Civil Authority in the Byzantine Provinces (7th–9th Centuries)
Civil Authority in the Byzantine Provinces (7th–9th Centuries)

Summary/Abstract: The issue of the rise of the thematic system of administration sparked off an intense debatethat has engaged scholars for the past few decades. Those inclined to the view of a one-time reformhave argued that the themata formed administrative units into which the Byzantine state was dividedin the 7th century, and that the strategoi, who served as governors and commanders of particularthemata, combined civil and military authority. However, it now seems that the changes in provincial administration were gradual, having been implemented over a period of more than threecenturies. At some point in time, army units became permanently based in specific areas whichevolved into military districts and which were then referred to by the names of those units. At thesame time, the system of the Late Roman provinces headed by the praetorian prefects, the proconsuls and the praesides/consulares (archontes) continued to operate until the dawn of the 8th century. These officials must have retained at least some of their civil-judicial functions, since the statefinances had been centrally administered by the mid-7th century. However, during that period, themilitary officials began to play an increasing role in civil administration, which affected not onlythe power held by the old civil officials, but also the extent to which their activity was reflectedin primary sources. From the 730s to the 750s Leon III and Konstantinos V introduced a number of reforms that consolidated the new system. The emperors dissolved the old provinces (most likely altogether) andabolished the office of provincial governor. At the same time, the terms thema and strategia, whichwere used synonymously, began to appear on various seals. Soon after that, the entire civil administration was re-organized along thematic lines. New officials were appointed (protonotarios, chartoularios, anagrapheus, etc.) to control the finances of the themata. However, judicial authority was leftin the hands of the military governors. A century later, after a period of internal turmoil, possiblyduring the reign of Theophilos (829–842), the government appointed new judicial officials witha view to undermining the power of the strategos. These new officials were initially referred to byclassicizing names (anthypatos, praitor). By the early 10th century, the Greek title krites (judge) hadbecome dominant.

• Details
• Contents