IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ
Συγγραφή :
Κιαπίδου Ειρήνη - Σοφία
Μετάφραση :
Νάκας Ιωάννης
Για παραπομπή :
Κιαπίδου Ειρήνη - Σοφία , "Campaign of Byzantines against the
Arabs and Paulicians, 856", Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Μ. Ασία
URL: <http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=7901>
Περίληψη :
At the end of the summer of 856 Petronas, the strategos (general) of Thrakesion, campaigned against the Arabs and their allies, the Paulicians.
Through the emirate of Melitene he moved with his troops until the region of Arsamosata and Amida. Then he headed north, towards the capital of
the Paulicians, Tephrike, sacking and destroying the city’s suburbs.
Χρονολόγηση
late summer 856
Γεωγραφικός Εντοπισμός
Arsamosata, Amida, Tephrike
1. Historical background
In the middle of the 9th century the operations of the Byzantines against the Arabs in the eastern front, in the framework of the effort
of gaining control over Asia Minor, took a new dimension. The beginning of this new period of Byzantine attacks is marked by the
campaign of Petronas, strategos of the thema of Thrakesion, towards the end of summer 856, when the emir of Tarsus Alī returned to
his capital after a summer raid against Byzantine territory, leaving the road towards the east open for the Byzantines. The operations
against the Arabs were for the first time combined with the empire’s harsh religious policy against the the Paulicians. More
specifically, in the frame of the strictly orthodox policy which began to be realized after the final restoration of the icons (March 843),
the Paulicians were faced as enemies of the Empire, this resulting into an increase of their persecutions, which were inaugurated by the
emperor Michael I Ragaves (811-813) and were continued by his successors. The immediate danger the Paulicians were under in the
Byzantine territory forced them to move east of the Arab-Byzantine border, in the region of Upper Euphrates,1 in order to ask for the
protection of the Arabs. Finally the area north of Melitene was given to them by the emir of Melitene Amr al-Aqta’. The Paulicians
settled there, founding later Tephrike and offering in exchange their military services to the straggle against the Byzantines. This
presence of the Paulicians in the ranks of the Arab army gave in this phase a new dimension in the clash between the Arabs and the
Byzantines.
2. Beginning and outcome of the campaign
In the end of summer of 856, Petronas, strategos of the thema of Thrakesion, moved with his troops towards eastern Cappadocia2
and, through the emirate of Melitene,3 reached the region of Arsamosata and Amida. Next he turned north towards Tefrike, the
capital of Karbeas, leader of the Paulicians, in the outskirts of which he proceeded in destroying villages and cultivations. Having thus
completed his campaign against the Arabs and the Paulicians successfully, Petronas returned to the imperial lands, taking 10,000
prisoners with him. Neither Karveas, neither the emir of Melitene managed to organize any resistance to the attack of the Byzantines,
whereas their attempt to persecute Petronas' troops during their return to the Byzantine territory was also unsuccessful.
3. Consequences
The victorious campaign of Petronas had, of course, a positive impact in the moral of the Byzantines, since their troops moved deeply
into the Arab territories and returned with many prisoners.4 However, it did not bring any important gain to the Emperor, since the
Arabs, aided by the Paulicians, continued their military operations against Byzantium.5 Thus, in order to take revenge for the
destructions he suffered by Petronas, Amr al-Aqta’ asked the emir of Tarsus to raid the Byzantine Empire during the winter of 856857, whereas in 858 the Arabs attacked western Cappadocia and took the fort of Semalouos. Concerning the Paulicians, the
destruction of the suburbs of Tephrike by the Byzantine troops had no other consequence in their political substructure, which
continued existing and developing, aided by the military help the Paulicians offered the Arabs against the Byzantine Empire.
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IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ
Συγγραφή :
Κιαπίδου Ειρήνη - Σοφία
Μετάφραση :
Νάκας Ιωάννης
Για παραπομπή :
Κιαπίδου Ειρήνη - Σοφία , "Campaign of Byzantines against the
Arabs and Paulicians, 856", Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Μ. Ασία
URL: <http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=7901>
1. Hild, F. - Restle, M., Tabula Imperii Byzantini 2: Kappadokien (Kappadokia, Charsianon, Sebasteia und Lykandos) (Wien 1981), p. 79.
2. Hild, F. ‑ Restle, M., Tabula Imperii Byzantini 2: Kappadokien (Kappadokia, Charsianon, Sebasteia und Lykandos) (Wien 1981), p. 79.
3. Hild, F. ‑ Hellenkemper, H., Tabula Imperii Byzantini 5: Kilikien und Isaurien (Wien 1990), p. 50.
4. Treadgold, W. T., A History of the Byzantine State and Society (Stanford 1997), p. 451.
5. Ostrogorsky, G., Ιστορία του βυζαντινού κράτους 2 (Αθήνα 1989), transl. Παναγόπουλος, Ι. [Geschichte des byzantinischen Staates, Munchen 1963], p. 101.
Βιβλιογραφία :
Treadgold W.T., A History of the Byzantine State and Society, Stanford 1997
Ostrogorsky G., Ιστορία του Βυζαντινού Κράτους, 1-3, Αθήνα 1989, Παναγόπουλος, I. (μτφρ.)
Hild F., Hellenkemper H., Kilikien und Isaurien, Wien 1990, Tabula Imperii Byzantini 5
Hild F., Restle M., Kappadokien. Kappadokia, Charsianon, Sebasteia und Lykandos, Wien 1981, TIB 2
Lemerle P., "L΄histoire des Pauliciens d’Asie Mineure d’après les sources grecques", Travaux et Mémoires,
5, 1973, 1-144
Vasiliev A.A., Byzance et les Arabes 1: La dynastie d’Amorium (820-867), Bruxelles 1968, Corpus
Bruxellense Historiae Byzantinae 1, Grégoire, H. – Canard, M. (trans.)
Συνεχισταί Θεοφάνους, Χρονογραφία συγγραφείσα εκ προστάγματος Κωνσταντίνου του φιλοχρίστου και πορφυρογεννήτου δεσπότου, Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus, Joannes Cameniata, Symeon
Magister, Georgius Monachus, Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonn 1838
Al-Tabari, Ta'rikh al-Rusul wa-l-Muluk, Barth, J. et al. (eds), Leiden 1879-1901
Δικτυογραφία :
Ninth-century Byzantine Army
http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/pdfs/treadgold.pdf
Γλωσσάριo :
emir
(from Arabic amir) Emir meaning "commander" or "general", later also "prince". Also a high title of nobility or office in some Turkic historical states.
strategos ("general")
During the Roman period his duties were mainly political. Οffice of the Byzantine state´s provincial administration. At first the title was given to the
military and political administrator of the themes, namely of the big geographic and administrative unities of the Byzantine empire. Gradually the title
lost its power and, already in the 11th century, strategoi were turned to simple commanders of military units, responsible for the defence of a region.
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IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ
Συγγραφή :
Κιαπίδου Ειρήνη - Σοφία
Μετάφραση :
Νάκας Ιωάννης
Για παραπομπή :
Κιαπίδου Ειρήνη - Σοφία , "Campaign of Byzantines against the
Arabs and Paulicians, 856", Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Μ. Ασία
URL: <http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=7901>
Χρονολόγιο
end of summer 856: Beginning of the campaign of Petronas, strategos of the theme of Thrakesion, against the Arabs and the Paulicians in Asia Minor
winter 856-857: Raid of emir of Tarsus Ali at Byzantine lands
858: Attack of the Arabs in western Cappadocia, they seize the fort of Semalouos
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