Development and Decline of the Theme System (7th–12th centuries)

1. Field armies withdraw into Anatolia

   Jan 1, 640Labels: Byzantium, Anatolia, Field armies

   • Britannica
   • Theme

2. Armeniakon first unambiguously attested

   Jan 1, 667Labels: Armeniakon, Saborios, Theme of

   • Armeniakon
   • Theme

3. Anatolikon first attested in sources

   Jan 1, 669Labels: Anatolikon, Army of

   • Anatolikon
   • Theme

4. Opsikion first confirmed in records

   Jan 1, 680Labels: Opsikion, Constantinople

   • Opsikion

5. Thrakesion attested as a military subdivision

   Jan 1, 711Labels: Thrakesion, Thracesians

   • Thrakesion

6. Bucellarian Theme created from Opsikion

   Jan 1, 767Labels: Bucellarian Theme, Opsikion

   • Bucellarians

7. Cherson Theme established in Crimea

   Jan 1, 833Labels: Cherson, Crimea

   • Cherson

8. Taktikon Uspensky lists mid-9th-century offices

   Jan 1, 842Labels: Taktikon Uspensky, Byzantine offices

   • Taktikon

9. Crete reconquered, enabling thematic reorganization

   Mar 6, 961Labels: Crete, Nikephoros Phokas

   • Chandax

10. Catepanate of Italy created from Italian themes

    Jan 1, 965Labels: Catepanate of, Bari

    • Catepanate
    • Britannica

11. Thematic soldiers commute service with taxes

    Jan 1, 1050Labels: Thematic soldiers, Commutation

    • Britannica

12. Battle of Manzikert accelerates Anatolian collapse

    Aug 26, 1071Labels: Battle of, Romanos IV

    • Britannica
    • Manzikert

13. Pronoia expands as late-11th-century alternative

    Jan 1, 1081Labels: Pronoia, Fiscal grants

    • Pronoia
    • Britannica

14. Komnenian era begins after 11th-century military breakdown

    Apr 4, 1081Labels: Komnenian era, Komnenoi

    • Komnenian
    • Byzantine Army