Related Research Articles
The population of the Byzantine Empire encompassed all ethnic and tribal groups living there - Albanians, Arabs, Armenians, Assyrians, Byzantine Greeks, Bulgarians, Goths, Latini, Slavs, Thracians, Tzans, Vlachs and other groups. It fluctuated throughout the state's millennial history. The reign of the Emperor Justinian I in the mid-sixth century was the high point of the empire's expansion; however, the arrival of plague in 541 AD and its subsequent recurrences caused a severe depletion of the population. After the reign of Emperor Heraclius and the loss of the empire's overseas territories, Byzantium was limited to the Balkans and Anatolia. When the empire began to recover after a series of conflicts in the 8th century and its territories stabilized, its population began to recover. By the end of the 8th century the population of the empire was around 7,000,000, a figure that climbed to over 12,000,000 people by 1025 AD. The numbers began falling steadily to 9,000,000 people at 1204 AD and even lower to 5,000,000 people at 1282 AD with the arrival of the Turks.
The Battle of Anzen or Dazimon was fought on 22 July 838 at Anzen or Dazimon between the Byzantine Empire and the forces of the Abbasid Caliphate. The Abbasids had launched a massive expedition with two separate armies in retaliation for the Byzantine emperor Theophilos's successes the previous year, and aimed to sack Amorion, one of Byzantium's largest cities. Theophilos with his army confronted the smaller Muslim army, under the Iranian vassal prince Afshin, at Dazimon.
The Theme of Macedonia was a military-civilian province (theme) of the Byzantine Empire established between the late 8th century and the early 9th century. Byzantine Macedonia had limited geographical relation to the Ancient Macedonia and mainly lay in what is now the modern region of Southern Thrace. Its capital was Adrianople.
Theodotos I Kassiteras, Latinized as Theodotus I Cassiteras was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1 April 815 to January 821.
Nikephoros Melissenos, Latinized as Nicephorus Melissenus, was a Byzantine general and aristocrat. Of distinguished lineage, he served as a governor and general in the Balkans and Asia Minor in the 1060s. In the turbulent period after the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, when several generals tried to seize the throne for themselves, Melissenos remained loyal to Michael VII Doukas and was exiled by his successor Nikephoros III Botaneiates. In 1080–1081, with Turkish aid, he seized control of what remained of Byzantine Asia Minor and proclaimed himself emperor against Botaneiates. After the revolt of his brother-in-law Alexios I Komnenos, however, which succeeded in taking Constantinople, he submitted to him, accepting the rank of Caesar and the governance of Thessalonica. He remained loyal to Alexios thereafter, participating in most Byzantine campaigns of the period 1081–1095 in the Balkans at the emperor's side. He died on 17 November 1104.
Leo the Mathematician, the Grammarian or the Philosopher was a Byzantine philosopher and logician associated with the Macedonian Renaissance and the end of the Second Byzantine Iconoclasm. His only preserved writings are some notes contained in manuscripts of Plato's dialogues. He has been called a "true Renaissance man" and "the cleverest man in Byzantium in the 9th century". He was archbishop of Thessalonica and later became the head of the Magnaura School of philosophy in Constantinople, where he taught Aristotelian logic.
The Battle of Krasos took place during the Arab–Byzantine Wars in August 804, between the Byzantines under Emperor Nikephoros I and an Abbasid army under Ibrahim ibn Jibril. Nikephoros' accession in 802 resulted in a resumption of warfare between Byzantium and the Abbasid Caliphate. In late summer 804, the Abbasids had invaded Byzantine Asia Minor for one of their customary raids, and Nikephoros set out to meet them. He was surprised, however, at Krasos and heavily defeated, barely escaping with his own life. A truce and prisoner exchange were afterwards arranged. Despite his defeat, and a massive Abbasid invasion the next year, Nikephoros persevered until troubles in the eastern provinces of the Caliphate forced the Abbasids to conclude a peace.
The Theme of Thessalonica was a military-civilian province of the Byzantine Empire located in the southern Balkans, comprising varying parts of Central and Western Macedonia and centred on Thessalonica, the Empire's second-most important city.
The Thracesian Theme, more properly known as the Theme of the Thracesians, was a Byzantine theme in western Asia Minor. Created either in the mid-7th or the early 8th century as the settlement of the former Army of Thrace, after which it was named, it was one of the larger and more important themes of the Empire throughout its existence based on its proximity to Constantinople. The Thracesian Theme was one of the longest-lived themes, surviving until the region was conquered by the Turks in the early 14th century.
Mutilation was a common method of punishment for criminals in the Byzantine Empire, but it also had a role in the empire's political life. By blinding a rival, one would not only restrict his mobility but also make it almost impossible for him to lead an army into battle, then an important part of taking control of the empire. Castration was also used to eliminate potential opponents. In the Byzantine Empire, for a man to be castrated meant that he was no longer a man—half-dead, "life that was half death". Castration also eliminated any chance of heirs being born to threaten either the emperor's or the emperor's children's place at the throne. Other mutilations were the severing of the nose (rhinotomy), or the amputating of limbs.
Tatzates or Tatzatios was a prominent Byzantine general of Armenian descent, who in 782 defected to the Abbasids and was appointed governor of Arminiya.
Alexios Mosele or Musele/Mousele (Μουσελέ) was a Byzantine aristocrat and general, chosen by Emperor Theophilos for a time as his heir, betrothed to his daughter Maria and raised to the supreme dignity of Caesar. He campaigned in the Balkans, recovering territory from the Slavs, and fought with some success in Sicily against the Arabs. Recalled to Constantinople on suspicion of plotting to usurp the throne, he was imprisoned but later pardoned and allowed to retire to a monastery, where he spent the remainder of his days.
The Theme of Strymon was a Byzantine military-civilian province (theme) located in modern Greek Macedonia, with the city of Serres as its capital. Founded probably by the mid-to-late 9th century, its history as an administrative history was chequered, being variously split up and/or united with neighbouring themes.
The siege of Syracuse in 827–828 marks the first attempt by the Aghlabids to conquer the city of Syracuse in Sicily, then a Byzantine province. The Aghlabid army had only months before landed on Sicily, ostensibly in support of the rebel Byzantine general Euphemius. After defeating local forces and taking the fortress of Mazara, they marched on Syracuse, which was the capital of the island under Roman and Byzantine rule. The siege lasted through the winter of 827–828 and until summer, during which time the besieging forces suffered greatly from lack of food and an outbreak of an epidemic, which claimed the life of their commander, Asad ibn al-Furat. In the face of Byzantine reinforcements, the new Arab leader, Muhammad ibn Abi'l-Jawari, abandoned the siege and withdrew to the southwestern part of the island, which remained in their hands. From there they pursued the slow conquest of Sicily, which led to the fall of Syracuse after another long siege in 877–878, and culminated in the fall of Taormina in 902.
The Theme of Cephallenia or Cephalonia was a Byzantine theme located in western Greece, comprising the Ionian Islands, and extant from the 8th century until partially conquered by the Kingdom of Sicily in 1185.
The Battle of Kopidnadon or Kopidnados took place in September 788 between the armies of the Abbasid Caliphate and the Byzantine Empire. The Abbasid army launched an invasion of Byzantine Asia Minor, and was confronted by a Byzantine force at Kopidnadon. The resulting battle was an Abbasid victory. Among the Byzantine losses was a certain Diogenes, who is identified by some scholars with the probable original source for the literary hero Digenes Akritas.
Elpidius or Elpidios was a Byzantine aristocrat and governor of Sicily, who was accused of conspiring against Empress Irene of Athens. This forced him to rebel, and after being defeated he defected to the Abbasid Caliphate and was recognized there as Byzantine emperor.
Theophylact Rhangabe or Theophylaktos Rhangabe, was a Byzantine Greek admiral, and the father of the emperor Michael I Rhangabe.
Eleutherios the Younger was a Byzantine official who overthrew Gennadios and possibly succeeded him as Exarch of Africa.
In the Byzantine Empire, the term "barbarians" was used for several non-Greek people. The Byzantines regarded most neighbouring people as barbarians. The Bureau of Barbarians was a department of government dealing with matters relating to these "barbarians". In the Early Middle Ages in Europe, the term was applied to Huns, Goths, Pechenegs, Avars, Slavs, Bulgars, and others.
References
- 1 2 "Warren Treadgold, Ph.D." Saint Louis University.
- ↑ Reviews for A Concise History of Byzantium:
- Angold, Michael (January 2003). "A concise history of Byzantium. By Warren Treadgold". The Journal of Ecclesiastical History . 54 (1): 106. doi:10.1017/S0022046903315684 . Retrieved March 18, 2023.
- ↑ Reviews for A History of the Byzantine State and Society:
- Luttwak, Edward (March 21, 1999). "The Other Empire". The Los Angeles Times . Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ↑ Reviews for Byzantium and Its Army, 284-1081:
- Nesbitt, J. W. (June 1996). "Europe -- Byzantium and its army, 284-1081 by Warren Treadgold". Choice Reviews . 33 (10): 1708. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- ↑ Reviews for The Byzantine Revival, 780-842:
- Olster, David (July 1990). "The Byzantine Revival, 780-842. Warren Treadgold". Speculum . 65 (3): 769. doi:10.2307/2864130 . Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- Kaegi, Walter Emil (January 1990). "Medieval - The Byzantine Revival 780-842 by Warren Treadgold". The Catholic Historical Review . 76 (1): 108–110. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- Edwards, Robert W. (January 1992). "The Byzantine Revival, 780-842. Warren Treadgold". Journal of Near Eastern Studies . 51 (1): 72–73. doi:10.1086/373530 . Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- Constantelos, Demetrios J. (June 1990). "Book Reviews: The Byzantine Revival 780–842. By Warren Treadgold". Church History . 59 (2): 229–231. doi:10.2307/3168319 . Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- Wortley, John (August 1989). "Review: The Byzantine Revival, 780-842, by Warren Treadgold". Canadian Journal of History . 24 (2): 213–214. doi:10.3138/cjh.24.2.213 . Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- Haldon, J. F. (February 1990). "The Byzantine Revival, 780-842 by Warren Treadgold". History . 75 (243): 102. doi:10.1111/j.1468-229X.1990.tb01511.x . Retrieved March 18, 2023.
- Angold, Michael (April 1992). "Shorter Notices -- The Byzantine Revival, 780-842 by Warren Treadgold". The English Historical Review . 107 (423): 426–427. doi:10.1093/ehr/CVII.423.426 . Retrieved March 18, 2023.
