Bandon (Byzantine Empire)

Bandon ( pl. Banda ) was a unit of the Byzantine army and was also known as Tagma, numerus or Greek arithmos. The Bandon is called by a Komes, Komites, Tribune or Tagmarchos officer commanded.

After emergence of the topics the Bandon designated both a tactical unit as well as a kind of military district in the particular unit was stationed. Originally expected to both terms have been congruent, but have evolved over the centuries apart.

Cavalry

The Strategikon ( written around 600 ) are the strength of a bandon for cavalry with 300 to 400 man. It is stressed that a bandon (in the field ) is not less than 200 men and only in elite units more than 400 man should have. Units, which included less than 200 men and so were considered to be too small, though should not be combined with other units, but could not lead a own banner. It is usually assumed that the Bandon at this time on paper ( just like the units from which they have emerged ) have had 500 men. However, depending on the actual troops inventory the unit could vary between 200 and 400 men. This was firstly due to already suffered losses in battle, already compensate for the absence otherwise abkommandierter unit members and the ability of the losses suffered by the recruitment of new recruits. The Byzantines made ​​to this circumstance to use to their opponents about the actual strength of their army to deceive. Thus, it was deliberately decided not to bring the banner to a uniform thickness and each Bandon assigned two banners. One for the Komes and one for his deputy. However, only the banner of Komes has been argued on the day of battle.

Considered at first glance seems written around 900 Taktika of Leo VI. to follow the guidelines of the previous Strategikon in terms of troop strength of Bandon. In Chapter IV, a thickness of 200 to 400 men are given for the Bandon also. On closer inspection, however, is clear, this had other reasons than in Strategikon. Similar to the Meros, Moira and Droungos the strength of the unit was not directed by the organizational units from which they were formed, but were according to the size of the available troops fluctuate. So were 200 men, the recommended minimum number of small armies and 400 men, the recommended upper limit for very large armies. Again, however, the units should be of different sizes, in order to confuse the enemy.

In Chapter XVIII of Taktika (written around 900 ) demonstrating the organization of an army themes based on a 4,000 -strong cavalry unit. From the list of the officers listed therein many historians have concluded that a Bandon has at this time includes uniform 200 men. In fact, it is likely to have been a small army here in the sense of Taktika. Similarly, all of Banda are only 200 men strong. In addition, it is noticeable that for armies of this size, the small man Bandon is itself too large. Rather than divide the army on the battlefield in Banda, the army is divided into 9 Meroi. Of the 3 Meroi the first line of battle, 500 men are strong and the 6 Meroi the second and third line of battle only 250 men each strong. The tactical unit, the Bandon place only at the two units use that are parked on the order of battle for ambushes left and right.

The Meroi can indeed be useful in units share to 50 men, but not in Banda to 200 men. Presumably here the real reason that in just 60 years after the written Taktika Praecepta Militaria of the Bandon term is used only for units with a strength of 50 men. Probably Unlike many historians believed the device name and the title of the commanding officer simply be passed only on a much smaller unit: the cavalry Pentekontarchie.

Infantry

For the infantry no representations regarding be made to the unit strength in Strategikon. The reason is, the author states that the troop strength of tagmata in the infantry varies even more than in the cavalry. This probably stems from the fact that different units of the old army he Cohorts, legions and auxilia were incorporated as banda the new system.

For the infantry the Taktika follows the specifications of the older Strategikons, makes clear, however, that the structures and types of units at the time described therein is no longer in use. In fact, the infantry seems to have been more organized in Chili Archie or Droungoi, Hekatontarchie and Pentekontarchie.

Swell

• Maurice 's Strategikon. Handbook of Byzantine Military Strategy. Translated by George T. Dennis. University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, PA 1984, ISBN 0-8122-7899-2 ( Nachdruck. ibid. 2001, ISBN 0-8122-1772-1 ).
• The Taktika of Leo VI. = Leonis VI Tactica ( = Dumbarton Oaks text 12 = Corpus fontium historiae Byzantinae. Washingtoniensis Series 49). Text, Translation and Commentary by George T. Dennis. Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington DC 2010, ISBN 978-0-88402-359-3.
• Eric McGeer: Sowing the Dragon's Teeth. Byzantine Warfare in the Tenth Century ( Dumbarton Oaks Studies = 33). Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington DC 1995, ISBN 0-88402-224-2.
• Three Byzantine Military Treatises. = Tres tractatus Byzantini de re militarized ( = Dumbarton Oaks text 9 = Corpus fontium historiae Byzantinae. Washingtoniensis Series 25). Text, Translation, and Notes by George T. Dennis. Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington DC, 1985, ISBN 0-88402-140-8.