Buccellarion

The theme of the Bukellarians ( Greek  θέμα Βουκελλαρίων , theme Bukellariōn ), also known as the theme Bukellarion ( Greek  Βουκελλάριον θέμα , Bukellarion theme ) was a Byzantine theme in northwestern Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey ). It originated in the middle of the 8th century and included the ancient landscapes of Paphlagonia , parts of Galatia and Phrygia .

history

The theme was founded after 743 but before 767 by Emperor Constantine V (ruled 741-775) after the failure of the revolt of Artabasdos , the commander in the theme of Opsikion . The theme of Bukellarion was separated from the theme of Opsikion , along with that of the Optimates , in order to curtail its power. The name of the subject comes from the late Roman Bucellarii (Greek Bukellarioi ), elite cavalry units of either Gothic or Roman origins, who often served as private bodyguards. In the early 7th century, the Bukellarioi formed an elite division of the Army of the Opsikion theme and were commanded by their own Domestikos . A Strategos is recorded for the first time in 767, which marks the latest possible point in time for setting up the topic. Its seat was Ankyra, the former capital of the Opsikion. He received an annual wage of 30 pounds of gold. According to Arab geographers, he commanded about 8,000 soldiers. The courtly titles of dignity for strategoi of the buccellar theme were often Spatharios , more rarely Protospatharios and once also Patrikios . Claudiopolis is the only confirmed location of one of the turmai of the subject. Although it was originally a cavalry theme ( Kaballarikon theme ), the Buchellarians also owned a small fleet that operated in the Black Sea . The " katepano of the Buchellarians and Paphlagons", whose seal from the 10th century has been preserved, was the commander of this provincial fleet. However, there are indications that the fleet consisted only of merchant ships and not of warships.

Originally the theme extended from the Black Sea to the Anatolian plateau . In the west it bordered on the subject of the Optimates and that of Opsikion in the west, the subject of Anatolicon in the south and the Armeniacon in the east. In the 9th century, around 820, the northeastern part was united with parts of the Armeniakon on the theme of Paphlagonia . By Emperor Leo VI. (ruled 886–912) the theme was further reduced when twelve (south) eastern banda of the theme were added to the new themes (located around Lake Tuz ) Cappadocia and Charsianon (east of Halys ). In the 9th century the theme included two villages and 13 fortresses, in the 10th century 5 villages are reported. The theme lasted until it was overrun by the Seljuks after the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 . The name Bukellariōn appears as a geographical term in Byzantine sources until 1263.

literature

• Alexander Kazhdan (Ed.): The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium . 3 volumes. Oxford / New York 1991, ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6 .
• TC Lounghis: The Decline of the Opsikian Domesticates and the Rise of the Domesticate of the Scholae . In: Byzantine Symmeikta. No. 10, 1996, pp. 27-36.
• A. Pertusi: Constantino Porfirogenito: De Thematibus. Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Rome 1952.
• Warren T. Treadgold: Byzantium and Its Army, 284-1081. Stanford University Press, Stanford 1995, ISBN 0-8047-3163-2 .

Web links

• Sofia Gyftopoulou, Georgios Velentzas: Theme of Bukellarion (Βουκελλαρίων Θέμα) ( Memento from August 11, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) . In: Encyclopedia of the Hellenic World, Asia Minor

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d} Kazhdan: The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. 1991, p. 316.
2. ↑ Lounghis: The Decline of the Opsikian domesticates and the Rise of the domesticate of the Scholae. 1996, pp. 28-32.
3. ^ Treadgold: Byzantium and Its Army, 284-1081. 1995, pp. 29, 71.
4. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g} Gyftopoulou, Velentzas: Theme of Bukellarion (Βουκελλαρίων Θέμα). 2005.
5. ↑ Lounghis: The Decline of the Opsikian domesticates and the Rise of the domesticate of the Scholae. 1996, pp. 31-33.
6. ↑ Lounghis: The Decline of the Opsikian domesticates and the Rise of the domesticate of the Scholae. 1996, pp. 29-30.
7. ↑ Kazhdan: The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. 1991, pp. 316-317.
8. ↑ Kazhdan: The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. 1991, p. 317.