Fema Koloneya ( Greek θέμα Κολωνείας ) is a military-administrative unit of the Byzantine Empire, located in Northern Cappadocia and Southern Pontus (modern Turkey). It was founded around the middle of the 9th century and existed before its conquest by the Seljuk Turks shortly after the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 .
Content
History
Initially, part of the Armeniakon theme , the Kolonei theme was formed around the city of Colony on the Likos River (modern Shebinkarahisar ) [1] . Fema was mentioned for the first time in 863 [1] [2] [3] , but apparently it existed as a separate area before: Nicholas Oikonomid, interpreting the message of the Arab geographer Al-Masoudi , found out that it was originally a cisura (a strengthened border line ) [4] [2] . In addition, “The Life of 42 Amorian Martyrs” tells us that the emperor Theophilus appointed a certain spatharium Callistus Dux Coloney in about 842, which makes it possible to establish an approximate date for the creation of the theme (along with the neighboring Theme of Chaldius ) [1] [3] [4] .
Colony’s remote location saved her from the disastrous Arab raids, with the exception of Saif al-Daul’s raid in 939/940. In 1057, a local regiment under the command of Katakalon Kekavmen supported the uprising of Isaac Komnin , who became emperor. In 1069, the fema was occupied by rebel Norman mercenaries Robert Crispin. The region was conquered by the Seljuk Turks shortly after the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 [1] [5] .
Location
In his essay " On the management of the empire, " Emperor Constantine VII Bagryanorodny describes the theme as a small district, including, in addition to Colony, Neocesaria in the east, Arabarak, Mount Falacre, Nikopol and Tefriku. It also includes sixteen unnamed fortresses [3] [4] . Konstantin VII Bagryanorodny also writes that his father, Leo VI the Wise , separated the Kamakhi Turm from Colony in order to form a new Mesopotamia theme [6] .
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 Kazhdan, 1991 , p. 1138
- ↑ 1 2 Oikonomides, 1972 , p. 349
- ↑ 1 2 3 Pertusi, 1952 , pp. 141–142
- ↑ 1 2 3 Bryer & Winfield, 1985 , p. 147
- ↑ Bryer & Winfield, 1985 , pp. 147–148
- ↑ Kazhdan, 1991 , p. 1092
Literature
- Bryer, Anthony; Winfield, David. Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos, Volume 1 . - Washington, District of Columbia: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, 1985 .-- ISBN 0-88402-122-X .
- Kazhdan, Alexander Petrovich. The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium . - New York, New York and Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 1991 .-- ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6 .
- Oikonomides, Nicolas. Les Listes de Préséance Byzantines des IXe et Xe Siècles : [] . - Paris, France: Editions du Center National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1972.
- Pertusi, A. Constantino Porfirogenito: De Thematibus: [] . - Rome, Italy: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 1952.