54:
359:
in the sources occurs only in 774/5, but it is clear that its creation must have come in the years after the suppression of
Artabasdos's revolt. The same period also saw the further dismemberment and weakening of the once powerful Opsician Theme with the creation of the
1153:
1128:
279:
origin. They were a cavalry corps, somewhere between one and five thousand strong, and formed part of the central reserve army, their commander bearing the then unique title of
1138:
870:
863:
856:
1148:
1143:
814:
1158:
848:
838:
755:
731:
710:
702:
Byzantine
Praetorians: An Αdministrative, Ιnstitutional and Social Survey of the Opsikion and the Tagmata, c. 580-900
414:
375:
no longer provided armed troops, but formed a corps of 4,000 mule-drivers with their animals, which provided the
1163:
746:
313:(r. 741–775), and as part of his measures to reduce the power of the thematic generals following the revolt of
306:
estimates that the corps numbered 2,000 men, a figure that possibly corresponds to its original size as well.
1133:
34:
879:
210:
492:
when he retook the region in 1240, and survived until the area was gradually conquered by the rising
299:
252:
257:
678:
676:
1045:
8:
1075:
1063:
1057:
962:
950:
767:"The Decline of the Opsikian Domesticates and the Rise of the Domesticate of the Scholae"
673:
465:
1010:
915:
469:
385:
878:
1069:
1033:
992:
974:
944:
834:
810:
788:
751:
741:
727:
706:
489:
361:
262:
204:
military unit. In the mid-8th century, however, they were downgraded to a supply and
1111:
Thrace and
Macedonia were counted among the Eastern themes for hierarchical purposes
321:, the corps was downgraded. Split off from the Opsician Theme, the region where the
1099:
986:
968:
926:
883:
824:
800:
778:
376:
303:
302:, is attested in northern Bithynia as late as the early 8th century. At that time,
201:
91:
38:
1093:
1039:
828:
804:
721:
700:
329:, both shores of the Gulf of Nicomedia and stretching to the shores of the river
1081:
1051:
1027:
998:
911:
905:
493:
481:
326:
318:
236:
193:
185:
154:
131:
71:
1122:
1004:
888:
792:
473:
445:
310:
477:
461:
417:(r. 913–959) as a sign of inferior status. Consequently, their commanding
1087:
439:
288:
783:
766:
726:. London: University College London Press (Taylor & Francis Group).
433:, for the administration of his duties as governor of the province, the
58:
Map of the administrative structure of the
Byzantine Empire c. 780. The
919:
468:, but Nicomedia was retained, and the area secured again under Emperor
419:
314:
215:
53:
425:
348:
330:
271:
205:
82:
980:
932:
409:
281:
67:
87:
956:
809:. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press.
806:
The
Chronicle of Theophanes: Anni mundi 6095-6305 (A.D. 602-813)
403:
251:
were first set up in the late 6th century (c. 575), by
Emperor
95:
342:
293:
276:
226:
218:, which was named after them. As an administrative unit, the
24:
1154:
Military units and formations established in the 6th century
723:
Warfare, State and
Society in the Byzantine World, 565-1204
1129:
States and territories disestablished in the 15th century
661:
1139:
Military units and formations of the
Byzantine Empire
200:, "the Best Men") were initially formed as an elite
833:. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
401:
were not divided into intermediate-level commands (
286:. The presence of descendants of these men, called
239:conquest in the first decades of the 14th century.
309:In the mid-8th century, under the rule of Emperor
1120:
750:. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.
562:, "Taxiarchos" (A. Kazhdan, E. McGeer), p. 2018.
66:is located in the peninsula directly across the
325:had settled, including the peninsula opposite
864:
429:in the imperial hierarchy. As with the other
543:
541:
480:after the dissolution of the Empire by the
397:: given their non-combatant functions, the
871:
857:
799:
595:
389:in Constantinople. The unique role of the
52:
823:
782:
667:
655:
583:
547:
538:
351:as its capital. The first mention of the
764:
643:
619:
571:
685:, "Nikomedia" (C. Foss), pp. 1483–1484.
496:in the first half of the 14th century.
423:held the lowest rank of all provincial
333:, was then constituted as the separate
1121:
719:
698:
631:
607:
511:
852:
528:
526:
524:
522:
520:
16:Byzantine administrative unit (theme)
472:(r. 1081–1118) with the help of the
13:
747:The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
517:
14:
1175:
535:, "Optimatoi" (C. Foss), p. 1529.
413:), a fact pointed out by Emperor
830:Byzantium and Its Army, 284–1081
705:. Vol. 3. Bonn: R. Habelt.
449:) and a secretariat headed by a
415:Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos
740:
682:
649:
637:
625:
559:
532:
476:. The area was occupied by the
443:), a chief financial official (
255:(r. 574–582). According to the
208:corps and assigned a province (
1149:Themes of the Byzantine Empire
613:
601:
589:
577:
565:
553:
505:
1:
499:
367:Henceforth, unlike the other
1144:Cavalry units and formations
393:set it apart from all other
7:
456:The rural districts of the
10:
1180:
1020:Western or European themes
691:
437:was assisted by a deputy (
343:
294:
269:were an elite regiment of
242:
227:
143:• Byzantine recovery
25:
1109:
1019:
897:
189:
172:
168:
164:
151:
141:
128:
118:
114:
106:
102:
78:
51:
44:
33:
26:Ὀπτιμάτοι, θέμα Ὀπτιμάτων
21:
1159:People of Gothic descent
765:Lounghis, T. C. (1996).
720:Haldon, John F. (1999).
699:Haldon, John F. (1984).
300:Theophanes the Confessor
898:Eastern or Asian themes
253:Tiberius II Constantine
488:was re-established by
197:
22:Theme of the Optimatoi
1164:Byzantine mercenaries
235:) survived until the
825:Treadgold, Warren T.
298:) by the chronicler
784:10.12681/byzsym.804
771:Byzantine Symmeikta
610:, pp. 222–227.
466:Battle of Manzikert
317:, the Count of the
214:) in north-western
153:• Conquest by
120:• Established
1134:Byzantine Bithynia
742:Kazhdan, Alexander
470:Alexios I Komnenos
383:) of the imperial
1116:
1115:
993:Cibyrrhaeot Theme
945:Bucellarian Theme
816:978-0-8122-1128-3
801:Turtledove, Harry
622:, pp. 29–31.
574:, pp. 32–33.
550:, pp. 96–97.
490:John III Vatatzes
484:in 1204, but the
451:prōtokankellarios
362:Bucellarian Theme
275:, most likely of
176:
175:
47:1240–15th century
1171:
927:Thracesian Theme
884:Byzantine Empire
873:
866:
859:
850:
849:
844:
820:
796:
786:
761:
737:
716:
686:
680:
671:
665:
659:
653:
647:
641:
635:
629:
623:
617:
611:
605:
599:
593:
587:
581:
575:
569:
563:
557:
551:
545:
536:
530:
515:
509:
346:
345:
304:Warren Treadgold
297:
296:
230:
229:
191:
56:
39:Byzantine Empire
28:
27:
19:
18:
1179:
1178:
1174:
1173:
1172:
1170:
1169:
1168:
1119:
1118:
1117:
1112:
1105:
1094:Cherson/Klimata
1015:
893:
877:
847:
841:
817:
758:
734:
713:
694:
689:
681:
674:
666:
662:
654:
650:
642:
638:
630:
626:
618:
614:
606:
602:
596:Turtledove 1982
594:
590:
582:
578:
570:
566:
558:
554:
546:
539:
531:
518:
510:
506:
502:
460:were raided by
245:
233:thema Optimatōn
157:
144:
134:
121:
85:
57:
46:
29:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1177:
1167:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1114:
1113:
1110:
1107:
1106:
1104:
1103:
1096:
1090:
1084:
1078:
1072:
1066:
1060:
1054:
1048:
1042:
1036:
1030:
1023:
1021:
1017:
1016:
1014:
1013:
1007:
1001:
995:
989:
983:
977:
971:
965:
959:
953:
947:
941:
935:
933:Opsician Theme
929:
923:
912:Armeniac Theme
908:
906:Anatolic Theme
901:
899:
895:
894:
876:
875:
868:
861:
853:
846:
845:
839:
821:
815:
803:, ed. (1982).
797:
762:
756:
744:, ed. (1991).
738:
732:
717:
711:
695:
693:
690:
688:
687:
672:
670:, p. 218.
668:Treadgold 1995
660:
658:, p. 105.
656:Treadgold 1995
648:
636:
634:, p. 158.
624:
612:
600:
598:, p. 134.
588:
584:Treadgold 1995
576:
564:
552:
548:Treadgold 1995
537:
516:
514:, p. 196.
503:
501:
498:
494:Ottoman beylik
482:Fourth Crusade
355:as a separate
344:θέμα Ὀπτιμάτων
327:Constantinople
319:Opsician Theme
244:
241:
228:θέμα Ὀπτιμάτων
174:
173:
170:
169:
166:
165:
162:
161:
158:
152:
149:
148:
145:
142:
139:
138:
135:
132:Latin conquest
129:
126:
125:
122:
119:
116:
115:
112:
111:
108:
107:Historical era
104:
103:
100:
99:
80:
76:
75:
72:Constantinople
49:
48:
42:
41:
31:
30:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1176:
1165:
1162:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1126:
1124:
1108:
1101:
1097:
1095:
1091:
1089:
1085:
1083:
1079:
1077:
1073:
1071:
1067:
1065:
1061:
1059:
1055:
1053:
1049:
1047:
1043:
1041:
1037:
1035:
1031:
1029:
1025:
1024:
1022:
1018:
1012:
1008:
1006:
1002:
1000:
996:
994:
990:
988:
984:
982:
978:
976:
972:
970:
966:
964:
960:
958:
954:
952:
948:
946:
942:
940:
936:
934:
930:
928:
924:
921:
917:
913:
909:
907:
903:
902:
900:
896:
891:
890:
889:De Thematibus
886:according to
885:
881:
874:
869:
867:
862:
860:
855:
854:
851:
842:
840:0-8047-3163-2
836:
832:
831:
826:
822:
818:
812:
808:
807:
802:
798:
794:
790:
785:
780:
777:(10): 27–36.
776:
772:
768:
763:
759:
757:0-19-504652-8
753:
749:
748:
743:
739:
735:
733:1-85728-495-X
729:
725:
724:
718:
714:
712:3-7749-2004-4
708:
704:
703:
697:
696:
684:
679:
677:
669:
664:
657:
652:
646:, p. 34.
645:
644:Lounghis 1996
640:
633:
628:
621:
620:Lounghis 1996
616:
609:
604:
597:
592:
586:, p. 99.
585:
580:
573:
572:Lounghis 1996
568:
561:
556:
549:
544:
542:
534:
529:
527:
525:
523:
521:
513:
508:
504:
497:
495:
491:
487:
483:
479:
475:
474:First Crusade
471:
467:
463:
459:
454:
452:
448:
447:
446:chartoularios
442:
441:
436:
432:
428:
427:
422:
421:
416:
412:
411:
406:
405:
400:
396:
392:
388:
387:
382:
378:
377:baggage train
374:
370:
365:
363:
358:
354:
350:
340:
336:
332:
328:
324:
320:
316:
312:
311:Constantine V
307:
305:
301:
291:
290:
285:
283:
278:
274:
273:
268:
264:
260:
259:
254:
250:
240:
238:
234:
224:
223:
220:Theme of the
217:
213:
212:
207:
203:
199:
195:
187:
183:
182:
171:
167:
163:
159:
156:
150:
146:
140:
136:
133:
127:
123:
117:
113:
109:
105:
101:
97:
93:
89:
84:
81:
77:
73:
69:
65:
61:
55:
50:
43:
40:
36:
32:
20:
1046:Thessalonica
938:
887:
829:
805:
774:
770:
745:
722:
701:
663:
651:
639:
627:
615:
603:
591:
579:
567:
555:
507:
485:
462:Seljuk Turks
457:
455:
450:
444:
438:
434:
430:
424:
418:
408:
402:
398:
394:
390:
384:
380:
372:
368:
366:
356:
352:
338:
334:
322:
308:
295:Γοτθογραίκοι
287:
280:
270:
266:
256:
248:
246:
232:
221:
219:
209:
180:
179:
177:
160:15th century
86:(modern-day
63:
59:
1088:Longobardia
1076:Dyrrhachium
1064:Cephallenia
1058:Peloponnese
963:Mesopotamia
951:Paphlagonia
632:Haldon 1999
608:Haldon 1984
512:Haldon 1999
440:topotērētēs
289:Gothograeci
261:of Emperor
258:Strategikon
110:Middle Ages
70:, opposite
1123:Categories
1098:(omitted:
1011:Aegean Sea
920:Charsianon
916:Cappadocia
500:References
464:after the
435:domestikos
420:domestikos
315:Artabasdos
216:Asia Minor
1070:Nicopolis
1034:Macedonia
975:Sebasteia
939:Optimates
793:1105-1639
426:stratēgoi
399:Optimatoi
391:Optimatoi
373:Optimatoi
353:Optimatoi
349:Nicomedia
339:Optimatoi
331:Sangarius
323:Optimates
272:Foederati
267:Optimates
249:Optimates
222:Optimatoi
206:logistics
202:Byzantine
198:Optimates
190:Ὀπτιμάτοι
181:Optimatoi
83:Nicomedia
64:Optimatoi
45:740s–1204
1100:Dalmatia
987:Seleucia
981:Lykandos
969:Koloneia
892:(c. 950)
827:(1995).
410:droungoi
282:taxiarch
155:Ottomans
137:ca. 1204
68:Bosporus
1040:Strymon
957:Chaldia
914:(incl.
882:of the
692:Sources
431:themata
404:tourmai
395:themata
386:tagmata
381:touldon
369:themata
347:) with
337:of the
263:Maurice
243:History
237:Ottoman
192:, from
130:•
124:744/745
92:Kocaeli
79:Capital
62:of the
37:of the
1082:Sicily
1052:Hellas
1028:Thrace
999:Cyprus
880:Themes
837:
813:
791:
754:
730:
709:
478:Latins
371:, the
277:Gothic
265:, the
96:Turkey
1005:Samos
486:thema
458:thema
357:thema
335:thema
211:thema
194:Latin
186:Greek
88:İzmit
60:thema
35:Theme
1092:12.
1086:11.
1080:10.
1009:17.
1003:16.
997:15.
991:14.
985:13.
979:12.
973:11.
967:10.
918:and
835:ISBN
811:ISBN
789:ISSN
752:ISBN
728:ISBN
707:ISBN
247:The
178:The
147:1240
1074:9.
1068:8.
1062:7.
1056:6.
1050:5.
1044:4.
1038:3.
1032:2.
1026:1.
961:9.
955:8.
949:7.
943:6.
937:5.
931:4.
925:3.
910:2.
904:1.
779:doi
683:ODB
560:ODB
533:ODB
407:or
1125::
787:.
775:10
773:.
769:.
675:^
540:^
519:^
453:.
364:.
284:ēs
231:,
196::
188::
94:,
90:,
1102:)
922:)
872:e
865:t
858:v
843:.
819:.
795:.
781::
760:.
736:.
715:.
379:(
341:(
292:(
225:(
184:(
98:)
74:.
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