literary sources occurs during the revolt of its general Saborios in 667 668 2 It is next mentioned on a seal of 717 718 3 Together with the other themes it was created from the remnants of one of the field armies of the old East Roman army following the disastrous defeats suffered during the first wave of the Muslim conquests a process probably complete by the late 640s 4 Thus the army of the magister militum per Armeniae the Armeniacs was withdrawn and settled in the areas of Pontus Paphlagonia and Cappadocia giving its name to the region 5 The Byzantine themes of Asia Minor in circa 842 showing the fragmentation of the large original themes into smaller circumscriptions The theme s capital was at Amaseia and it was governed by a strategos who ranked together with the strategoi of the Anatolic and Thracesian themes in the first tier of strategoi drawing an annual salary of 40 gold pounds 2 In the 9th century it fielded some 9 000 men and encompassed 17 fortresses Its size and strategic importance on the Byzantine Empire s north eastern frontier with the Muslims made its governor a powerful figure and the theme s forces participated in several revolts in the 8th century 2 Consequently in the 9th century it was broken up the smaller provinces of Charsianon and Cappadocia were formed first as kleisourai and later as full themes along the border in the south and east while in circa 819 the coastal themes of Paphlagonia and Chaldia were split off followed later by the area of Koloneia first under a doux by 863 under a full strategos leaving a rump Armeniac theme encompassing the western Pontus 6 The theme remained in Byzantine hands until the late 11th century In 1073 however following the disastrous Battle of Manzikert Frankish mercenaries under Roussel de Bailleul seized control and governed the region until Byzantine authority was restored by future emperor Alexios Komnenos in 1075 7 8 Shortly after the region was overrun by the Seljuk Turks with only a few coastal forts holding out The Komnenian emperors managed to recover the coastal regions for the Empire but the Armeniac theme was not restored References Edit Haldon 1999 p 315 a b c ODB Armeniakoi C Foss p 177 Ragia 2009 p 217 The inscriptions on the seals of the warehouses in the beginning of the 8th c took the following forms the warehouse of Koloneia and Kamacha 702 704 of Koloneia Kamacha and Armenia IV 713 715 which finally became of Koloneia and all the provinces of the Christ loving Armeniakoi 717 8 Ragia in footnote 78 is citing McGeer Nesbitt amp Oikonomides 2001 No 65 1 74 4 22 27 Haldon 1997 pp 214 216 Haldon 1999 pp 73 112 ODB Armeniakoi C Foss p 177 Koloneia 1 Koloneia on the Lykos in interior Pontos C Foss p 1138 Paphlagonia C Foss p 1579 Treadgold 1995 p 31 Haldon 1999 pp 91 92 269 Beihammer 2017 pp 212 Sources EditBeihammer Alexander Daniel 2017 Byzantium and the Emergence of Muslim Turkish Anatolia Ca 1040 1130 Taylor amp Francis ISBN 1351983865 Gyftopoulou Sofia May 20 2003 Armeniakwn 8ema Encyclopedia of the Hellenic World Asia Minor in Greek Foundation of the Hellenic World Retrieved 7 October 2009 Haldon John F 1997 Byzantium in the Seventh Century The Transformation of a Culture Cambridge United Kingdom Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 31917 1 Haldon John 1999 Warfare State and Society in the Byzantine World 565 1204 London UCL Press ISBN 1 85728 495 X Kazhdan Alexander ed 1991 The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium Oxford and New York Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 504652 8 Leveniotis Georgios Athanasios 2007 H politikh katarreysh toy Byzantioy sthn Anatolh to anatoliko synoro kai h kentrikh Mikra Asia kata to b hmisy toy 11oy ai The Political Collapse of Byzantium in the East The Eastern Frontier and Central Asia Minor During the Second Half of the 11th Century PhD thesis in Greek Aristotle University of Thessaloniki doi 10 12681 eadd 19246 hdl 10442 hedi 19246 McGeer Eric Nesbitt John W Oikonomides Nicolas eds 2001 Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art Volume 4 The East Washington District of Columbia Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection ISBN 0 88402 282 X Pertusi A 1952 Constantino Porfirogenito De Thematibus in Italian Rome Italy Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana Ragia Efi 2009 The Geography of the Provincial Administration of the Byzantine Empire ca 600 1200 I 1 The Apothekai of Asia Minor 7th 8th c Byzantine Symmeikta 19 195 245 Archived from the original PDF on 2016 03 03 Retrieved 2010 06 07 Treadgold Warren T 1995 Byzantium and Its Army 284 1081 Stanford California Stanford University Press ISBN 0 8047 3163 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Armeniac Theme amp oldid 1129102766, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
