SPEROSVRYONIS,Jr. BYZANTIUM,ITSSLAVICELEMENTSANDTHEIRCULTURE
(SIXTHTONINTH CENTURIES) ' , TheophylactusSimocatta,
Historiae,II.16.9-20 ,'
TheodoreSyncellus,DeobsidioneConstantinopolis
Bythesixth-seventhcenturiesthepoliticalhorizonsoftheByzantineEmpirehad
alteredandconstrictedintheeast,north, westandsouth.TheDanube, Nile
and much
oftheTigrisEuphratesriversystemshadbeenoccupiedandcrossedbytheArab
caliphsandthenumerousSlavictribesasByzantiumwasabsorbedbythestruggleof
politicalandmilitarysurvival.The
Slavs,whooccupiedthenorthandcentralBalkans,
hadreachedtheAdriaticandBlackSeas,andhadbeguntooverrunmuchthatis
presentdaymodernGreece.TheArabs,inafewdecades,hadremovedByzantine
powerinArmenia,ByzantineMesopotamia,Syria,Palestine,EgypteandnorthAfrica.
TheArabconquestswererapid,non-destructive,andpreservedmuchofthe
ethnic,
social,economicandculturalstucturesthatByzantiumhadleftbehind.
ItissignificantthatbytheninthcenturyArabictextsofAristotle,Galen,Hip-pocrates,and
someofPlato had begunto enterthe culture ofthe Arabs.In theBalkans
theconquestssettlementswerenotcarriedoutbyastrongcentralizedstate,butby
numerousSlavictribalgroupswhichhadnohigherconceptofthestatebutonlythat
ofthetribalchieftainswhoseloyaltiesshiftedbetweenoneoranotheroftheAsiatic
peoplessuchasAvarsandBulgars.Thechangeswhichtheywroughtwereabruptand
oftendestructive.ItisinterestingtonotethattheclassicalGreekheritage,intowhich
64SPEROSVRYONIS,Jr. theMuslimArabsenteredasa
resultoftheByzantineinheritanceoftheeasternlands, was
tocometotheSlavs muchlaterandit was tocome notfromByzantiumbutfrom
theWest.
Inasmuchasmonotheism,alphabetandliterature,andanultimatepoliticaltheory
weretocometomanyoftheSouthandEasternSlavsfromByzantineinfluenceand
models,modernhistorianshavepaidagreatdealofattentiontotheByazntine
missionariesCyrilandMethodiusandtotheconsequencesoftheirmissionsonthe
politicalandcurturalfoundationsoftheSouthandEastSlavsastheresultofthefact
thatintheninthandtenthcenturiesthesebegantoemergeassocietieswithawritten
literatureandthenucleiofstatefoundations1.Butscholarshipastothenatureand
historyofpre-literateSlavicsocietiesprocededmorelaboriouslyandtheyremain
mysteriousbecauseofthelimitedsources.TherearoseafterWorldWarI
aSlavistic
scholarship,whichwasbasedonlinguisticsandarchaeology,thathasbeguntodraw
thecontoursofthesepre-literatesocieties,amongCzech,Polish,RussianandGerman
scholars2.Themostrecentadditionsandcontributionsforthisknowlegeasconcerns
theSouthSlavsaretheeffortsofthelateBulgarianscholarZivkaVyzarovaandher
schoolofarcheology3.
ThehastyuncoveringofanearlySlaviccemeteryonthegroundsofthenew
museumatOlympiaintheearly1960'swastheoccasionofmyearlyinterestinthe
questionofthematerialremains,andthereforeinthematerialcultureofpre-literate
SlavicsettlementsinGreece4.ThattheSlavshad,early(beforetheliquidmetathesis
1.V.BESEVLIEV,DieProtobulgarischePeriodederbulgarischenGeschichte,Amsterdam1981;F.
DVORNIK,LeslegendesdeConstantinetdeMthodevuesdeByzance,Hattiesburg1981.
2.I.BORKOVSKY,Die Prager BurgzurZeitder
Premyslidenfrsten,Prague1972;W.HENSEL,DieSlawen imfrhenMittelalter,
Berlin1965;I.
P.RUSSANOVA,SlavjanskijeDrevnosti,Moscow1976;FlorinCURTA,The
MakingoftheSlavs.HistoryandArcheologyoftheLowerDanubeRegionc.500-700,Cambridge2001;
Sp.VRYONIS,'',Thessaloniki1995,11-82. 3.ZivkaVZAROVA,Slavjani i
Prablgari podani nekropoliteotVI-XInateritorijatana Bgarija,Sofia
1976;SrednovekovnotoselisteS.Carvan.Silistrenskiokrug,VI-XIv.,Sofia1986;Ljiljana.DONCEVA-PETKOVA,Blgarskibitovakeramikaprezrannotosrednovekovie(vtoratapolovinanaVI-krajanaXv.),
Sofia1977.ForGreececonsult,Ph.MALINGOUDIS,',Thessaloniki1988; ID.,
StudienzudenslavischenOrtsnamenGriechenlands,Mainz-Wiesbaden1981;ID.,
,Thessaloniki1997. 4.Sp.VRYONIS, The SlavicPottery
(Jars)fromOlympia,Greece,in Sp.VRYONIS (ed.),ByzantineStudies.
EssaysontheSlavicWorld andtheEleventhCentury,
NewRochelle1992,15-42.For a detailed,descriptive
analysisoftheSlavicfindsatOlympia,T.VIDA-Th.VLLING,DasslawischeBrandgrberfeldvonOlympia,
[ArchologieinEurasien9],Rahden2000.ForbroaderquestionsofculturalencounteroftheSlavs,Al.
AVENARIUS,DiebyzantinischenKulturunddieSlawen,Munich2000.
BYZANTIUM,ITSSLAVICELEMENTSANDTHEIRCULTURE65
hadtakenplaceinSouthSlavic
dialects),settledinGreecewasestablishedbyGerman
SlavistMaxVasmerwhohadcarriedout,insitu,adetailedstudyofSlavictoponyms
inGreece,intheearlierpartofthetwentiethcentury(thoughthebookwasnot
publisheduntil1941).MyinterestinthesmallSlaviccemeteryofOlympiacoincided
withtheninthcenturyEpitomatorStraboniswhoincommentingonStrabo's
descriptionofElis
(regionofOlympia)stated:Salmoneus,Oinomaos,Pelopsandthe
PelopidailivedinPisa,whichisnowcalledVisa.Buttodaythereisnotanynameof
thePisataiandKaukonesandPylioi.Forallthese(lands)areinhabitedbySkythians
(afrequentarchaismforSlavs)5.
Thequestionwhichwillconcernusherehastodowiththenatureofpre-literate
Slavic societyas it is
reflectedinspecificByzantinetextsandinwhatmannerdidSlavs
acculturatewithintheByzantinemilieu.Ontheoccasionofthehundredthanniversary
celebrationoftheAmericanSchoolofClassicalStudiesinAthens(1980)Idiscussed
animportantaspectoftheacculturationofSouthSlavsas a
resultoftheirpoliticaland
militarycontactswithByzantineauthorityinthelatesixthcentury.Specificallythis
limitedanalysisconcerneditselfwithaninvestigationoftheearliestByzantinetexts
whichdealwiththeoriginalmilitarytechnologyatthedispositionoftheSouthSlavs
andoftheirearlypoliticalmasters(theAsiaticAvars).Thebasictextsforthisanalysis
werethoseofProcopius,TheophylactusSimocattaandtheso-calledStrategikonof
Maurice,allofwhichgiveusimportantinformationofthemilitarytechnologyofthe
earlySlavs6.
TheseearliestdescriptionsofAvaro-Slavicmilitarycampaignsandtacticsmakeno
mentionwhateverofanadvancedpoliorcetictechnology.Asidefromtheordinary
spears,bowsandpoisonedarrowstheypossessedonlyladderswiththeaidofwhich
theyhopedtotakefortifiedplacesortowns.Veryoftentheyresortedtofakedretreats
andwithdrawalsfromfortifiedplacesas a
resultofwhichthegarrisonswouldbedrawn
outofthetownwalls,hopingthustoensnaretheenemyanddestroyhimintheopen
fieldofbattle.Thewalls,henceforthdenudedofdefenders,wereapreytothe
besiegingSlavswhowouldascendthesiege
laddersunderthecoveroftheirnumerous
archers.InshorttheSlavsatthisstagewerenotyetinpossessionofthetechnology
ofsiegemachinery.
InthisearlierstudythenextevidencethatwasbroughttobearweretheMiracula
ofSt.DemetriosthepatronsaintofThessaloniki,thefirstpartofwhichwascomposed
5.M.VASMER,DieSlaveninGriechenlandBerlin1941, 17.
6.Sp.VRYONIS,TheEvolutionofSlavicSocietyandtheSlavicInvasionsinGreece.TheFirstMajor
SlavicAttackonThessalonikiA.D.597,Hesperia50,1981, 378-390.
66SPEROSVRYONIS,Jr. by Johnthe archibishopofthecity,whose
tenureofthearchipiscopalthronespanned
thelatesixthandearlierpartoftheseventhcentury.Hereinhedescribesthe
dangerousSlavicsiegeofThessalonikithatcommencedonSundayofSeptember22,
probablyin theyear597. His eyewitnessdescriptiondepictsa
fullydevelopedandvery
effectivetechnologyamongtheSlavicsoldieryandonewhichalmostsuccededin
takingthegreatcity.Hewrites:Onthefollowingday,theypreparedsiegemachines,
ironbatteringrams,catapultsforthrowingstonesofenormussize,andtheso-called
tortoises,ontowhich,alongwiththecatapults,theyplaceddryskins...sothatthey
mightnotbeharmedbyfireorboilingpitch.Fromthethirdday...theyhurledstones,
orrathermountainsastheywereinsize,andthearchersshotfurther,imitatingthe
wintersnowfalls,withtheresultthatnooneonthewallwasabletoemergewithout
dangerandthustoseesomethingoutside.Thetortoiseswere
joindtothewalloutside andwithoutrestraintwere
diggingupthefoundationswith leversandaxeheads.I think
thatthesenumberedmorethanonethousand7.
Eventuallythedefenders,bywellorganizedsallies,wereabletoremoveallthe
manybatteringramsfromthewalls'foundationsandhenceforthhadtodealwiththe
formidableballistraeorcatapults:Thereweretetragonalandrestedonbroaderbases,
taperingtonarrowerextremities.Attachedtothemwerethickcylinderswellcladin
ironattheends,andtherewerenailedtothemtimberslike beamsfroma large
house. Thesetimbershadtheslings hungfromthebackside
andfromthefrontstrongropes, bywhich,pullingdownandreleasing
thesling, theypropelthestonesup high andwith
aloudnoise.Andonbeingfiredtheysentupmanygreatstonessothatneitherearth
norhumanconstructionscouldbeartheimpacts.Theyalsocoveredthosetetragonal
ballistraewithboardsonthreesidesonly,sothatthoseinside,firingthemmightbe
woundedwitharrowsbythoseonthewalls8.
ThecombinationofcatapultsandbatteringramssoexpertlycraftedbytheSlavic
armiescameclose topenetratingthewalls ofThessaloniki.Howwas it
thattheAvaro-Slavsacquiredthepoliorcetictechnologywhichassistedthemintakingwalledcities
in
theBalkans,sinceoriginalytheirsiegedeviceshadprovidedthemonlywithladders?
TheanswertothisquestionI
foundintheaccountsofTheophylactusSimocattawho
recordsthattheyhadbeenableeventuallytolevelthewallsofSingidunum,andhad
capturedthewalledtownofBongosandwereabletotakesomefortywalled
forteresseswithsiegemachines.Thesamehistorianinformsusthatabout587the
7. P.LEMERLE,Les plusanciens recueils des miracles de Saint
Dmtrius, Paris1979,vols.III especially vol.I,148-149.
8.LEMERLE,MiraculaI,154. BYZANTIUM,ITS SLAVICELEMENTSAND
THEIRCULTURE67 Avaro-Slavsset out to besiegethe
walledtownofAppiareiain MoesiaInferior.They happenedtocapture,in
the courseof the siege,the city'smilitaryengineer,asoldier bythe
nameBousas.The latterappealedto the citizensto ransomhim lesthe be
put todeathby the Slavs.The citizensrefusedand subjectedhim
toinsults.The military engineer,inordertosavehis own lifeand
havingbeeninsulted,revealedhis terrible secretto his captors:As a
price for this stay (of execution)he wouldturnthe forteress overto
the barbarians...IndeedBousastaughtthe Avarsto
constractsiegemachines, fortheyhappenedtobe the
mostignorantofsuchmachines,and hebuiltthesiege
machinetohurlmissiles.Soonafter,thefortresswas levelled,and
Bousascollected judgementfor the lattersinhumanity,havingtaughtthe
barbarianssomethingfrightful, thetechnologyofbesieging.Thencethe
enemycapturedeffortlesslya greatmany of theRomancities by makinguse
ofthisoriginaldevice9. Inthiscommunicationof1980,laterpublished,I
addressedthe matter,discussed in Theophylactus,and the
skillwhichSlavicsoldierydemonstratedin the accountsof the
MiraculaofSt.Demetrios,as animportantelementofthe
culturaladaptationof the SouthSlavictribesintheirnew
Byzantineenvironment. Byway ofcontinuingthe
themeofSlavicacculturationin the Byzantineenviron-mentin the late
sixthand seventhcenturyI turnoncemoreto the Miracula of
St.De-metrios,atleasttothe firsttwo sectionscomposedrespectivelyby
ArchbishopJohn
andbyananonymuscontinuator,bothofwhomrecordedfascinatingdetailsin
the
military,politicalandeconomicencountersoflocalSlavicgroups,inthevicinityof
Thessaloniki,withtheByzantineenvironment.ThedevelopedSlavicpoliorcetic
technologywhichthe ArchibishopJohnwitnessedand so
accuratelydescribedinPart Oneof the Miracula,becomesa
constantthemeand it is evidentthatthe influence of
Byzantinemilitarytechnologyhad had a profoundeffecton the
SouthSlavsrendering themevenmoredangerousto the city of
Thessaloniki.There is no pointin continuing
adescriptiveanalysisofthisaspectofSlavicadaptationtotheByzantinescience
of poliorcetics.RatherI wishtoturnto the
realmofmaritimenavigationand the Slavic adaptationto the Aegean
Sea. One is well aware thatthe NarentineSlavs readily adaptedto
local piracysometime aftertheyoverranpartofDalmatia.The
sameadaptationamongcertainof the South
SlavicgroupsinthevicinityofThessalonikiseemstohavetakenplace.These
new settlersencounteredthe Aegeanfor the firsttime and
thusreactedto the challange, as hadthe ancientGreekssometwo and
one-halfthousandyearsearlier.Procopius has
9.THEOPHYLACTUSSIMOCATTA,Historiae,ed.C.DEBOOR,Stuttgart1972,II,16.9-17.
68SPEROSVRYONIS,Jr.
nothingtosayoftheSlavsandthewaterssave,theyreverebothriversandnymphs
andsomeotherdaemonsandtheysacrificetoallofthem10.
TheStrategikonofMauricehasalittlemoretosayabouttheirrelationtothe
waters:Theyareexperiencedbeyondallmeninthecrossingofriversandbravely
endurethewaters.Oftensomeofthem,whileintheirownland,aresurprisedby
troubleand,divingintothedepthofthewater,holdcanesintheirmouthmadelong
especiallyforthisandhollowedthroughout,reachinguptothesurfaceofthewater,
lyingontheirbacksinthedeep,theybreaththroughthemanditis
sufficientformany hours,so thatnosuspicionofthemarises. Butevenif
it shouldtranspirethatthecanes
areseenfromoutsideitissupposedbytheinexperiencedthattheyareonewiththe
water.Whereforthosewhoareexperiencedinthis,recognizingthecutandposition
ofthecane,eitherstabtheirmouthwiththemortakingthemaway,bringthemup
fromthewaterastheyarenolongerabletoremaininit11. Inthiscase
TheophylactusconfirmsthegreatriverinefamiliarityoftheSouthSlavs
insomedetail.SpecificallytheAvarkhanoftheAvaro-SlavsreliedheavilyonSlavic
boatbuilderstosupplyhisarmieswiththeriverboatsinordertocrosstheDanube
andtoattackthetownsoftheempire.Whenhedecidedtoproceedtotheattackof
Singidunumtheinhabitansofthecityorganizedraidssoastoburntheboatsbeing
shapedbytheSlavsfortheattack.ThuswhenhewishedtocrosstheriverSavehe
oncemoreorderedtheSlavstofurnishtheriverboatsforthecampaign.Mousocius,
aSlavicchieftain,disposedofsome150suchriverboatscalledmonoxyles(boats
carvedoutofthesingletrunkofatree).Butitseemsthatmostoftheseriverboats,
themonoxyles,wereofmodestdimensionsandnotsuitableforsailingintheopen
sea,thoughitis notclearwhetherthetermmonoxyleis
usedtodesignatesomething
alittlemoreambitious.Shipsdesignedformaritimepurposeshadtohavea
deepkeel
sothattheywouldnotbeeasilyoverturnedbytheroughseas.Generally,Byzantine
authorsdonotusethetermmonoxyletodenotemaritimevessels.Onemustassume
thattheoriginalSouthSlavicmonoxyleswereunabletosailtheopenandrough
watersoftheAegeanSea.
ItistotheMiraculaofSt.Demetriosthatonemustturn,oncemore,inorderto
catcha glimpseofthisearlyencounterofcertainSouthSlavic
groupswiththeAegean
Seaandwithitsenvironment.InparticulartherelevantdocumentscomefromPart
TwooftheMiraculawrittenbyananonymousauthorsometimesafterthemiddleof
theseventhcentury.Thefirstmiracleofwhichhespeaksis
saidtohavetranspiredin 10.PROCOPIUS,Debello
gothico,ed.J.HAURY-G.WIRTH,Leipzig1962,III,14.22-30.
11.StrategikonofMaurice,ed.MICHAESC,ArtaMilitara,Bucharest1970,278,280.
BYZANTIUM,ITS SLAVICELEMENTS ANDTHEIRCULTURE69
theoldendaysofArchibishopJohn,thereforeconsiderablybeforetheauthor'stime,
whereasthesecondsectionweshallconsidertranspiredbetween676and678,more
thanthree-quartersofacenturyaftertheSlavicattackonThessalonikiin597.Both
theeventsandtherelevantterminitechniciarerelevantforthepurposesofthis
discussion,andwemustkeepinmindthattheanonymousauthorofthisSecondPart
oftheMiraculahasintroducedsomemisleadinganachronismsintheaccountofthe
eventhedatestothetimeofArchibishopJohn. Letusturnto the
firstmiracleheattributestothe patronsaintofThessaloniki.Here
theauthordescribesaveryextensiveattackthattookplaceabout614A.D.12,when
theruleroftheSlavsChatzonbrougthmassivelandforcesandalso'naval'forcesto
thesiege.Thesectionthatdescribesthesiegeissubtitled: ,,
Thetextproceedstoinformtheaudienceontheshipbuildingactivitiesofthenew
SouthSlavicsettlersattheedgeoftheAegeanSeaandatthemouthsoftherivers
whichemptyintoit:Thereoccurred,asitissaidatthetimethatJohn,ofHoly
memory,heldtheepiscopalthronethattherearosethenationoftheSklavinoianda
vastmultitudeofDrougovitai,Sagoudatai,Velegezitai,Vaiounitai,Verzitaiandother
nationswasassembled,thatisallthosewhodiscoveredhowtomakecarvedboatsout
ofsingletrees.HavingoutfittedthemselvesfortheseaandhavingsackedallThessaly
andtheislandssurroundingitandHellas,andinadditiontotheCycladicIslandsall
AchaeaandEpirus,mostofIllyricumandapartofAsia,andhavingrenderd
uninhabitedverymanytownsandeparchies,theyalldecidedtoarraythemselves
againstouraforementionedandChristlovingcityandtosackitlikealltherest.And
havingthuscometoanagreementonthistheybuiltverynumerousboatseachcarved
outofasingletree( )13.
InshorttheanonymousauthordescribeshowthenumeroussmallSlavicentities
nowsettledwithineasyreachoftheAegeanfirstdevisedthecraftofhewingand
carvinga boatoutofa single
treetrunk.Havingthuspreparedthemselvesforthesea,
theyprocededtoplunderthecoastsofmuchofcentralandsouthernGreece,the
Greekislands,andpartsofwesternAsiaMinorintheirshipscarvedfromonetree
each,thewellknownmonoxyle.Theanonymouswouldhaveusbelievethatthe
SouthSlavsspreadoutoveralltheAegeanSeainthesesmallmonoxyles.Many
scholarshavefollowedthistextina
ratherunguardedfashion,andweshallreturntoit.
12.LEMERLE,MiraculaII,92-93onalltheabove. 13.LEMERLE,MiraculaI,175.
70SPEROSVRYONIS,Jr.
Chatzonhadco-ordinatedanattackwhichsoughttoisolatethecitybothonthe
landandonthesea,andit is tothelatterthatwe shall
momentarilyturnourattention.
TheSlavicsailorstooktimetopreparetheirboatsfortheall-outattackonthewalled
cityandsowithdrewtoalittleportonthebayofThessaloniki.Heretheyputtheir
boatsinshapeforthesynchronisedattackonthecity'swallsbothbylandandsea.In
thispreparationfortheseaattack:TheSlavicsailorscarriedoutplansofplacing
planksandanimalskinsatoptheirboatssoastoprotecttheoarsmenfromthestones
(thrown)fromthewallstheyweregoingtoapproach,ortofreethemfromthe
weaponsthatwouldbefiringatthem14.
SimultaneouslytheysentoutboatstosurveytheseawallsofThessalonikiinan
efforttofindtheirweakestareas.Onthefourthdayofthesiegetheirleadergavethe
signalfortheall-outattackwhichonthelandsidewasmarkedbytheviolentattack
ofthevariousandnumeroussiegemachines.OntheseatheSlavicboatssetoutto
attackthecityattwopoints:(a)Atthetowertothewestoftheecclesiasticalport
wheretherewasasidegate,and(b)attheunwalledsectionoftheshorewherethe
defendershadpreparedacamouflagedditchwithamachinewithspikes.Thefleetof
smallSlavicshipsproceded,withtheirattached,protectiveroofs,totheattack.
Unfortunatelyforthemtheattackingshipswerenotabletomaintaintheirlinesand
orderandsoonfellintoa
stateofchaoticdisorder:Soitcameaboutthattheyfellon
oneanotherandsomeoftheboatswereoverturnedandthustheSlavsintheseboats
werethrownoutintothesea.Some,swimmingabout,soughttosavethemselvesin
someoftheotherboatsandgrabbingholdofit(sic)
heoverturnedthatboatandalso
threwintotheseatheSlavswhowereinit.Thecaptainsoftheremaining(Slavic)
boatscutoff,withtheirswords,thehandsofthosestretchingouttothestillfloating
boats,othercaptainscutofftheheads,andstillother(captains)piercedsuch(sailors)
withtheirspears.Andsoitwaseachonewhosoughtafterhisownsalvationbecame
theenemyoftheothers15. Those sailorswho made it
totheunwalledshorefellintothe camouflagedditchand
ontothemachinewiththespikes,whereastheremainderwhohadsurvivedthe
catastropheofthefleetmadeittothetowerandsidegateonlytobeslainthereby
anattackofthedefenders.Theremainderofthesurvivingboatshadbeached
themselvesonthesandsandcouldnotbedrawnbackouttosea.TheMiracula
related
thattheentireseaviewhadturnredfromthebloodofthebarbariansandas
thewind begantoblowtheycouldnotrowanyofthe boatsouttosea,butthe
remainingboats 14.LEMERLE,MiraculaI,167.
15.LEMERLE,MiraculaI,176-178.
BYZANTIUM,ITSSLAVICELEMENTSANDTHEIRCULTURE71 managedto maketheirway
byhugging theshore tothewestandthe east.And many
ofthebodiesofthebarbarianswerethrownuponthesandandagainstthewalls.
Theinternalcontradictionofthispartoftheanonymousnarratoris
striking.Inthe
beginninghespeaksofaSlavicnavalprowesswhich,bytheuseofthemonoxyles,
hadnavigatedtheroughAegeanSeaandhadproceededtotheravagingand
distructionofmuchoftheGreekspeakingworldthatlivedaroundtheAegeanbasin.
YetthedetaileddescriptionofthenavalsectorofthesiegeofThessalonikiinabout
614,showscompletedisasterduetothelackofanymaritimeskillsonthepartofthe
Slavicsailorsandboatbuilders.Theirineptnessemergesineveryoneofthedetails
of
thenavalfiascoofthisexpedition.First,theydidnotknowhowtomanoeuvretheir
ships...theyfellontooneanother,sinkingmanyoftheirownboats.Second,the
monoxylewassounseaworthythatonedrowingsailorcouldoverturnthemonoxyle
simplybygrabbingitandpullingdownonit.Thisspeakstothesmallnessofthe
monoxyleaswell
astoitslackofadeepkeel.Thelackofexperienceinmanoeuvring
ships,andinbuildingseacraftthatcouldnavigatetheroughseaswasnotyetinthe
possessionoftheSlavicsettlers.Howthencouldtheysailoffandsacktheentire
maritimeworldofGreekspeakerswho, livingontheAegeannowfromsometwoand
one-halfmillenia,hadcompleteknowledgeandthetechnologyfordealingwiththeir
maritimeenvironment?ThebayofThessalonikiwaswellprotectedandshouldnot
havepresentedtheSlavswithsuchdifficultiesiftheyhadhadappropriateshipsand
knowledge.The Slavic experiencewithwatershadtodowith riversand
lakes and their
smallboatswereappropriateforthesemilderwaters.TheSouthSlavshad
encounteredthesea,now,buttheyhadnotmasteredthebodyofmaritimeknowledge
andtechnologynecessaryforanaccomodationwiththisnewaspectoftheforcesof
nature.Anditisobviousthatinthisparticularmiracletheanonymousauthorhas
committedagrossanachronismfortheSlavsweretolearnabouttheseafromtheir
neighbouringByzantinepopulations,astheyhadlearnedthetechnologyofsiege
warfarefromalocalurban,Byzantineengineer.Inthisearlymilitaryencounterwith
theseathesegroupsofSlavshadexperiencedatotalandbloodydisasterinan
engagementwheretheByzantinemilitaryfleetwasnotevenpresent.
TheSouthSlavsoftheregionofThessalonikiseemtohavemadethetransition
fromtheirsmallriverinemonoxylestoseaworthyvesselsbythethirdquarterofthe
seventhcenturyaswelearn,againfromtheMiraculaofSt.Demetrios.IntheFourth
MiraclerelatedbyouranonymousauthorwehavetodowithoneofthemanySouth
SlavregesorkingsastheByzantinesourcestellus.Thoughheisconnectedwiththe
SlavsoftheStrymon,theRhynchinos,andtheSagoudatai,hepreferstoliveinthe
greatmetropolisofThessaloniki,hespeaksGreekandseemstohavedressedinthe
72SPEROSVRYONIS,Jr.
Byzantinemanner.Hewasaccusedofplottingarebellionagainsttheemperor,and
wassentofftoConstantinople
wheretheemperor,busilypreparingforhiswarswith
theArabs,kepthimunderclosewatch.ThenameofthissmallkingwasPerbundos
andhehadclosetiesnotonlywiththelocalSlavs,manyofwhomrecognisedhimas
theirleader,butalsowithmanyofthecitizensofThassaloniki.ThelocalByzantine
eparchhadaccused,totheemperor,thiskingofthelocalSlavsofRynchinos,as
havingconspiredagainstThessaloniki.UponhisarrivaltherethelocalSlavsofboth
RhynchinosandtheStrymon,alongwithrepresentativesofThessaloniki,senta
missiontoConstantinople
topleadforthelifeofPerbundos.EventuallyPerbundos
fledthecapitalandcontinuedhisconspiracy.Eventuallyhewasrecapturedand
executed.TheresultwastherisingoftheSlavsofStrymon,Rhynchinosandthe
SagoudataiandtheirdecisiontosetalongsiegetoThessaloniki.
ThelocalSlavs,inapportioningthelaborsofwarandattack,ordainedthatthe
SlavsoftheStrymonshouldraidand
plundertheregionstotheeastandnorthofthe
city,andtheSagoudataiandSlavsoftheRhynchinosshouldattackthoseregionsto
thewestofthecityandthattheyshouldraid,withtheiryokedvessels(=
)theadjacentseasonadailybasis.Thesemilitaryandnavalraids
andattacksweremaintained
forthenexttwoyearsduringwhichtherewerethreeto
fourattacksorraidseveryday.Theinhabitantsofthecitywerethedailywitnesses
andmournerstoandforthecitizensslainbothonlandandseaforthislongperiod.
Eventuallythecity,thuslockedupfrombothwithinandwithoutbegantosufferthe
painsofhungerand begantoeatthe domestic animalsand eventhe nettles.
The Slavs
hadseizedthenearbyruralchurchesandusedthemasoutpoststoslayallthosewho
daredcomeoutofthewallstoscavangeforfood,andtheSlavicmonoxyles,hidden
undertheoverhangingcliffsandsecretplaceswouldrushouttoattacksolitaryboats
andkillthoseattemptingtoderivesomesmallsourceoffood(fish)andtheywould
slaythemall.
Thenthecitycouncilandthecitizensdecidedtosendout,secretly,tenseaships,
theremainingboatsandthemonoxylestotheSlavictribeoftheVelegezitesinthe
districtsofThebes(ofPhthiotes)andDemetriasinordertopurchasegrain.For,itis
related,theSlavVelegezitesofThessalyhadanagreementforpeace.Seeingthatthe
Thessaloniansweresorelypressedbyhunger,theSlavsoftheregionofThessaloniki
decidedtoorganizeafull,developedsiegeofthecityhopingthustotakeitinits
weakenedstate.ItisofinterestthattheboatsinthelocalSlavicfleetwerenolonger
themonoxylesofoldbutanew,forthe Slavs,typeofshipcalled(yoked,or,
madebycarpenters), whichwasadapted tothe needsoftrue maritime
movementand
warfare.TheanonymousauthorrelatesthatfinallytheSlavicattackswerethwarted
BYZANTIUM,ITSSLAVICELEMENTS ANDTHEIR CULTURE73
andtheappearanceoftheimperialarmyandimperialgrainshipssostrengthenedthe
citizensthatthe
Slavsfledindisorderabandoningtheirbootyandsiegemachines.But
thefleetoftheSlavsofStrymonandRhynchinos,afterhavingabandonedthesiege,
begantoseekByzantineshippingontheopenseaswith,asthe
textsays,theiryoked
(orcarpentermade)ships.Theyplunderedverymanyoftheshipsthatwereusedto
collectsuppliesandtobringthemtoConstantinople,
allthewayfromtheislands,the
narrowsea(theDardanelles),theregionsaboutParionandProkonessosandofthe
shipsinthecustomsitself.Havingenslavedthesetheyreturnhomewithverymany
ships,totheirlairs.Itwaspreciselythismilitary/piraticalactivityonthehighseas
whichcausedtheemperortosendtheimperialarmyandfleettodespersetheSlavs
(theemperorwasmostprobablyConstantine IVwhohad
justconcludedapeacewith theArabs). Thetextshows,clearly,thatthe
Slavshadfashionedanewtypeofship,unlikethe
olderandcrudemonoxyleswhichweresuitableonlyforriversandforshallowcoastal
movement,the.Andasweseeitwasquitecapableofcarryingoutraids
andattacksonthehighAegeanseas,particularyalongtheshippinglanesthatlead
fromtheAegeantowardConstantinople.TheSlavswerefinallyattheireaseinthe
AegeanSea,andhadlearnedtheropesfromthelocalmaritimetechnology.
Itisinterestingtonote,first,thatthetextoftheMiraculaofSt.Demetrios
differentiatesbetweenthetermontheonehand,andtheterms
,,.PaulLemerle,inhistranslation,renderedthesetwo
formsoftheverb,bytheFrenchnavirescharpents,thatistosayships
puttogetherwithdifferentpiecesofwood16.HisimplicationisthattheselaterSlavic
shipsweredifferentfromthemonoxylesandthusinsomelineofevolutioninterms
ofmaritimetechnology.Itwouldberelevanttoinspectothertextstoseewhatspecific
ortechnicalmeaningthebasicverbanditsderivativesmighthaveina
Byzantinemaritimecontextandinthe
historyofthiscomplexoflexicalderivativesof theverb.
Generallythisverbmeans:toyoke,bridge,pair.It also,byextension,could
mean
tofitortobind.TheunabridgedLiddell-ScottGreeklexicongivestwosimilar
meaningsthathaveveryspecificreferencetofurnishingorstrengtheningships.One
ofthesereferencesisalocusclassicus.InthefamedepisodebetweenCorcyraand
Corinth,whichsetoffthePeloponnesianWar,theformerhadrepairedtheiraged
16.LEMERLE,MiraculaI,169-170,200. 74SPEROSVRYONIS,Jr. battle-ships:
, 17. Onenotesfirstthe balancebetweenand .The latterword isto be
translatedhavingrepairedbuttheformerwordis muchmoreloadedforif
theyhad notthe oldershipswouldhavebeenunabletonavigateonthesea
Liddell-Scotthas translatedthispassagein
itsrelevantsection,asfollows:having
strengthenedwiththwarts(seats).Thetranslatorof thispassagein
theLoebext, C.
M.Smithtranslatesmorespecifically:havingpreviouslystrengthenedtheoldvessels
withcrossbeamsso as to makethemseaworthy. Inthe Avaro-Slavsiege of
Constantinople inlateAugust-earlySeptember626,the
textsofTheodoreSyncellus,GeorgeofPisidiaandthePaschal Chronicle
relatethat
theAvarrulerbrougthaconsiderablenumberofSlavicmonoxylesfromDanubian
region,overland,andputthemintothesea at Halaion
theEuropeanshoreofthe Bosphorusandin
thewesternshallowsandrocksoftheGoldenHorn(wherethey wouldbe
safefromattackby thelargerByzantinetriremesandbiremeswhichcould
notventureintotheshallowwaters)18.Bothgroupsofmonoxyleswereutterly
destroyed,andtheircrewswiththem, by theByzantineships.Thisis
indicative,once more,thattheSlavicsailorswerehindered by
theircontinuedrelianceonsuchboats outfittedtooperate
primarilyinriverineenvironmentsand shallows.George of Pisidia,
inhispoeticrenditionof
thelandandseabattlesmakesaninterestingobservationas
tothearrangementof themonoxylesjustpriorto
theirfatalclashwiththeByzantine fleetinthewesternmostGoldenHorn:
(andthere(inviewofthe churchofthePanagia
Vlacherna)didtheyspreadout,likesomenetinthesea,theircarvedships,andthey
linked(tied)themtheone to the other)19. 17.THUCYDIDES,I, 29. 18.The
textsare conveniently collected inGrcki Izvori zablgarskata
istorija,ed. J. DUJCEV,Genoveva CANKOVA-PETKOVA,Vasilka,
PKOVA-ZAIMOVA,L.JONCEV,PetarTIVCEV,Sofia1960,vol.VI-3:THEODORE
SYNCELLUS,41-55,GEORGEOFPISIDIA,57-67,PaschalChronicle,
77-84.Forthebroadersubjectsee,Fr. BARISIC,Lesigede
ConstantinopleparlesAvareset lesSlavesen
616,Byzantion24,1954,371-395; V. GRUMEL,Ladefencemaritimede
Constantinopledu ctde la Corned'Oret le sigedesAvares,BS125,
1964,217-233; J. D.HOWARD-JOHNSTON,TheSiegeof Constantinoplein
626,in C.MANGO- G. DAGRON (eds.),Constantinopleand Its Hinterland,
Aldershot1995,131-142;thedetailedaccountof A.STRATOS, T "
,',626-634,Athens1966,491-542,and especially524-529,is
noteworthy.His analysisof thesourcesonthe eventsintheGoldenHornis
carefuland convincing. 19.Giorgio di Pisidia,Poemi.I
Panegiriciepici,a cura di A.PERTUSI, Ettal1959,196.446-447.Seealso
hisnotesonp.196,and hiscarefulcommentaryonthe textonpp.223-224.
BYZANTIUM,ITS SLAVICELEMENTS ANDTHEIRCULTURE75
Therecanbenodoubtthatthisformoftheverbmeanstotieorto
bind,andfurthertheuseofthesimileofthenetthrownintotheseameansan
instrumentwhichistiedtogetheratregular,smallintervals.It wasatactic
applied in
ordertokeepthesmallmonoxylesfromlosingtheirorderandfallinguponone
another.Buttheuseoftheverbinitscompoundformindicatesthattheuseofthe
simplewordwouldnot haveconveyedthe meaning ofbeing tiedorbound
together. Important,also,isthetextofPsellos'Chronographia
whichdescribesthenaval battlebetweenthe
Russianfleetofmonoxyles(whateverthewordmayhavecome to
meanbythislatetime)and
theimperialfleetsentoutbytheemperorConstantineIX in104320.Finding
that the warshipsimmediatelyat hand wereinsufficient,the emperor
hadtogather,quicklywhatevershipshehad:' ,(whencetheemperorgathered
someremnantsoftheoldfleet,andhavingrefittedthem...)21. Inthis
casewehavea derivativeofthe simpleverband itsuseisprecisely
thatofThucydidesindescribingtherefittingorstrengtheningoftheolderbattleships
bytheCorcyreans.In bothcasesthere isatechnical
procedureofstrengtheningolder shipssothat theycanundertake a
typeofnavalwarefarewhichinvolved,among other
things,violentramming,andwhichinvolvedgrapplingandboardingenemywarships.
These usagesinPsellosand Thucydidesare veryspecificand
wouldseemsomehow todifferfromtheepithetsof andintheMiracula ofSt.
Demetrios astotheSlavicshipsofthelatterseventhcentury.
ThederivativesoftheverbutilizedintheMiracula areallinthepluralanddo
not
appear,atleastinthetextsavailabletoday,inconnectionwithByzantineships.Two
possibleexplanations,butteyremained unconfirmed,emergefromthe
examinationof
thelexicalmatteritself.ThefirstisthepossibilitythatthenewSlavicboatsweretwo
ormorewhichwereboundtogetherandwhichwouldservefirsttoenlargetheir
capacity,andsecondtogiveakindofmaritimestabilitytotwoormorebound
monoxylesintheopensea.Or,theywerenolongershipssimplycarvedoutofone
treetrunk,butwereeithercompoundshipswiththestructuressimilartoother
seagoingcraft,ortheycouldhavehadanadjustedbodycarvedoutofone
tree-trunk
butwithanumberafaddedfeatureswhichwouldgiveitasomewhatbettermaritime
ability.Still,theMiraculatextappliesthesetypeepithetstodescribeonlySlavicboats
20.OnthelatterseetheinsightfulcommentaryofDimitriObolenskyinR.J.H.JENKINS(ed.),
ConstantinePorphyrogenitus,DeAdministrandoImperio,
II.Commentary,London1962,23-25, where he bringstobearthe additional
information inRussiansourcesonthe monoxyles and theirvariety.
21.M.PSELLOS,Chronographie,ed .RENAULD,Paris1928,vol.II, 10.
76SPEROSVRYONIS,Jr.
(withexceptionofthecoastalmonoxylesusedbyByzantinesforcoastaltrade).
Such wasthe caseofthe Russianmonoxylesthatdescendedthe
rapidsoftheRussianrivers
(wheretheycouldbedisassembled)andcarriedoverland,andthenreassembledwhen
inthepresenceoftheseas.ButtheByzantinetextsdonotrefertotheseas-22.
Onemustawaitfurtherlexicalandarcheologicalresearchonthismatter.Butit
wouldseemthatthe Slavicmaritime technologyofthe
latterseventhcenturysucceded
inmakingaconsiderableadaptationintermsoftechnologicaldetailsintheirmeeting
withtheAegeanSea.HowevertheirperformanceintheGoldenHornandthe
BosphorusduringtheAvaro-SlavicsiegeofConstantinople
wasacompletedisaster23.
HalfacenturylatertheirwereregularyraidingByzantineshipping,
bothgovernmentalandprivateintheAegeanandinopenviewofthecustomshouse
ofAbydos.
Inthesetwocases,militarypoliorceticandinmaritimetechnology,thenewly
settledSlavshadbeguntobeinfluencedbyByzantinemilitaryandmaritime
technology.
Butthereareotherdetails,especiallyinthenarrativeconcerningPerboundos,
that
indicatethatacculturationwastakingotherformsaswell.AswesawPerboundoshad
becomebiculturaltoacertainextent:helivedinThessaloniki,hespokeGreek,and
dressedByzantine,buthealsohadcloserelationswiththecitizensandmembersof
thecitycouncilofThessaloniki.HisruralSlavicsubjectscooperatedwiththeThessa-loniansinsendinganembassytoConstantinopletopleadforthelifeofPerboundos.
WhentheSlavickingwasexecuted,thelocalSlavsindicatedthattheiracculturation
waslimitedpoliticallyandsotheybesiegedthecityfortwoyears.The
localauthorities
hadnoassistancefromtheemperorasthelatterwasinvolvedinmilitaryoperations
aigainsttheArabswhoconstitutedanimmediatedangertotheentireempire.Butthe
cityofThessalonikiseemstohavehadapeaceagreementwithyetanotherSlavic
tribe,whichwaslocatedintheThessalianplainandsosenttothemforgrain.Here
oneseesanimportanteconomicaccomodationandacculturationofbeligerantSlavic
tribes.AstheprincipalurbanandeconomiccenterThessalonikiwasanimportant
centerofconsumptionandsowasalsoaprincipalcustomerandmarketforSlavic
produce.YettheThessalonianswhowentwiththeshipstoacquiregrainfearedthat
if
theVelegezitaigotwindofthesiegewhichhadjustbrokenoutthelocalSlavsmight
murderthem. 22.Ibid. 23.STRATOS,op.cit..
BYZANTIUM,ITSSLAVICELEMENTSANDTHEIRCULTURE77
BythelatterseventhcenturytheseSlavicgroups,whichhadenteredtheGreek
peninsula,hadestablishedthemselvesonthelandwiththeiranimalsandwereengaged
inagriculturalproduction,andsofoundeconomicdemandinsuchmarketsasthatof
Thessalonikitotheiradvantage.Also theyweresettledwithina
societyandlandwhich
wasfarmoredevelopedinmostaspects,andthistoowasattractive.Fromthefew
SlavicgravesthathavebeenexcavatedinGreece,butmuchmorefromthoseSlavic
cemeteriesexcavatedinBulgaria,weseethatthematerialcultureoftheearlySlavs
did notevenhavethe
potter'swheelinthelatesixthcentury,somethingthathadbeen
aroundforsometwothousandyears.
Bytheninth,tenthandeleventhcenturyweseethattherehasdevelopedafull
culturaladaptationofmanysuchSlavicsettlements,andthatinsomecasesthiswas
wellonthewaytosocio-culturalabsorptionintothelocalsociety.Butbeforethis
cametoprevailtherewasanintermediateperiodwhenthestrongculturalandsemi-politicalidentityofthesenewlysettledSlaviccommunitiesisclearlyevident.
TheinvasionsandsettlementsofSlavsinByzantinelandsinvariouspartsofthe
ByzantineempireresultedintheappearanceofseveralsmallerSklaviniai.Theuse
ofthistermbothinthesingularandpluralbythesourcesimpliedtheexistenceof
separateandcompactSlaviccommunitiesintheBalkanseachofwhichhaditsown
socialorganizationandchiefs,aswellasitsownmilitarybodies.UsuallytheseSkla-viniaiwereinterspersedamongtheolderByzantinepopulationswithwhomtheyhad
relationsofsortsaswell aswithConstantinopleandits
provincialrepresentatives.The
suddensettlementofcompactSlavicgroupswithinthematrixofanolderpopulation
producedhostile,andoftenviolentrelationsmuchasthenewsettlerswerestillina
heroicorepic,pre-literatestageinwhichwarfare,raids,boody,banditryandpiracy
werepreeminent.Wehaveseen,above,howthistribalmodeandtechnologyof
warfarebegantoundergotransformationinmilitaryandmaritimematters.Wehave
alreadyseenthemannerinwhichtheserelationsalsotookonaveryimportant
economicaspectasintheexampleoftheThessaloniansuccessfulefforttobuyagri-culturalprovisionsfromtheSklaviniaoftheVelegezitaiinThessaly,withwhich
SklaviniatheinhabitantsofThessalonikihadmadepeaceagreementswhiletheywere
atwarwiththelocalSklaviniaswestofThessaloniki.Finallywehavealreadycaughta
glimpseoftheeffortsofthecentralizedstatetoimposeitspoliticalwillonsomeof
theseSklaviniaswhentheemperorConstantineIVsentoutamajorexpeditionto
reducethemtopeaceandorder.
Ifthestateweretosurviveduringthegreatcrisisoftheseventhcenturyithadto
takemilitarymeasuresnotonlyagainstthegreatArabthreatandlaterthatofthe
newlyfoundedBulgariankingdom,butithadtofindtimetorestrainandtosubject,
78SPEROSVRYONIS,Jr.
oftenrepeatedly,thesesmallSklaviniaslestthestatebegintodissolvefromthe
internaldecompositionofthestate.Thisinvolvedamilitaryreductionofthe
disobedientsandsomekindofformalincorporationoftheirseparatesocietiesintothe
statestructure.ThustheindividualSklaviniaswerefaced,beforethepressureofthe
Byzantinestate,tochoosefromthreepossibilities:a)A
struggletoremaincompletely independentoftheByzantinestate;
b)Essentiallytoacceptincorporationofthenewly
foundedBulgariankingdoma
realisticpossibilityonlyforthoseSklaviniasnearthe
Bulgarianborders;c)AcculturationtothelocalByzantinesocietyandincorporationof
anofficialnatureintothe local administrativesystem,butwith the
rightsofmaintaining theirlocalchiefsorarchontes. Unlike
thevastbureaucraticstateofByzantiumwith its
politicaltheoryofoneGod,
onestate,onelaw,mostgroupsofSklaviniaiwithintheterritoriesofthenowreduced
Byzantinebordershadnooverallinstitutionorrulersoas tobeable
tocoordinatethe
totaldemographicstrengthoftheSklavenoiinthePloponnse,incentralGreece,in
MacedoniaandThrace.AccordinglytheirmilitaryeffortsagainsttheByzantinestate
wereofacircumscribedlocalnature,andas a
resultthismostseriousfailure(theyhad failedtotakeThessaloniki)was
thattheyhadnoreliable, contiguousdemographicbase
onwhichtoamasslargerandmoreeffectivemilitaryforces.TheBulgarianstate
appearedonlyinthelatterpartoftheseventhcenturyandinthebeginninghadto
concentrateonabsorptionofitsownSlavicgroupsandontheincessantwarswith
Byzantiumwhich,inthecriticalreignofConstantineVweredisastrousforBulgaria
ThepresenceofSklaviniasontheByzantino-Bulgarianboundariesrenderedthose
regionsparticularlysusceptibletoBulgarianbidsontheseSklavinias,butasonegoes
furthersouththerealitiesfortheBulgarianstatewerequiteotherwise.Bythetenth
andeleventhcenturiestheBulgarianstatefirstweakenedandthendisappeared.
ThoughthetroubledconditionsoftheByzantinestateinthefaceofthe
tremendousAraboffensivesoftheseventhcenturyallowedthelocalSklavinias
considerablefreedomtoindulgetheiractivitiesofbanditryonlandandpiracyonthe
sea,aswellasoccasionalsiegesofThessaloniki,theywereneversufficienttoleadto
thefoundationofanindependentstate. In688/9 theemperorJustinianII
carriedouta successfulmilitaryexpeditionagainst
theBulgariansbutalsoagainsttheSklaviniai,goingasfarasThessalonikiandtook
awaycaptivesaverylargenumberoftheSklavinoi.Thesehesettledinthethemeof
Opsikionin northwesternAsia Minorandfromwhich he raiseda
specialarmyofsome
30,000.Unfortunatelyfortheemperorthissubstancialarmyof30,000desertedtothe
caliphalarmiesintheirfirstmilitaryencounterandonhisreturntoBithyniaJustinian
BYZANTIUM,ITSSLAVICELEMENTSANDTHEIRCULTURE79
issaidtohaveslaintheirfamilies.Muchlater,in762,208,000Sklavenoiaresaidto
havesettled24.
Sometwentyyearslater(782-3)inthereignofConstantineVIandhismother
Irenethegovernmentsentoutamajormilitaryforcethepurposeofwhichwas,once
more,tosubduethelocalSklaviniai,underthedirectionoftheLogotheteStavrakios.
Itprovedtobesuccesful,atleastfortheimmediatefuture,asheforcedtheSklavenoi
oftheregionofThessalonikiandcentralGreecetopaytheirtaxestothegovernment,
andinPloponnsehesuccededintakingawayextensivenumbersofthelocalSlavs
andtakinggreatbootyattheirexpense.Inthefollowingyearhewasallowedto
celebratehisvictoriesintheConstantinopolitanhippodromeduringthecourseofthe
horseraces.Thisandothersuchencountersoftheimperialarmiesandofthelocal
administrativeofficialsindicatethattheimpetusofsuchmeasuresarosefromthe
insistanceofthegovernmentthatthelocalSlavsfulfilltheirobligationstothestate,
andtheresistanceonthepartoftheseSlavswasduetothethatfacttheywishedto
be freeofall suchobligations.Butthattheywere alreadywell advancedin
someformal integrationintothe local
politicalsituationemergesfromtheincidentsattendantonthe
ByzantinecivilstrifebetweentheempressIreneandhersonConstantineVI.Forin
798/9Akamir,archonoftheSklavenoiofVelzetia(inThessaly),conspiredwiththe
ByzantinesoftheHelladikon(districtofcentralGreece)tofree(inAthens)the
imprisonedsonsofConstantineVIandtoreplaceIrenewithoneofthem.Irene,
herselfanAtheniansenthernephewTheophylactSarantopechis(alsoanoble
Athenianfamilly)whosuccededtoblindalltheconspirators25.Thisclosepolitical
connectionofthearchonoftheThessalianSlavictribewithmembersoftheleading
citizensofAthensinaplottoreplacetheempressinConstantinopleindicatesthe
degreetowhichtheSklaviniaihadbeenincorporatedintothepoliticallifeofboththe
provincialadministrationandoftheimperialofficeitself.
AtthesametimecertainoftheSklaviniairebelledagainstthepaymentoftaxes,or
tribute,to Constantinople,againstperformanceofobligationstothe
state andpersisted
inactsofbanditryonthelandandofpiracyonthesea.Herethetestimonyof
ConstantinePorphyrogenitusintheDeAdministrandoImperio,makesthecasequite
clearwherehespeaksofthreesubstantialstateinterventionsintheninthandinthe
tenthcentury.Theseinterventionsconsistedofmilitaryexpeditionsofthestateas
well
asofmilitaryactionsonthepartofthelocalGreekinhabitantstoputanendtothe
24.THEOPHANES,Chronographia,ed.C.DEBOOR,Hildesheim1963,vol.I,364-366;Nikephoros
Patriarch
ofConstantinople,ShortHistory,text,translationandcommentarybyC.MANGO,Washington
1960,140,220. 25.THEOPHANES,Chronographia, I,473-474.
80SPEROSVRYONIS,Jr. violationof localsecurityaswellas
insubordinationagainstthe authorityof the state. Thefirstof
theserebellionsbrokeout andendedbetween802-811andwascarried outby
the Slavs of the northenPloponnseinalliancewithArabcorsairs.The
Slavs ofAchaeafirstattackedthedwellingsof theirGreekneighborsin
theruralareasand thenproceededto attacktheareaaroundthecityof
Patrasbeforesettlingdown to thesiegeof thecity.Asthesiegewas
protractedandthecitizenswerebeginning to sufferfromlackof
provisionstheysentwordto the Byzantinestrategos,whosecenter wasat
Corinth,to sendsuppliesandhisarmy.ButbeforethesereachedPatras the
localforceshadsuccededin routingtheSlavsand so theymanaged,by
themselves notonlyto defendthe citybut also to
defeattheirattackers.Uponreceiptof the news thestrategosnotifiedthe
emperorin Constantinople,thatis NicephorusI, who replied
thatinasmuchas the victorywasdue to the
interventionofPatras'patronSaint Andrewtheentiretyof
theattackingSlavsandtheirfamilieswerededicatedtothe
perpetualserviceof theecclesiasticalmetropolisthereto
servethemetropolitanand all foreingembassiesas well as
statemissions,fromthe estatesand wealth of the local
Slavsthemselves.And so thepoliticalintegrationwas
intensifiedthroughthearmof thechurchandthroughthe
localadministrationof Patrasitself26. Theproblemof
thedisobedienceof theSlavsin thePloponnseappearsonce morein the
reignsofTheophilusandhis son MichaelIII (841/2):Rebellingthey
becameautonomousand busiedthemselveswithrobbery,enslaving,the
taking of booty,arsonandtheft.Andso in the reignofMichaelthe
sonofTheophilus, the protospathariusTheoktistusVryenniuswassentout
as strategosin thethemeof the Ploponnsewitha substantialforceof
Thracians,Macedoniansandof thewestern themesin orderto makewar on
and to subduethem.And hesubduedall theSlavs
ofthePloponnsethereandotherswho had beeninsubordinant...Andthe
protospathariusand generalofthe PloponnseTheoktistus,havingbeenable
to subduealsothe Milingoiand the Ezeritai,he imposedon the formera
tax of60 nomismataand onthelattera tax of 300 nomismata27. By921,
in thetimeof RomanusI, theparticularSlavictribesof theMilingoiand
Ezeritai,saflyensconcedonthe heightsof
mountTaygetos,wereagainthesource of localdisturbancesandrefusedto
obeythestrategosandtheyrefusedto heed the
imperialorder.Theyconductthemselvesas
thoughtheywereautonomousandself-governing.Theyrefusedtoany
archonappointedby the strategosnordotheydeign
26.CONSTANTINEPORPHYROGENITUS,DeAdministrandoImperio,ed.G.MORAVCSIK-R.J.H.JENKINS
[CFHB1], Washington1967 (hereafterDAI),228-233. 27.DAI,232.
BYZANTIUM,ITSSLAVICELEMENTSANDTHEIRCULTURE81
toperformmilitaryservicewithhim,nordotheyundertaketoperformanydutyto
theimperialtreasury...28. ConstantineVII
relatesthatthenewstrategosofthePloponnseKrinitesArotras
cruchedtheirrebellioninamilitarycampaignthatlastedfromMarchuntilNovember
duringthecourseofwhichthetwoSlavictribessufferedtheburningofall
theircrops
andthepillagingofalltheirlands:Seeingthencetheircompletedestructionthey
negotiatedforpeacebysubmittingtothem(thegovernment'stroopes)andaskingfor
thepardonoftheirpreviouscrimes.Buttheaforementined...generalKrinitesplaced
onthema
tribute(tax?)largerthanthattheyhadpreviouslypaid...sothatthetribute
oftheMilingoiwas600nomismataandthatwhichheplacedontheEzeritai...was
600... 29.
Thesetwotribesseemtohavesurvivedassocio-ethnicgroupslongerthanthe
otherSlavsofPloponnse,andthisundoubtedlyduetothefactthattheywerevery
difficulttoaccess.Butitwasnotsomuchamatterofpoliticalindependenceasa
matterofavoidingresponsabilitiestothelocalandstateauthorities.Eventuallythey
werefullyassimilatedintoalargerpoliticalsocietythatbythefourteenththroughthe
fifteenthcenturiesbecameevermorefragmented.
AndwhatoftheSklavinoiofthe regionsofThessaloniki,whomwe
followedinthe
MiraculaofSt.Demetrioswellintothelatterhalfoftheseventhcentury?
Whenin904theArabfleet,undertheleadershipoftheByzantinerenegadeLeo
ofTripoli,wassightedenroutetosackThessaloniki,thestrategosofThessaloniki
immediatelynotifiedtheByzantinestrategosofStrymontosendanextensivebody
of
SlavicarcherstohelpmanthewallsofthecityagainstthependingSaracensiegeof
thecity.ThereactionoftheStrymonianSlavswassluggishandveryfewresponded
totheorderdespite thefactthatthe
authoritiesofThessalonikirepeatedlyandurgently
sentoutthedemandTheresponsewassoweakastobedisheartening.Cameniates
paintsa pictureofThessalonikiandits
hinterlandontheeveofthesiegewhichreflects
conditionsquitedifferentfromthosewhichhadprevailedinthelatesixthand
throughoutmuchoftheseventhcenturywhentheSlavictribeswereindulgingin
disruptiveraidsandattacks,sieges,banditryandpiracy:Weshall,tothedegree
possible,depicttheconditionoftheplaintothewestofthecity.Thisotherplain,
whichbeginsfromthewalloftheEkboleandwhichleadsuptothemountainonthe
right,andontheleftis boundedbythesea,is
averitablesightbyvirtueofitsbeauty.
Theretheplainismoistenedbythewatersanditboaststohavingasneighborboth
28.DAI, 232. 29.DAI,234. 82SPEROSVRYONIS,Jr.
thecityandthesea,andiscrownedbyvineyards,trees...andgardens,aswellasby
dewllingsandbyverymanyreverentsanctuariesmostofwhicharesharedbyflocks
ofmonkswhichareexcercizedineverytypeofvirtueandwholiveonlyinGod...At
thatpointtheplainleadstodrylandwhichthoughit is treelessis
neverthelesscovered
byvegetationandwhichisfelicitousforagriculturalactivity.Thelandreachesoutto
thewestuptosomegreatandhighmountainswhereacertaincity,Berroiabyname,
wassettled,anditalsoisveryfamousastoitsinhabitantsandinallotherthingsof
whichacitycanboast.Inthemidstofthisplain(tothewestofThessaloniki)thereis
locateda numberofvillagesofwhichonegrouppaysits
taxestoThessaloniki(andits inhabitantsarecalled
DrougouvitaiandSagoudatai),andtheothergrouppaysitstaxes
tothenationsoftheScythians(Bulgars),especiallywhentheyareallatpeaceand
whentheydonotresorttothoseweaponswhicharousebattles...Andinalively
communitytheyexchangethe nessecities,thus preservinga
wondrousanddeeppeace
amongthemselves.CertainverylargeriverswhichariseinthelandoftheScythians
(Bulgars)andwhichsharetheplain,theyalsoproduceanabundancetothecitywith
theirmultitude offishand by the ability ofmerchantvesselsto
ascendthem(the rivers)
sothatthereflowsfromthesewatersavariedincomeofthenecessities30.
By804themodusvivendibetweenthelocalSlavicandolderByzantinepopu-lationshadbeenregulatedinternally,thevariousSlavicgroupshadbeentightly
integratedintoByzantinesocietyandtheiracculturationhadproceededapace.They
wereincorporatedintherealmsofthelocaleconomy,ofpolitical,administrativeand
militaryrelationsaswell as
byintegrationthroughreligiousconversion.Theirrelations
totheneighboringBulgarianstatewereregulatedbythetreatiesbetweenthetwo
statesaswellasbylocalcommercialandeconomicpractices.Theyparticipatedinthe
localpoliticalrelationsthroughthedealingsoftheirarchonteswiththelocalByzantine
strategosorwithhisrepresentative.Theirreligioushierarchsandpriestswere
integratedinthebureaucraticstructureofthechurch.Theystill
retainedtheirlanguage
which,incontrasttothecaseoftheSlavsincentralGreeceandthePloponnse,
bordedonamassivelinguisticSlavicreservoirjustontheothersideoftheborders
betweenByzantiumandtheBulgariankingdom.As fortheirtribal
identityConstantine
PorphyrogenitusremarksintheDeThematibus,onthethemeofStrymon:The
themeofStrymonwasorganizedwhithinthatofMacedoniaandthereisno(early)
mentionconcerningathemeforitwasthenreckonedtobeakleisouraScythians
30.IOANNISCAMENIATAE,DeexpugnationeThessalonicae,d.G.B HL I
G,Berlin1973,7-8;on
Cameniates'descriptionoftheSlavs,seeR.A.NASLEDOVA,MakedonskiSlavjanekontsaIX-nachalaXv.po
dannymIoannaK ameniaty,Viz.Vrern.11,1956,82-97. BYZANTIUM,ITS
SLAVIC ELEMENTSANDTHEIRCULTURE83
(Slavs)insteadofMacedoniansnowdwellinitasJustinian(II)Rhinotmetossettled
theminthemountainsofStrymonandin...thekleisourai"31.
Weseethatthegovernmentalinstitutionalizationoftheadministrativeobligations
oftheSklaveniaiis
manifestedinthesystemsofenforcedmilitaryservice,paymentof
taxesortribute,andintheperformanceofpublicobligations,allofwhicharenoted
inthewritingsofConstantinePorphyrogenitus.TherebellionofolderByzantine
populationsagainstmanyoftheseobligationsisalsotobeseen,aswitnessedinthe
novellaeofJustinianIconcerningtheAnatoliaprovinces.Thustherewereentire
villagecomplexes,ofteninmountainousregions,whichrefusedtopaytheirtaxesand
resistedtaxcollectorattemptsbytakinguparmsagainsttheagentsandtroopsof
centralgovernment32.Inthisrespectthegeneralobedienceoftheinhabitantswas
alwaysaproblemforthecentralgovernment.
OnelastglanceofthemilitaryabsorptionofSlavicsettlersinAnatoliawillserve
toshowhowthesystemfunctioned.Inthelargeamadawhichwasorganisedinan
efforttoretakeCretefromtheArabs
in949,ConstantinePorphyrogenitusrecordsthe factthatSlavic
soldierywere still beenrecruitedas a
separateethnicentityinthatyear.
Herelatestheirnumber,officersandpayment:(Pay)fortheSthlavenianswhoreside
inOpsikion:125 men.The chiefs(kephalai)receive,each,5
(gold)nomismata,andthe
other124soldierseachreceive3nomismata,oratotalrogaof5poundsand27
nomismata33.
Constantinetookthesefiguresfromtheofficialaccountsoftheexpensesofthe
failedexpedition,accountswhichwereundoubtlykeptinthecentralarchivesofthe
palace.ThefigureofSlavictroopswasrathersmallwhencomparedwiththemassive
figuresreportedforSlavictroopsandsettlementsinwesternAsiaMinor.Thesame
contingentwasalsosenttofightunderthestrategosofLangobardiainsouthernItaly
atthesamerateandwiththesamenumbersofarchontesandtroops.
Infinishingthisbriefanalysisofthesocialaccomodationandacculturationofthe
SlavicgroupssettledwithintheByzantineempirewecansee,inroughoutline,how
thisworkedoutinonespecificcaseinthePloponnsewhereaslateasthesecond
31.ConstantinoPorphyrogenito,DeThematibus,ed.A.PERTUSI,Vatican1952(hereafterDeThem),
89.
32.SpVRYONIS,St.IoanniciustheGreat(754-848)andtheSlavsofBithynia,Byzantion31,1961,
245-248. 33.CONSTANTINIPoRPHYROGENlTl,DeCerimomisaulae byzantinae,
ed.I.I.REISKE[CSHB],Bonn1829, I,662-663,666,669. 84SPEROSVRYONIS,
Jr. halfoftheninthcenturyPisatisofthe regionofOlympia
hasbeensettledbyScythians
(Slavs)andwheretheancientnameofPisatishasbeenreplacedbytheSlavicname
Vis,awordwhichintoday'sSouthSlavictonguesdesignatesahillorheight34.
AtthebeginningofthetwentiethcenturytheSlavistMaxVasmerhadpointedto
thetextintheDeThematibus
inwhichConstantinePorphyrogenitushadreferredto
theexistenceofasignificantSlavicpopulationinthePloponnse: , -,, ,
'-(andtheentireland[Ploponnse?]wasSlavonisedandbecame
barbaricwhenpestilentialdeathgrazedontheoikoumeneatthetimethatConstantine,
whohadthelastnameofmanure,heldthesceptreofRomanrule)35. This
sentencehas beenvariouslytranslatedbutit
conveysthebeliefofConstantine
thattheSlavicpopulationofthePloponnsehadbecomedemographicallymore
importantasa
resultofthegreatplagueof747.Moresignificantforourpurposehere is
thetail endofthissmall sectionoftheDeThematibus onthe
themeofPloponnse,
whichcontainsatantalizingandgossipyaside:AsacertainPeloponnesianwas
boastinggreatlyabouthisnoble(sothatI
mayavoidthewordignoble)descent,that
notoriusscribeEuphemiusjeeredathimwiththismustquotediambicverse:-.ThismanwasNiketaswhomarried
hisdaugther Sophia
toChristopherthesonofthegrandandnobleemperorRomanus36.Thegossipy
phraseconcerningthisNiketasistobetranslated
asacunning,Slavonizedface37. Thepersonal
hostilityofboththenotoriusscribeandoftheemperorhavetodo withthe
emergence ofNiketasasanimportantparticipantinthe politics ofthe
court inConstantinopleand ofthe crudeness ofanouveau
arriv.Offurtherinterestisthe factthatthe scribe
EuphemiusmusthaveknownsomeSlavic,as well as ancientGreek,
forhepickedanappropriateSlavicepithettodescribetheman'sfacialfeature-garazhdu=sly,cunning-andwasabletoaddaGreekadjectivalendingtotheSlavic
wordandtomakeitfitintotheiambic meter.Howwasit
thathewassofamiliarwith theSlavicword? 34.Geographi graeci minores,
ed C.MLLER,Paris1889, Il 583, 21. Onpage 574 hespeaks of Skythai
SlavoiinallEpirusandHellas,aswell
asinPloponnseandMacedonia.Seealsothetersedocuments of Vasmer,17.
35.DeThem., 91.32-35. 36.DeThem., 91.36-42. 37.DeThem.,173-174
forfurthercomments.AlsoVASMER,Die SlaveninGriechenland,15.
BYZANTIUM,ITSSLAVICELEMENTSANDTHEIRCULTURE85
MoreimportantisNiketas'familyname,Rendakios,whichisclearlynonGreek
thoughitsendingandformhavebeensomewhatHellenized.Thenameisclearly
derivedfromaSlavicword38.TheGreekSlavistPhaedonMalingoudishastracedthe
historyandcareersof18 individualswho borethis familyname from718
intothetenth
centurywhereourNiketasappears,andmostofthebearersofthelastnameheld
officialpositionseitherinthecourtorintheprovinces.The
nameappearsbothinthe
PloponnseandcentralGreeceandsomemayhavebeenrelated.Thefirstnamesin
allcaseswheretheyaregivenindicateadoptionofnamescurrentamongByzantine
Christians.Undoubtedlytheyhadatsometimebecomefamiliarwiththevarious
degreesorstylesoftheGreeklanguage,aswehavealreadyseeninthecaseof
Perboundosinthelatterpartoftheseventhcentury.Undoubtedlymostofthese
individualsmusthaveusedtheirpositionswithintheirsmallerSlavicsocietiesasa
steppingstoneforentryintotheformalgovernmentalstructuresofByzantinesociety,
andobviouslyusedmarriagealliances(asweseeinthecaseofNiketas)asfurther
bridgestosocialmobility.AsecondcaseofsocialmobilityandByzantinizationisthe
caseofthefamousByzantinemonkIoannikios,oftheBoilasfamily,obviouslyof
SlavicoriginandsettledinwesternAsiaMinor,whowasfirstasoldierandthen
becameasaintinthechurch39.
WehavereachedtheendofthisshortexcursusontheSklaviniaiandSklavenoi
andthevariednatureoftheirsocialacculturationand/oraccomodationwiththe
ByzantineinhabitantsoftheGreekpeninsula.Itwasalongtermprocessanddueto
geographical,politicalandlinguisticfactorsattainedorfailedtoattainvariousdegrees
ofabsorptionorisolationinByzantinesociety.
38Onthisfamily,MALINGOUDES,',78-99. 39VRYONIS,asinnote32above.