Aegean Sea (theme)
The theme of the Aegean ( Greek θέμα τοῦ Αἰγαίου Πελάγους, theme tou Aigaiou Pelagous ) was a Byzantine province in the northern Aegean Sea which was set up in the middle of the ninth century. As one of the three dedicated fleet themes (Greek: Greek θέματα ναυτικᾶ ) it turned the kingdom mainly ships and troops for the Byzantine fleet, but also served as a civilian administrative unit.
History
The subject had its origin in the late antique civilian " province of the islands" ( Latin: Insula, Greek Nήσοι ), which included the southeastern and eastern islands of the Aegean Sea to Tenedos. The term " Aigaion Pelagos " first appeared in the early 8th century as an administrative term on, should be read as on the seals of various kommerkiarioi ( customs officers ). A seal dated to 721/722, even points to an official, the subordinate to all Greek islands, suggesting an expansion of the province on the northern and western islands of the Aegean Sea. Militarily, the islands were assigned to the command of the fleet Karabisianoi and later the subject of the Kibyrrhaioten. From the late 8th century appear two independent commander in the Aegean: the Droungarios the Aegean ( Aigaion Pelagos ), which apparently was under the northern half of the sea, and the Droungarios " twelve islands" ( Dodecanesos ) or " the Gulf " ( kolpos ) called, who was in the southern part. The latter command may be developed later on the subject of Samos, while the first developed the theme of the Aegean Sea. This included the northern Aegean islands, the Dardanelles, and the southern coast of the Propontis. The theme of the Aegean Sea was probably set up 843: his commanding Strategos not appear in Taktikon Uspensky of 842/843, which still lists him as Droungarios, elsewhere it is titled but on Lesbos in 843 years as strategos.
The theme of the Aegean was divided into turmai and banda. In the area of the Dardanelles and the Propontis, the Droungarios and later the Aegean Strategos probably made them available to the strategos of the theme Opsikion whose jurisdiction the areas likely subject. The strategos of the theme opsikischen probably retained the jurisdiction over the civil administration and the local militia, while the only task of the strategos of the Aegean Sea, was to take care of supply of ships and recruits from this area. A similar division existed also in the theme of Samos. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that there is evidence of Opsikier, particularly in Asia Minor Slavs ( Sklabesianoi ), which served as Marines in the fleet. Emperor Constantine VII (reigned 913-959 ) indicate that covered the topic in the 10th century Lesbos ( the seat of the strategos ), Lemnos, Imbros and Tenedos, Chios (later the subject of Samos added ), the Sporades and the Cyclades. In the year 911 the man strength of the topic 2610 rudder and 400 marines was.
The subject survived until late 10th or early 11th century, when it was divided into smaller units. After the Cyclades and Sporades, Chios and the area around Abydos received their own strategoi, was the theme of the Aegean to a purely civilian administrative unit that encompassed nurmehr the coasts of the Propontis and the area around Constantinople Opel. In the late 11th century, the remains of the fleet of the topic were transferred to the imperial fleet at Opel, and transferred the command of the Megas Doux. In the 12th century the theme of the Aegean was eventually merged with the topic Opsikion, as described in the partitions terrarum imperii Romaniae from the year 1204. After the Fourth Crusade heard the theme to exist.