Χρονολόγηση 872. Γεωγραφικός Εντοπισμός Galatia, northern Cappadocia IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ. 1. Historical background

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1 Περίληψη : In 872 the leader of the Paulicians Chrysocheir campaigned against Byzantine territories in Asia Minor. With his troops he advanced until Ankara and the area of Kommata in southern Galatia, which he plundered. During his return to his capital Tephrike he suffered a crushing defeat in Bathys Ryax by the Byzantines, during which his troops dispersed and he lost his life. Χρονολόγηση 872 Γεωγραφικός Εντοπισμός Galatia, northern Cappadocia 1. Historical background From the middle of the 9th century the Arab-Byzantine fight over the dominance in Asia Minor were for the first time connected to the harsh religious policy of the Byzantine Empire against the heresies. More specifically, in the frame of a strict orthodox policy enforced after the final restoration of the icons (March 843), the persecutions against the Paulicians were intensified; they were consequently forced to move towards the eastern side of the Arab-Byzantine frontier, in the region of Upper Euphrates, seeking security in the Arab lands. The Arab emir of Melitene Amr al-aqta finally ceded the the area north of Melitene, where they settled as an autonomous political and religious community, which was under the protection of the Arabs, in exchange for the Paulicians military services. Under this alliance, the Paulicians organized, from 843 onwards, raids against the Byzantine Empire, sometimes supporting the Arab troops and sometimes acting by themselves. Through these raids they gradually strengthened in terms of military, economic and political power of their state, rendering it a noteworthy adversary of the Empire. The military activity of the Paulicians reached its peak when their leader was Chrysocheir ( ), in a period in which the Arab, occupied with their internal quarrels caused by the plots inside the court of the Abbasids, were unable to organize any attack to the west. Before 869 Chrysocheir made raids in Asia Minor and reached up to Nikomedeia, Nicaea and Ephesus. In order to face the immediate threat against the Byzantine territory, emperor Basileios I sent an embassy to Tephrike in 869, led by Petros Sikeliotes, which negotiated for nine months the signing of a peace treaty with the Paulicians. Finally, the embassy only managed to exchange prisoners, since Chrysocheir demanded, according to the Byzantine sources, by the Byzantine emperor to put the whole of Asia Minor under the control of the Paulicians. This forced Basil I to turn all his attention to the eastern border and to lead himself, in the spring of 871, a campaign against Tefrike, capital of the state of the Paulicians. This campaign was not successful and the emperor himself was nearly captured by the Paulicians. Encouraged by the failure of Basil I the Paulicians campaigned in 972, led by Chrysocheir, against the Byzantine territory, aiming once more to strengthen their position in the area of Asia Minor Beginning and outcome of the campaign In 872 the leader of the Paulicians Chrysocheir left Tefrike in order to make a campaign against the Byzantine Empire. With his troops he advanced until Ankara 2 and the area of Kommata, that is between Ankara and the lake Tatta (today Tuz Golu) in southern Galatia, which he pillaged extensively. Next, having gained rich loot from the Byzantine lands, he took the road back to his lands, following the road which led from Ankara to Sevasteia via Tabia. 3 Whereas the Paulicians raided Galatia, Emperor Basil I was in Constantinople. Right after he heard of the event, he ordered his sonin-law and domestikos of the scholae Christophoros 4 to follow Chrysocheir as he was returning to Tephrike. 5 The Byzantine troops reached at Siboron (today Karamadara) at the moment Chrysocheir s camp was a bit more to the east, at Agranes (near today Muşalem Kale). From there Christophoros ordered the strategoi of the themes of Armeniakon and Charsianon to follow the Δημιουργήθηκε στις 3/10/2017 Σελίδα 1/6

2 Paulicians until Bathys Ryax (today passage of Kalınırmak) in northern Cappadocia, west of Sevasteia and to inform him whether Chrysocheir was about to sent troops against the themes of Armeniakoi or Charsianon. The Paulicians had already camped in Bathys Ryax, when the generals (strategoi) of Armeniakon and Charsianon arrived at night with their troops on the forested hill of Zogoloenos, above the camp of the Paulicians. There, taking advantage of the warlike enthusiasm of their troopers, 6 they finally made an attack just before sunrise, notwithstanding the fact that the domestikos of the scholae Christophoros had ordered them to return without engaging the Paulicians. In the battle that followed the Paulicians were routed and the Byzantine forcers persecuted them in a distance of thirty miles towards the northeast, until the hill called Konstantinou Vounos (it is probably identified with Yildiz Dagi) 7 near Sevasteia, killing many of them. During this pursuit Chrysocheir was also killed and his head was sent to Emperor Basil I in Constantinople Consequences of the campaign The most important event which took place during the 872 campaign of the leader of the Paulicians Chrysocheir against the Byzantine lands of Asia Minor was his battle with the Byzantine troops at Bathys Ryax. The formers not only did not allow the Paulicians to fulfil the goal of their campaign, that is the strengthening of their presence in the area of Asia Minor, but also led them to an absolute defeat, during which their military forces suffered severe losses and their leader was mortally wounded. The death of Chrysocheir triggered great disturbance in the state of the Paulicians and brought about its rapid weakening, something which gave Basil I the chance to immediately proceed in a more dynamic campaign against the Paulicians, but also their Arab allies. 9 The climax, concerning the Paulicians, of all this military effort was the fall and destruction of their capital Tephrike, a few years later, in the spring/summer of or in the summer of With the sack of Tefrike by the Byzantines, the Paulicians state was finally destroyed and the military threat they presented for the Byzantine Empire was neutralized. However, Paulicians continued to exist as a religious sect, since there is information for its survival during the 10th and 11th centuries. 1. Haldon, J. F., The Byzantine Wars (Stroud 2001), p. 85, dates the campaign of Chrysocheir and his defeat at Bathys Ryax in the year Foss, C., «Late Antique and Byzantine Ankara», Dumbarton Oaks Papers 31 (1977), p. 80, reports that the Paulicians conquered Ankara. This information is not, however, to be found at any source. 3. Hild, F. Restle, M., Kappadokien (Kappadokia, Charsianon, Sebasteia und Lykandos) (Tabula Imperii Byzantini 2, Wien 1981), p According to Treadgold, W. T., A History of the Byzantine State and Society (Stanford 1997), p. 457, the emperor Basileios I sent the domesticus of the scholae Christoforos to face the Paulicians because he did not want to undertake the risk of a second campaign against them. 5. The events which took place from now on are described in a contradictory manner in the Byzantine sources. Here we follow the reconstruction suggested by Lemerle, P., L histoire des Pauliciens d Asie Mineure d apres les sources greques, Travaux et Memoires 5 (1973), p. 103, with which Hild, F. Restle, M., Kappadokien (Kappadokia, Charsianon, Sebasteia und Lykandos) (Tabula Imperii Byzantini 2, Wien 1981), p. 81, Belke, K. Restle, M., Galatien und Lykaonien (Tabula Imperii Byzantini 4, Wien 1984), p. 68, and Treadgold, W. T., A History of the Byzantine State and Society (Stanford 1997), p. 457 agree. On the other hand, Vasiliev, A. A., Byzance et les Arabes, 2: La dynastie macedonienne ( ) (Corpus Bruxellense Historiae Byzantinae 2/2, Bruxelles 1962), p , reports that the domestikos of the scholae Christoforos achieved an important victory against the Paulicians, conquered and destroyed their capital Tefrike. The leader of the Paulicians Chrysocheir managed to escape and Christoforos continued his pursuit, until they clashed at Vathys Ryakas. This version is apparently accepted by Ostrogorsky, G., Geschichte des byzantinischen Staates, transl. Παναγόπουλος, Ι., Ιστορία του βυζαντινού κράτους 2 (Αθήνα 1989) (first edition in German, Munchen 1963), p Δημιουργήθηκε στις 3/10/2017 Σελίδα 2/6

3 6. Byzantine sources mention that the troops started arguing with each other about which of the two themes was the bravest. 7. Hild, F. Restle, M., Kappadokien (Kappadokia, Charsianon, Sebasteia und Lykandos) (Tabula Imperii Byzantini 2, Wien 1981), p Byzantine sources [Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus (CSHB, Bonn 1838), pp ; Lesmuller Werner, A. Thurn, I. (ed.), Iosephi Genessi Regum Libri Quattuor (CFHB 14, Berlin New York 1978), pp ; Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Skylitzae Synopsis Historiarum (CFHB 5, Berlin New York 1973), pp ] mention that a Byzantine soldier who personally knew Chrysocher, because he had lived as a prisoner in Tephrike for some time, was the one who gave the mortal blow to the leader of the Paulicians. 9. Already in 873 Basil I campaigned to the east and conquered Sozopetra (Zapetra) and Samosata (Arsamosata), without, however, managing in conquering Melitene, which was the primal aim of his campaign. At the same time he attacked many forts of the Paulicians successfully. 10. This dating has been suggested by Lemerle, P., «L histoire des Pauliciens d Asie Mineure d apres les sources greques», Travaux et Memoires 5 (1973), p. 108, and was followed by many modern scholars, such as Hild, F. Hellenkemper, H., Kilikien und Isaurien (Tabula Imperii Byzantini 5, Wien 1990), p. 51. Belke, K. Restle, M., Galatien und Lykaonien (Tabula Imperii Byzantini 4, Wien 1984), p. 68, date the capture of Tefrike by the Byzantines most probably in 878. Older scholars like Vasiliev, A. A., Byzance et les Arabes, 2: La dynastie macedonienne ( ) (Corpus Bruxellense Historiae Byzantinae 2/2, Bruxelles 1962), p , place the event in Treadgold, W. T., A History of the Byzantine State and Society (Stanford 1997), p Βιβλιογραφία : Treadgold W.T., A History of the Byzantine State and Society, Stanford 1997 Foss C., "Late Antique and Byzantine Ankara", Dumbarton Oaks Papers, 31, 1977, Ιωάννης Σκυλίτζης, Σύνοψις Ιστοριών, Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Skylitzae Synopsis Historiarum, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973 Hild F., Restle M., Kappadokien. Kappadokia, Charsianon, Sebasteia und Lykandos, Wien 1981, TIB 2 Belke K., Restle M., Galatien und Lykaonien, Wien 1984, TIB 4 Ostrogorsky G., Iστορία του βυζαντινού κράτους 2, Aθήνα 1979, Παναγόπουλος, I. (μτφρ.) Lemerle P., "L histoire des Pauliciens d Asie Mineure d après les sources grecques", Travaux et Mémoires, 5, 1973, Ahrweiler H., "L Asie Mineure et les invasions arabes (VIIè - IXè siècles)", Revue Historique, 227, 1962, 1-32 Haldon J.F., The Byzantine Wars, Stroud 2001 Συμεών Μάγιστρος, Χρονικόν, Wahlgren, S. (ed.), Symeonis Magistri et Logothetae Chronicon, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 44:1, Berlin New York 2006 Vasiliev A.A., Byzance et les Arabes, 2 La dynastie Macédonienne ( ). Extraits de sources arabes, Bruxelles 1950, Corpus Bruxellense Historiae Byzantinae 2/2, Grégoire, H. Canard, M. (trans.) Δημιουργήθηκε στις 3/10/2017 Σελίδα 3/6

4 Συνεχισταί Θεοφάνους, Χρονογραφία συγγραφείσα εκ προστάγματος Κωνσταντίνου του φιλοχρίστου και πορφυρογεννήτου δεσπότου, Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus, Joannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus, Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonn 1838 Ιωσήφ Γενέσιος, Βασιλείαι, Lesmüller-Werner, Α. Thurn, Ι. (eds), Iosephi Genesii Regum Libri Quattuor, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 14, Berlin New York 1978 Συνεχιστής Γεωργίου Μοναχού, Βίοι των νέων βασιλέων, Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus, Joannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus, Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonn 1838 Al-Tabari, Ta'rikh al-rusul wa-l-muluk, Barth, J. et al. (eds), Leiden Δικτυογραφία : Paulicians Review: The Paulician Heresy de GARSOIAN( Nina G.) Γλωσσάριo : domestikos ton scholon Commander of the regiment of scholae. The first officer with this title appears in 767/8. In the 10th C the domesticos became very powerful among the army of the themata; in mid-10th C the office was divided in two, domestikoi ton scholon of the East and those of the West, commanders in chief of the eastern and the western provinces army respectively. emir (from Arabic amir) Emir meaning "commander" or "general", later also "prince". Also a high title of nobility or office in some Turkic historical states. strategos ("general") During the Roman period his duties were mainly political. Οffice of the Byzantine state s provincial administration. At first the title was given to the military and political administrator of the themes, namely of the big geographic and administrative unities of the Byzantine empire. Gradually the title lost its power and, already in the 11th century, strategoi were turned to simple commanders of military units, responsible for the defence of a region. Πηγές Lesmüller Werner, A. Thurn, I. (ed.), Iosephi Genesii Regum Libri Quattuor (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 14, Berlin 1978), pp Thurn, I. (Ed.), Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis Historiarum (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973), pp Παραθέματα A Byzantine historian relates the campaign of 872: Δυσὶ δὲ χρόνοις παρελκυσθεῖσιν ὁ Χρυσόχειρ ἐξῆλθεν σὺν τοῖς ἰδίοις στρατεύμασι μέχρις Ἀγκύρας τῆς πόλεως καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν Κομμάτων, λαφυραγωγίαν ἑαυτῷ πολλὴν προσηκάμενος, καὶ ἐπάνεισιν. ὁ δὲ καθηγεμὼν τῶν σχολῶν διαστηματίζων μίλιον ἓν τὴν παραδρομὴν ἐσκευάζετο ἐδεδοίκει γὰρ πλησιοφανῆ τὴν παραδρομὴν παραδείκνυσθαι. ὁ δὲ Χρυσόχειρ κατηντηκὼς τῷ τοῦ Χαρσιανοῦ θέματι εἰς Ἀγράνας ἐσκήνωται, εἰς τὸ Σίβορον δὲ ὁ δομέστικος καὶ τοῖς στρατηγέταις τῶν τε Ἀρμενιακῶν καὶ τοῦ Χαρσιανοῦ προστέταχε διειπών «ἄρατε τοὺς ὑπὸ χεῖρα τελοῦντας ὑμῶν ἄρχοντας καὶ καλλίππους τινὰς καὶ δαπάνας ὡς ἡμερῶν ιβ, καὶ παρατρέχοιτε τὸν Χρυσόχειρα μέχρι τοῦ Βαθυρύακος καὶ εἰ μὲν διαιρήσας λαὸν εὔπληκτον παραπέμψοι τῷ τῶν Ἀρμενιακῶν ἢ τῷ τοῦ Χαρσιανοῦ θέματι, κατάδηλον ἡμῖν τοῦτο ποιήσατε ὅτε δὲ ἀποκινήσοι τοῦ Βαθυρύακος, ὑποστραφέντες Δημιουργήθηκε στις 3/10/2017 Σελίδα 4/6

5 ἥκετε πρὸς ἡμᾶς.» ἀπελθὼν τοίνυν ἑσπέρας ὁ Χρυσόχειρ ἐσκήνωσεν κάτω, οἱ δὲ στρατηλάται εἰς τὸν ζυγὸν προσανέβησαν καὶ ηὐλίσθησαν εἴς τινα τόπον κατονομαζόμενον Ζωγολόηνον οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ἐκ πετρώδους συμπήξεως δυσανάβατος, ἐν ᾧ ὕλη πολύδενδρος πέφυκεν. τῶν οὖν εἰρημένων στρατηλατῶν ἐκεῖσε διαναπαυσαμένων φιλονεικία τις ἀνέκυψεν ἀνδρικὴ τῶν ἀρχόντων ἀλλήλοις ἀντεριζόντων, τίνες ἂν εἶεν κρείττους, πότερον οἱ ἀπὸ τοῦ τῶν Ἀρμενιακῶν θέματος ἢ τοῦ Χαρσιανοῦ ὡρμημένοι. τῶν οὖν Χαρσιανιτῶν φιλονεικούντων τὰ πρεσβεῖα ἑαυτοῖς τῆς ἀνδρείας ἐπιδοῦναι ἢ τοῖς ἑτέροις, οἱ Ἀρμενιακοὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτούς «τί φιλονεικεῖν ἔτι περὶ ἀνδρείας ἐκ λόγων βουλόμεθα; πρακτικῶς τοῖς πολεμίοις παρεμβάλωμεν ἄμφω καὶ τότε φανερωθείη ἕκαστος ἡμῶν, ὁποῖος ἑτέρου καθέστηκεν ἀνδρειότερος.» οἱ δὲ στρατηγέται διακηκοότες περὶ τῆς ἁμίλλης αὐτῶν, δι αὐτῶν δὲ καὶ τῆς τοῦ λαοῦ προθυμίας συνευδοκούσης αὐτοῖς, ἤγαγον καὶ εἰρήκεσαν «προθυμεῖσθε, ὦ ἄνδρες ἀνθάμιλλοι, ἵνα τοῖς πολεμίοις, θεοῦ συνεργοῦντος, προσβάλωμεν;» πρὸς οὓς γενναιοφρόνως ἐξεῖπον «ναί. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὅρκῳ μεγίστῳ τῆς βασιλικῆς κεφαλῆς περιδεσμοῦμεν ὑμᾶς, ὅπως συμπλακῶμεν αὐτοῖς. ὁ γὰρ τόπος ἐν ᾧ ἐρηρείσμεθα, τῶν ἐχυρωτάτων ἐξ οὗ εἴπερ τι κατ αὐτῶν γενναίον καταπραξαίμεθα, τοῦτο ἡμῖν ἐστιν εἰς τρόπαιον εἰ δὲ μή, κατ οὐδὲν παρ αὐτῶν πημανθείημεν.» τότε δή, τότε οἱ δύο στρατηγέται διεῖλον ἄνδρας μέχρι ἕκτης ἑκατοντάδος, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς παρῆκαν ἐν ταῖς σκηναῖς τῶν ἀρχηγῶν αὐτῶν σὺν φλαμμούλοις, καὶ τούτοις διησφαλίσαντο ἐπειπόντες «ἡμεῖς μὲν τῷ φοσσάτῳ παρεμπελάσομεν ἐπιτρέχοντες, καὶ ὅταν τὴν ἄφιξιν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀπευθύνωσι, παρεμβαλοῦμεν αὐτοῖς καὶ εἰ μὲν ὁρμήσουσι κατέναντι ἡμῶν, ἐξέλθετε ἄντικρυς καὶ μεγάλως κεκράξατε, πλείστου λαοῦ βοὴν ἐνσημαίνοντες, ὅπως ἐκ ταύτης εἰκάσειαν τὸν τῶν σχολῶν ἐξηγούμενον μετὰ τῶν θεμάτων ἐφεστηκέναι.» τῇ οὖν ὑφηγήσει ταύτῃ κεκινηκότων τῶν στρατηγῶν καὶ παρεμπεπτωκότων ἐκ τοῦ σύνεγγυς τοῖς ἐχθροῖς πρὸ τοῦ τὴν ἡμέραν τρανῶς ἐπιλάμψαι τοῖς τῶν τυμπάνων κρούμασιν ἐπεκίνησαν ἀλλ οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν μετὰ τοῦ Χρυσόχειρος, οἱ δὲ τὰ φορτία τοῖς ὑποζυγίοις ἐκούφιζον. τούτων οὕτως μεριζομένων οἱ στρατηγέται σὺν τοῖς ὑπ αὐτούς ἄρχουσιν ἐπέθεντο κατ αὐτῶν, καὶ φωνῇ βριαρᾷ «σταυρός νενίκηκεν» οἷον πολεμικῶς ἐτυμπάνισαν. οὗτοι δὲ τῇ ἀθρόᾳ προσβολῇ καταπτήξαντες ἀμεταστρεπτὶ τῆς φυγῆς εἴχοντο, μηδὲ ὁρᾶν καὶ πολυπραγμονεῖν ἀνεχόμενοι, τίνες διῶκται τούτων ὑπάρχοιεν, ἀπὸ τοῦ Βαθυρύακος διωκόμενοι ἐπὶ μιλίοις λ ἕως τοῦ κατωνομασμένου Κωνσταντίνου βουνοῦ, χαλεπῶς συγκοπτόμενοι. Καὶ ὁ Χρυσόχειρ ὀλίγους τινὰς μεθ ἑαυτοῦ προσλαβόμενος φυγαδείαν ἠσπάσατο. ἐπιφθάνει τοίνυν αὐτὸν ὁ Πουλλάδης, ᾧ τοῦτο παρῆν ὄνομα περιβόητον, πῖλον ἐνδεδυμένος προεκεκράτητο δὲ κατὰ Τεφρικὴν καὶ κατὰ χαριεντισμὸν τῷ Χρυσόχειρι προσῳκείωτο. ὡς οὖν ἑωράκει τοῦτον, ἐπέγνω καὶ ἐκεκράγει διαπρυσίως «ὧδε οἱ στρατηγέται, ὧδε ὁ τῶν σχολῶν ἐξηγούμενος ἴτω.» ἄπεισιν ὁ Χρυσόχειρ, καὶ πρὸς τὸν Πουλλάδην ἐφώνησεν «ἄθλιε ὦ Πουλλάδη, τί σοι φαῦλον ἐνεδειξάμην; μᾶλλον μέντοι γε πλεῖστα σοι χρηστὰ εἰργασάμην. ἄπελθε, καὶ μή μοι πρόσκομμα εἴης.» ὁ δὲ ἀντέφη αὐτῷ «ἐγὼ γινώσκω, Χρυσόχειρ, ὅτι πλεῖστα καλά μοι πεποίηκας, καὶ ευελπιστῶ τῷ σωτῆρί μου θεῷ κατ αὐτήν γε τὴν ἡμέραν ἀποδοῦναί σοι τὰ χαριστήρια.» ἱππάζων δὲ ὁ Χρυσόχειρ εὑρίσκει τάφρον πρὸς τοῖς ἐνωπίοις αὐτοῦ, ἣν ὁ ἵππος αὐτοῦ ὑπερπηδᾶν <ἀπεδειλία καὶ ἐκ> τούτου διώκλαζεν. ὅθεν ὁ μὲν Χρυσόχειρ τοῦ λοιποῦ ὁρᾶν τὸν Πουλλάδην οὐδ ὅλως ἐφρόντιζεν, ἐώρα δὲ μᾶλλον κατέναντι αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ τῷ τῆς τάφρου περιπέσειεν πτώματι καὶ λαθραίως αὐτὸν ὁ Πουλλάδης κατὰ τὴν μασχάλην τιτρώσκει κοντῷ οὗ τῇ πληγῇ ταραχθέντος ὁ ἵππος παρέσφηλέν τε καὶ αὐτὸν ἀπεκρήμνισεν. καταβὰς οὖν ὁ τῶν πρὸς θεραπείαν αὐτοῦ οἰκειότατος, ᾧ Διακονίτζης τὸ φημιζόμενον (ὃν Λέων ὁ ἀοίδιμος βασιλεὺς ἀλλοιωθέντα τὴν πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον ἀλλοίωσιν ἐκ τῆς μυσαρᾶς θρησκείας τῶν Παυλιανιστῶν, προεχειρίσατο μηνσουράτωρα, ὅπερ φωνῇ Ρωμαίων οὕτω προσαγορεύεται) καὶ τούτου τὴν κεφαλὴν βαστάξας ἠξίωσε κομιδῆς ταύτην ἐνθεὶς τοῖς αὐτοῦ γόνασιν ὃν εὑρηκότες οἱ στρατηλάται κατέσχον καὶ διατεμόντες αὐτὴν σπουδαίως τῷ θεοστέπτῳ ἄνακτι Βασιλείῳ ὡς δῶρον ἀνέπεμψαν. Lesmüller Werner, A. Thurn, I. (ed.), Iosephi Genesii Regum Libri Quattuor (CFHB 14, Berlin 1978), pp An account of the 872 campaign by a Byzantine chronicler: Τῷ δ ἐπιόντι χρόνῳ τοῦ τῶν Μανιχαίων ἐξηγουμένου Χρυσόχειρος εἰς τὴν τῶν Ρωμαίων ἐμβαλόντος βαρεῖ στρατῷ καὶ ταύτην ληϊζομένου ἀποστέλλει κατ αὐτοῦ συνήθως ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν τῶν σχολῶν ἐξηγούμενον. οὗτος δὲ πάντα τὸν Ρωμαϊκὸν στρατὸν συμπαρειληφώς, ἐπειδὴ σταδαίᾳ μάχῃ κρῖναι τὸ πᾶν ἐδειλία, παρείπετο τέως αὐτῷ ἀπό τινος διαστήματος καὶ τὰς μερικὰς ἀνεῖργε καταδρομὰς καὶ οὐ συνεχώρει κατὰ τῆς χώρας ἀδεῶς διασκίδνασθαι. ὡς οὖν τὰ μὲν δρῶν, τὰ δὲ ἀπρακτῶν ὁ βάρβαρος ἤδη καὶ τῆς πρὸς τὰ οἴκοι ἐπανόδου ἐμέμνητο, καὶ μετὰ λείας συχνῆς ὑπέστρεψεν, ὁ δομέστικος τῶν σχολών δύο τῶν στρατηγῶν ἀφώρισε, τόν τε τοῦ Χαρσιανοῦ καὶ τῶν Αρμενιακῶν, μετὰ τῆς περὶ αὐτὸν δυνάμεως ἕκαστον συμπαρομαρτεῖν τῷ Χρυσόχειρι ἄχρι τοῦ λεγομένου Βαθυρρύακος, κἀκεῖθεν εἰ μὲν ἐπαφήσει, φησί, κατὰ τῶν Ρωμαϊκῶν ὁρίων στρατόν, δῆλα θέσθαι αὐτῷ τὰ περὶ τούτου, εἰ δ οἴκαδε ἀμεταστρεπτὶ βαδίζειεν, ἐάσαντας τοῦτον αὖθις ἐπανελθεῖν πρὸς αὐτόν. ἑσπέρας οὖν καταλαβούσης, καὶ τοῦ βαρβαρικοῦ στρατεύματος γεγονότος κατὰ τὸν Βαθυρρύακα αὐλισαμένου τε κατὰ τὴν τοῦ ὄρους ὑπώρειαν, τῶν δὲ εἰρημένων στρατηγῶν κατασχόντων τὰ τούτου μετεωρότερα καὶ τὸ μέλλον ἀποσκοπούντων, ἐμπίπτει τις ἔρις περὶ πρωτείων καὶ ἅμιλλα τοῖς τῶν δύο θεμάτων στρατιώταις. οἱ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ Χαρσιανοῦ ἑαυτοῖς τὰ τῆς ἀνδρείας ἐνίσταντο ἁρμόζειν πρωτεῖα, ἔμπαλιν δὲ ἑαυτοῖς οἱ Ἀρμενιακοί. ὡς οὖν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἐχώρει τὰ τῆς φιλονεικίας καὶ πρὸς τὸ μεγάλαυχον ἑκάτερον ἔρρεπε τῶν Δημιουργήθηκε στις 3/10/2017 Σελίδα 5/6

6 ταγμάτων, ἐνταῦθα δὴ λέγεται παρά τινος λεχθῆναι τοῦ τῶν Αρμενιακῶν συστήματος, ὡς «ἵνα τί μάτην, ὦ συστρατιῶται, ἀπρεπῶς θρασυνόμεθα, ἐξὸν τοῖς ἔργοις ἀναμφισβήτητον ἀρετὴν ἐπιδείξασθαι οἱ πολέμιοι γὰρ οὐ μακράν, καὶ ἔξεστιν ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων φανῆναι τοὺς ἀριστεῖς.» τοὺς τοιούτους τοίνυν λόγους διενωτισθέντες οἱ στρατηγοὶ καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἀνδρείαν ὁρμὴν κατανοήσαντες τοῦ λαοῦ, καταμαθόντες δὲ καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου βοήθειαν, ὅτι ἐξ ὑπερδεξίων μέλλουσιν ἐπιτίθεσθαι τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐν κοίλῳ κειμένοις τόπῳ, διχῇ διαιροῦσι τὴν δύναμιν. καὶ τὸ μὲν ἔκκριτον ταύτης ἄχρις ἑξακοσίων μετ αὐτῶν γε τῶν στρατηγών προσβαλεῖν ἐκρίθη τῷ τῶν βαρβάρων στρατῷ. τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν καὶ εὐαρίθμητον τῆς Ρωμαϊκῆς στρατιᾶς εἰς δόκησιν πλήθους αὐτοῦ που συσκευάσαντες πρὸς τὰ μετέωρα καὶ σύνθημα δόντες, ἵν ὅταν οὗτοι προσβάλωσι τοῖς ἐχθροῖς, κἀκεῖνον σὺν ἀλαλαγμῷ μεγίστῳ καὶ σάλπιγξιν ἐκπληκτικὴν βοὴν ἀναρρήξωσι, συνεπηχούντων καὶ τῶν ὀρέων, καὶ οὕτως ἀφανῶς διὰ τῆς νυκτὸς τῇ στρατοπεδείᾳ τῶν ἐχθρῶν πλησιάζωσι. καὶ τοιούτου δοθέντος συνθήματος, οὔπω τοῦ ἡλίου τὰς ἀκρωρείας αὐγάζοντος, βοῇ στιβαρᾷ παιανίσαντες καὶ τὸ «σταυρὸς νενίκηκε» συμβοήσαντες ἐπιτίθενται τοῖς ἐχθροῖς, συνεπαλαλαξάντων ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρους καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν. εὐθὺς οὖν οἱ βάρβαροι τῷ ἀνελπίστῳ καταπλαγέντες καὶ μήτε συστῆναι, μήτε τὸ ἐπιὸν πλῆθος, ὅσον ἐστί, λαβόντες καιρὸν κατιδεῖν, μήτ ἄλλο τι σωτήριον ἑαυτοῖς ἐκ τοῦ παραχρῆμα βουλεύσασθαι, ὥρμησαν πρὸς φυγήν. τῶν οὖν διωκόντων Ρωμαίων καὶ τοὺς μὴ συνόντας ἐπιβοωμένων στρατηγούς καὶ τὰ τάγματα καὶ τὸν τῶν σχολῶν ἀφηγούμενον, καθάπερ αὐτοῖς συνετέτακτο, καὶ τῶν φευγόντων εἰς πλείονα συνελαυνομένων φόβον καὶ ταραχήν, συνέβη μέχρι μιλίων τριάκοντα γενέσθαι τὴν δίωξιν καὶ τὸν μεταξὺ χῶρον ἀπείροις καταστρωθῆναι νεκροῖς. τότε δὴ καὶ ὁ ἀναιδὴς Χρυσόχειρ σὺν ὀλίγοις φεύγων τῶν μετ αὐτοῦ, ἐπεὶ καταδιώκειν ἔγνω Ρωμαῖόν τινα Πουλάδην τὴν προσηγορίαν, ὃν αἰχάλωτον ἔλαβέ ποτε κατὰ τὴν Τεφρικὴν καὶ διὰ ἀστεϊσμὸν καὶ χάριτα καὶ συνήθη εἶχε καὶ γνώριμον, θεασάμενος αὐτὸν καὶ γνωρίσας, ἐπιστραφείς «τί σοι», φησίν, «ὦ ἄθλιε, διεπραξάμην, Πουλάδη, κακόν, ὅτι με οὕτω καταδιώκεις μανιωδῶς ἐπιθυμῶν ἀνελεῖν;» ὁ δὲ συντόμως ὑπολαβών «τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν σου, πάτρων, τὴν ἀμοιβήν», ἔφη, «ἀποδοῦναί σοι κατὰ τὴν παροῦσαν ἡμέραν πεποιθώς εἰμι ἐν θεῷ.» ὁ μὲν οὖν προῄει οἷά τις ἐμβρόντητος καὶ βεβλαμένος τὰς φρένας, ὁ δὲ ἐφείπετο μετ εὐτολμίας νεανικῆς. τάφρῳ δὲ βαθείᾳ ὁ διωκόμενος ἐντυχὼν καὶ ὑπερπηδῆσαι ταύτην τὸν ἵππον μὴ συγχωρῶν βάλλεται κατόπιν παρὰ τοῦ Πουλάδη φθάσαντος κοντῷ κατὰ τῆς πλευρᾶς. καὶ ὁ μὲν εὐθέως περιδινηθεὶς τῷ ἀλγήματι κατερρύη τοῦ ἵππου, τῶν δὲ σὺν αὐτῷ τις (Διακονίτζης τούτῳ ἦν τὸ ἐπώνυμον) τοῦ ἵππου ῥίψας ἑαυτὸν ἐπιμελείας ἠξίου τὸν πεσόντα, τοῖς τε οἰκείοις γόνασι τὴν ἐκείνου κεφαλὴν ἐπιθεὶς καὶ τὸ συμβὰν ὀδυρόμενος. ἐν τοσούτῳ δὲ προσγίνονται τῷ Πουλάδῃ καὶ ἕτεροι, καὶ καθαλλόμενοι τῶν ἵππων τὴν τοῦ Χρυσόχειρος ἀποτέμνουσι κεφαλὴν ἤδη θανατῶντος καὶ ἐκλιμπάνοντος. δεσμοῦσι δὲ καὶ τὸν Διακονίτζην καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις αἰχμαλώτοις συγκαταλέγουσιν. εὐθὺς οὖν εὐαγγέλια πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ἐκπέμπονται, μεθ ὧν ἦν καὶ ἡ τοῦ Χρυσόχειρος κεφαλή. πεσόντος οὖν τοῦ Χρυσόχειρος συναπεμαράνθη πᾶσα ἡ ἀνθοῦσα τῆς Τεφρικῆς εὐανδρία. καὶ τὰ μὲν κατὰ τὴν Τεφρικὴν τοιοῦτον ἔσχε τὸ τέλος, καὶ ἐν ὥρᾳ μιᾷ ἡ ἐπὶ μεῖζον δόξης ἀρθεῖσα ὕψος τῶν Μανιχαίων πληθὺς ὡσεὶ καπνὸς διελύθη. Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis Historiarum (CFHB 5, Berlin New York 1973), pp Χρονολόγιο spring 871: Unsuccessful campaing of Emperor Basil I against Tephrike, the capital of the Paulicians 872: Campaign of Chrysocheir, leader of the Paulicians, against Galatia. Battle at Bathys Ryax between the Paulicians and the Byzantines. Death of Chrysocheir Δημιουργήθηκε στις 3/10/2017 Σελίδα 6/6