Byzantine Army Research Articles

Revisiting the Question of the Time and Place of Writing of the Caucasian Albanian Palimpsest According to Numismatic Data (Part I)

This article concerns the dating of the Caucasian Albanian palimpsest (Gospel of John) on the basis of a refined interpretation of the monetary term **zaizowzńa. In the first part of paper is offered and justified the etymology of the word **zaizowzńa, that derived from the Sasanian monetary term zūzā ‘dirham’. The Albanian umbrella term **zaizowzńa indicated a general concept of a ‘zuza-like (coin)’, which unified wide range of various imitations of Hormizd IV’s silver coins (or ZWZWN, as they named in Pahlavi on coins), struck in the end of the 6th century after defeating of Varhrān Čōbīn in 592 as payment to the Byzantine army, as well as typologically close to them pre-reform Islamic coins of the Sasanian type struck in the 7th – beginning of 8th centuries (so-called Arab-Sasanian coins). In the Caucasian Albanian Gospel of John the word **zaizowzńa was used to translate the Greek δηναρίων, but in the corresponding places of Armenian or Georgian translations were used another words — dahekan/drahkani, denar or satiri/statiri (etymology of these words also discussed and shown that they are not related to Sasanian zūzā). Thus, the use of a special term for Greek δηναρίων is not associated with the established translation tradition and unequivocally indicates its local, Caucasian Albanian origin. The period of time when **zaizowzńa coins were used in the Transcaucasia is outlined, and it is shown that the Sinai edition of the Albanian Gospel of John was completed between the beginning of the 6th century and the beginning of the 10th century.

John the Scythian – a Slayer of Usurpers and the Isaurians

The paper is devoted to John the Scythian – one of the chiefs of the Byzantine army in the eighties and nineties of the 5th century. Based on the sources, the military career of John the Scythian lasted 16 years. He spent less time defending the borders of the empire and more fighting (often, victoriously) against usurpers and peoples who either had lived in its territory for centuries (the Isaurians) or sought a place to settle there (the Ostrogoths), and whose status kept changing from ally to enemy. John, as evidenced by his nickname, came from a barbarian people, but this did not prevent him from serving the emperor loyally and building his position in the circles of the empire’s elite.

The Burden, the Craving, the Tool. The Provisioning of the 10th Century Byzantine Army in the Light of Leo’s Tactica and Sylloge Tacticorum

It seems obvious that 10th century was a period in which the Byzantine polemology flourished once again, before it collapsed one hundred years later. During that period numerous authors of Byzantine military treaties instructed imperial commanders how to wage war. Among many issues organization of the campaign was always an important aspect. In this paper I will try to clarify selected problems. First, I will try to specify what the soldiers ate on a daily basis. Next, I will determine to what extent the provisioning system met the expectations and needs of the Byzantines fighting for the empire. With the help of Tactica and Sylloge Tacticorum, I will try to explain how the rations were gathered, transported and protected. Finally, I will specify how the supplies were utilized not only as a means of nourishment, but also as a tool of war. The following research was carried out on the basis of military treaties from the 10th century, since this time was the peak of Byzantine military revival. Although I mainly base my research on the work of Leon the Wise and the anonymous treaty known as Sylloge Tacticorum, I also occasionally refer to other works, such as Peri Strategias, De velitatione and Praecepta Militaria.

Georgios Theotokis, Byzantine Military Tactics in Syria and Mesopotamia in the Tenth Century. A Comparative Study, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh 2018, pp. 348.

Georgios Theotokis, Byzantine Military Tactics in Syria and Mesopotamia in the Tenth Century. A Comparative Study, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh 2018, pp. 348.

A Kappadokiaiak És Nyelvük A KR. E. II. Évezredtől Napjainkig

Jelen tanulmány átdolgozott változata a híres ELTE Eötvös József Collegiumban 2016. február 16-án elhangzott előadásomnak, melyet lehetőségem volt Görögország akkori magyar nagykövete, Dimitris Yannakakis jelenlétében megtartani. Szeretném hálás köszönetemet kifejezni Horváth László tanár úrnak a meghívásért és a lehetőségért, hogy magyarul is megjelentethetem tanulmányomat a neves Antik Tanulmányokban. Nagy megtiszteltetés számomra, hogy magyar körökben is bemutathatom kutatási eredményeimet. Úgy gondolom, a kappadokiai nyelv és nép története sok szempontból az ember örök törekvését szimbolizálja, hogy régi és új azonosságtudatát összeegyeztesse régi és új hazájával, és felhívja a figyelmet minden nyelv egyedi értékére.

Book Review: Byzantine Military Tactics in Syria and Mesopotamia in the Tenth Century: A Comparative Study

Book Review: <i>Byzantine Military Tactics in Syria and Mesopotamia in the Tenth Century: A Comparative Study</i>

ВАЛАХСКИЕ КНЕЗАТЫ В ИСТОРИИ ВОСТОЧНОЙ И ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНОЙ ЕВРОПЫ

This paper is devoted to the history of Wallachians a day knezats in the High Middle Ages. Wallachians mentioned far more often than in the Balkans and north of the Danube by the thirteenth century. Wallachian rebellious were subjects Romaios (Byzantinians), but this does not exclude the situational alliances with Romaios and Wallachian contingents participating in the campaigns of Byzantine army. Formation of political structures the Romanians in regions to the north of the Danube can be dated to the IX-XIII centuries. Making Wallachia as an independent state linked to the crisis in the Golden Horde and the expansion of Hungary to the east. Basarab just completed buissnes of Seneslav. Knezate of Gelou is nothing like Wallachian-Slavic cnezat in Transylvania. Regarding the migration of Wallachians in Muntenia, it was implemented as from the territory of Transylvania, as well as from the territory of the Balkan Peninsula. Key words: cnezates, Wallachians, Wallachia, Vlachs, Muntenia

David Alan Parnell, Justinian’s Men. Careers and Relationships of Byzantine Army Officers, 518–610. (New Approaches to Byzantine History and Culture.) Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan 2017

David Alan Parnell, Justinian’s Men. Careers and Relationships of Byzantine Army Officers, 518–610. (New Approaches to Byzantine History and Culture.) Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan 2017

David Alan Parnell, Justinian’s Men: Careers and Relationships of Byzantine Army Officers, 518–610. (New Approaches to Byzantine History and Culture.) Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018. Pp. xi, 228; 6 black-and-white figures, 4 genealogical charts, and 1 table. $99.99. ISBN: 978-1-1375-6203-6.

Previous articleNext article No AccessReviewsDavid Alan Parnell, Justinian’s Men: Careers and Relationships of Byzantine Army Officers, 518–610. (New Approaches to Byzantine History and Culture.) Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018. Pp. xi, 228; 6 black-and-white figures, 4 genealogical charts, and 1 table. $99.99. ISBN: 978-1-1375-6203-6.Alexandru MadgearuAlexandru MadgearuThe Institute for Political Studies of Defence and Military History, Bucharest Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Speculum Volume 95, Number 2April 2020 The journal of the Medieval Academy of America Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/708370 Views: 54Total views on this site Copyright 2020 by the Medieval Academy of America. All rights reserved. For permission to reuse, please contact [email protected]PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

AL-DINAWARI AND AL-TABARI, ARABIC-SPEAKING HISTORIANS IN THE 9TH — EARLY 10TH CENTURY, ON THE ARMENIAN TROOPS AT THE BYZANTINE MILITARY SERVICE IN 590-591: TOWARDS THE PARTICIPATION OF THE ARMENIAN NOBLE FAMILIES (NAKHARARS)

This article covers the legal status, condition, and functions of the Armenian troops, which fought within the Byzantine army on behalf of the Persian king Khosrow II Parwiz in 591 during his clash with a Persian usurper Bakhram Chobin. The author turns his attention to the sources, which had been neglected in previous historiographic studies. The sources ate the accounts of Arabic-speaking historians al-Dinawari and al-Tabari, who lived in the 9th — early 10th century. Having compared their evidence and the narratives of the Greek (Theophylactus Symocatta) and Armenian (Sebeos) historical chronicles, the author has discovered a social origin of the Armenian troops, which were a part of the Byzantine army. In addition, the author has traced the way of their territorial movements and studied in succession how the functions and status of these Armenian units changed over the time. In regards to the methods, the author highlights the usage of the historical-chronological narrative, i. e. the analysis of event history, when events are arranged and presented in strict chronological order. This method has allowed seeing the events in consecutive manner: how the status and functions of Armenian ethnic units within the Byzantine army changed before and after 590-591. The main conclusion of this contribution is that the Armenian units, which fought for the sake of Khosrow II Parwiz within the Byzantine troops, represented the retinues of nakharars, who were the chiefs of Armenian noble families, but first these nakharars located on a territory of Persia, not Byzantium. The supreme and general leader of such retinues was a powerful nakharar Moushel Mamikonean, who refused to accept Bakhram and as a result joined the Byzantine troops, which came to Persia at the request of Khosrow in order to destroy Bakhram. After Bakhram was defeated, Moushel and the nakharars subordinated to him, moved and resettled in Byzantium. However, because of the mistaken policy the Byzantine Emperor Mauricius led towards the Armenian noble, Moushel and his nakharars left Byzantium and fled back to Persia. The departure of the Armenian nakharars generated a serious weakening of Byzantine troops, which stood in Armenian provinces of Byzantium, and this process, in turn, caused the hard defeats of Byzantines from the Persians during 603-607, when Mauricius was already murdered as a result of the internal Byzantine military unrest.

Command Structure of Byzantine Army between the 7th and Early 8th Centuries: The Formation and Development Peculiarities of the Office of Strategos

This paper considers the duties and formation peculiarities of the office of strategos (commander-in-chief of any regional Byzantine army) during the early stage of its existence, i.е. between the 7 th and first half of the 8 th centuries. The author refers to three special issues related to Byzantine-Arab wars, i.e. 1) the office and functions of Maurianus, who was commander of the Byzantine troops in the Armenian provinces of the Empire (mid-650s); 2) the peculiarities of interaction between the strategos and tourmarchoi in the army of Anatolicoi ; 3) the strategos of Sicily named Bonifatius and his activity according to The Life of Saint Pancratius of Taormina . Having considered these issues, the author concludes that, firstly, the strategoi usually were direct successors of the old command offices, i.e. masters of soldiers of some expeditionary armies ( magistri militum ); such masters had existed since late Antiquity (an instance is Maurianus, who was the master of soldiers of Armenia ( magister militum per Armeniam ), later the office was replaced by the strategos of the Armeniakoi ). Secondly, by 681 AD the central government of the empire established an office of tourmarchos in each regional army, tourmarchos being a subordinate of the strategos . And, finally, the author believes that the way of extension of strategos ’ power, i.е. shifting from a pure military commander to a self-sufficient governor of a theme (military-administrative district) consisted in extended financial duties added to the power of a strategos in the form of taxation and distribution of money and provisions among the troops.

Bitka kod Pantina 1168. godine i jedinstvo srpske države

The battle near the village of Pantino represents a turning point in the development of the Serbian medieval state. It cannot be stated with certainty when it took place, although it is asserted with great probability it happened in 1168. In this battle Stefan Nemanja defeated his brothers assisted with Byzantine's army, soldiers of fortune Turks, Frugus (Franks) and other peoples and finally ascended the throne of the great prefect of Serbia. The battle near Pantino is important due to the fact that it, directly or indirectly, found the place with great Byzantine's writers such as Joannes Kinamos and Niketas Choniates and with Nemanja's hagiography writers Stefan the First Crowned ad Domentian. Besides the above mentioned, data of this battle are fragmentized and modest and they do not give the opportunity to describe it more thoroughly. It was noticed a long time ago the battle represented a turning point for further development of Serbian medieval state, not only in political, military and organizational way but in symbolic as well. After the battle in which Stefan Nemanja defeated his brothers, the situation in Serbia became more clearer and calmer. The changes on the throne stopped happening, which after Uroš II had been so frequent. In this battle Stefan Nemanja, from the favorite of the basileus Manuel, who had just given him the area of Dubočica, and the title of "tsar's dream", became his opponent. Nemanja is appearing in it as the fighter for the state unity, contrary to his brothers whom supported by Byzantine, are struggling for sharing parts division and preservation of the previous state in which basileos had decisively influenced the great prefect choice. By his victory he achieved that the state became unique, and he came to power against the will of the basileus Manuel. The victory in the battle near Pantino reflected on the fundraising activity of Stefan Nemanja. Symbolic of the built monasteries of St. George in Ras and Studenica speaks on military victory over the enemies and on the established state unity.

Methods of Influence on the Moral and Psychological State of Byzantine Army in a Combat (Late 9th — 12th Century)

Methods of Influence on the Moral and Psychological State of Byzantine Army in a Combat (Late 9th — 12th Century)

Caliph Al-Mu‘tasim’s Expedition against Amorion in 838 AD: The Chronology Reconsidered

This research offers a detailed reconstruction of one of the most famous episodes of Byzantine-Arab relations in the ninth century, the victorious campaign of the Abbasid army led by Caliph al-Mu‘tasim deep into the territory of Byzantium in 838 AD, which ended with the defeat of the army of Emperor Theophilos and the destruction of two most important fortresses in Asia Minor, Ankyra and Amorion, the native place of the ruling dynasty. The accounts of the circumstances and the route of this expedition kept by Arab, Syrian, and Greek sources make it possible to build a detailed chronological map of this military campaign with the use of new methodology created for the project of the comprehensive database of events of Byzantine history. The bringing together chronological and topographic indications of all available sources made it possible not only to make a complete reconstruction of the military operations, but also to revise the date of one of the most important events in the ninth-century history of Byzantium, the battle of Anzen at Dazimon plain, when the Arab-Turkic-Armenian army commanded by Afshin inflicted a crushing defeat on the Byzantine army of Emperor Theophilus, which included the Persian detachments of the ex-Khurramites of Babek. Taking the data in possession into account, there are reasons to date the battle to July 4th, 838 AD. It is proposed to correlate the previously accepted date indicated by at-Tabari, July 22nd, with another key event of the 838 campaign, the destruction of Ankyra. In addition, a comprehensive analysis of the sources makes it possible to clarify the chronology and circumstances of the fall of Amorion, which surrender to the Arabs was resulted by an ethno-religious conflict.

The Theme System and Byzantine Provincial Armed Forces at the Early Palaeologian Period (1259–1328)

Introduction. The purpose of the paper is to reveal the state, nature and the leadership system of stratiotic forces as part of the Byzantine provincial armed forces of the Early Palaeologian period. The paper aims to determine the methods of organizing Byzantine provincial armed forces in the context of the characteristic of the early Palaeologian armed forces and the institute of pronoia. The author defines the military-strategic, social and economic characteristics of the stratiotic military service. Methods. Critical use of elements of civilizational, formational and systemic approaches is the methodological basis of this study. It should be noted that the system approach is used to determine the specificity of the relationships within all essential structural elements of the military organization. It also makes it possible to identify the factors of its modernization in connection with social and state processes. It allows to reveal the functional features of the military organization elements. Analysis and Results. The analysis of act materials and narrative sources shows a clear social difference of soldiers-stratiotes from the rest of the empire’s population, including proniares. The author determines that the sources contain information about all economic institutions that characterize stratiotes in their traditional, early byzantine military-technical definition. The statements of Byzantine historians about the participation of stratiotes in military actions clearly indicate the preservation of the military-administrative function of “theme organization”. Act materials do not contain information about a specific number of stratiotes. This makes it difficult to determine the total number of stratiotic formations. However, the participation of stratiotic detachments in almost all military operations of the Byzantine army is a well-known fact. Narratives indicate their number. All this makes it possible to draw a reasonable conclusion about the preservation of stratiotic armed forces and the traditional system of their recruitment.

Древните и средновековните българи в сирийските и сирийско-арменските извори

Древните и средновековните българи в сирийските и сирийско-арменските извори

Βιβλιοκρισία:G. THEOTOKIS, Byzantine Military Tactics in Syria and Mesopotamia in the 10th Century. A Comparative Study, Edinburgh 2018

Βιβλιοκρισία G. Theotokis, Byzantine Military Tactics in Syria and Mesopotamia in the 10th Century. A Comparative Study, Edinburgh 2018, pp. 348. ISBN 978-1-47-443103-3.

Ο βυζαντινός στρατός των Αγγέλων, μέσα από τις περιγραφές των λατίνων αντιπάλων του

The Byzantine Army of the Period of the Angeli, according to the Accounts of the Latin Sources There is hardly any information available about the byzantine army under the dynasty of Angeli, about its numbers, composition and performance in battle. With the exception of Choniates no other byzantine gives any useful information. Under this prism the western European sources of the third and fourth crusades could provide valuable information, if properly read. Chronicles such as Historia de expeditione Friderici imperatoris and the Historia Peregrinorum from Germany and the Itinerarium peregrinorum and the Estoire de la guerre sainte of Ambroise from England together with the famous and much read chronicles of Robert Clari and Geoffroi Villehardοuin from France give a very different account than usual about the true capabilities of the byzantine army on the eve of the fourth crusade. The information derived from these sources picture a very grim situation for the byzantine state in general. The army was greatly outnumbered by its foes, without capable leadership and enough reserves to defend even the capital. Nevertheless, when properly handled it could still be a dangerous opponent for the superior crusader armies.

Император Ираклий и византийская военная организация в 626-628 гг.: внутренняя структура экспедиционных армий и оборона Константинополя

Император Ираклий и византийская военная организация в 626-628 гг.: внутренняя структура экспедиционных армий и оборона Константинополя

Dva najstarija međunarodna ugovora u istoriji slovenskog prava

The Russia-Byzantium treaties of 911 and 944 are the two earliest international agreements in the Slavic legal history, which have justifiably drawn considerable attention of legal historians since the mid-19th century. The contents of these political and trade agreements between Russia and the Byzantine Empire depict the contours of the ancient law in the early Russian state in the first century of its existence. Viewed in a wider historical context, the provisions of these agreements clearly reflect the social reality in Russia in the first half of the 10th century. Concurrently, these agreements are first-class historical sources depicting the social history of the early Middle Ages in general, as well as the sources of Byzantine, Russian and Slavic history in particular. They comprise some important facts which may be used (to some extent) in the process of reconstructing the social, economic and legal status of some categories of population. In terms of other contents, both treaties primarily contain conventional legal norms, in most cases including clearly defined dispositions and sanctions. Both treaties indicate that the social class of large merchants had already been well-established in Russia at that time, as they travelled to Constantinople in their vessels to trade in commodities. The Byzantine state guaranteed their freedom of trade, accommodation, personal safety and property security during their stay in Constantinople. The treaties contain provisions obliging the local population to provide assistance in the event a Russian or a Byzantine vessel was damaged or stranded in the territorial waters of either Russia or the Byzantine Empire. The parts of these treaties pertaining to civil law institutes show that Russian law protected private property only if one had legal ownership (title to property). We also learn that the Russian succession law had already recognized both testate and intestate succession, due to an article which prescribes as follows: if a Russian dies in the territory of Byzantium and has not made a testament, his movable property shall be returned to Russia and delivered to his next of kin. The criminal law provisions on murder, bodily injuries, common theft, robbery, and snatching or concealing a fugitive slave owned by another also included some designations on criminal proceedings. An article in the 911 Treaty specifies that the contracting states shall accept the mutual obligation to extradite to the state of origin the criminal offender apprehended in the territory of either state. Both treaties include provisions on the involvement or voluntary military service of Russian nationals in the Byzantine army, which is explicitly permitted either upon the express desire of an individual Russian citizen or upon the express summons and request of the Byzantine emperor seeking assistance of Russian soldiers in the military operations of the Byzantine army. Three articles of the 944 Treaty refer to the Kherson (Cherson) region, the ancient Byzantine colony on the Crimean Peninsula. They stipulate that the Russians are not allowed to fight in this region or impose their power on Kherson cities, nor are they permitted to let the neighboring Bulgarians fight there. It is also envisaged that the Russians shall not use force to prevent the local inhabitants of Kherson from fishing at the confluence of the Dnieper River into the Black Sea.