Περίληψη : The Mardaïtes was a Christian people inhabiting the Amanus (Gāvur) mountains of Syria. Towards the late 7th century, they joined the Byzantines and fought the Arabs. After a peace treaty was signed between the two rivals, several Mardaïtes were resettled in southeast Asia Minor by the Byzantines, who incorporated them into the naval forces of the empire. There has been evidence of their presence in Asia Minor at least until the second half of the 10th century. Χρονολόγηση 7th-10th century Γεωγραφικός εντοπισμός southeast Asia Minor 1. Historical Background The Mardaïtes first appear in the 7th century, and theories of their origin are divided. 1 According to the prevalent view, they are identified with the Djarādjima, who inhabited Mount Amanus or Black Mountain (Arabic: Lukkām) of Syria and the marshy region to the north of Antioch. Their name (plural of Djurdjumānī) derived from either the name of the province of Gurgum, in the region of Germanicia, or from a small town between Aleppo (Halep) and Alexandretta called Djurdjūma, meaning the bastion of the Djarādjima, which the Arabs destroyed in 708, when they suppressed the revolt instigated and supported by the Byzantines. The Djarādjima were Christians and the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Antioch, but they probably followed the doctrine of monophysitism or monotheletism. 2 According to Arabic sources, after the Muslims conquered the region of Antioch in 638, the Arabs subdued the Djarādjima, who were then assigned to guard the mountain passes of Amanus and granted exemption from taxation in exchange. In the mid-660s, the Arabs brought new settlers to the area, because they suspected that the Christian Djarādjima served Byzantine interests. This caused the reaction of the Djarādjima and led to military confrontations, in which Caliph Muwa iyah ibn Abi Sufyan, former commander of Syria, won. The Djarādjima replied by invading the cities of Syria and Palestine under Byzantine commanders. It was probably then that they were given the name «Mardaïtes» by the local people, a name that would follow them in Greek sources. The name possibly derived from the Semite word «maridaye», meaning «guerrilla» or «bandit». 3 Their conflicts with the Muslims became more serious in the following years, when the Byzantines decided to use them in diversion against the Arabs. 2. The Activitiy of the Mardaïtes in the Middle East In 671, the Arabs captured Kyzikos, while in the following years, starting from 673, they blockaded the harbours of Constantinople. Thanks to his powerful fleet and the Greek fire, Emperor Constantine IV (668-685) managed to repel the attacks of the Arabian navy. At the same time, the Byzantines took advantage of the difficulties the Arabs were facing and created a diversion in the Middle East. The Mardaïtes, led by Byzantine officers, occupied the Amanus Mountains as far as the outskirts of Jerusalem (possibly in 677). That became their basis for the invasions against Syria and Lebanon, while they were occasionaly joined by slaves and local Christians. Muwa iyah was unable to defend his territory effectively, therofore he sent deputies to sign a peace treaty with Emperor Constantine in 678. According to the terms of the treaty, the Byzantines should cease all Mardaïte attacks in Syria and Lebanon. The Mardaïte revolt ended ten years later. Although he had renewed the peace treaty with the Arabs in 685, Justinian II (685-695, 705-711) wanted to take advantage of the difficulties Caliph Abd al-malik was facing because of rebellious movements. Therefore, in 688, he urged the Mardaïtes to start raiding the Arab land again, and reinforced them with cavalry. Abd al-malik was made to sign a new peace treaty with onerous terms, while the Byzantines would withdraw the Mardaïtes from Amanus. Justinian accepted the term, for which he was criticised by later historians. 4 The Mardaïtes who remained in Syria were defeated by the Arabs, who Δημιουργήθηκε στις 27/9/2017 Σελίδα 1/8
eliminated the Byzantine reinforcements. The Mardaïtes of Syria fought on the side of the Arabs in Iraq and joined them again in the Arabian raids against Byzantine territory in the 8th century, while evidence of their presence in Amanus existed until the 10th century. 3. The Resettlement of the Mardaïtes in Byzantine Territories According to the sources, the Mardaïtes that fled to Byzantine lands amounted to 12,000. However, it is not clear whether all of the refugees or only men eligible for enlistment were included. The Mardaïtes settled in southeastern Asia Minor, particularly in the districts of Pamphylia, Lycia and Cilicia. In the early 8th century, the military forces of the Byzantine provinces where the Mardaïtes had settled formed the theme of Kibyrrhaiotai, which included all the provincial naval forces of the empire. Within this framework, the Mardaïtes were incorporated into the naval forces of the theme as an autonomous formation based on the capital Attaleia, while they continued to live in other regions as well. 5 They were under a Byzantine officer with the rank of katepano, who was directly appointed by the emperor and was independent of the strategos of the theme. The time those reforms took place remains uncertain, but they were probably contemporary with the establishment of the theme. The Mardaïtes of Attaleia became very famous for their seamanship, particularly for their mastery of fast vessels used for scouting missions, as well as for their hatred towards the Arabs of Syria. Later on (in the 9th century), a part of the Mardaïtes moved to the themes of the Peloponnese, Nicopolis (including the lands of Epiros and Etoloakarnania) and Kephalenia; in those regions they continued to serve as crew members of thematic fleets. 6 Towards the late 9th century, the Mardaïtes of the Peloponnese took part in the campaigns in Sicily, while in 911 and 949 a large number of Mardaïtes from the three themes (more than 5000 in the first case, 3000 in the second) participated in the campaigns against the Arabs of Crete. The Mardaïtes of Attaleia continued to serving as prominent crew members in the fleet of the theme of Kibyrrhaiotai until the second half of the 10th century, but the decline of the fleet of the Kibyrrhaiotai Theme in the 11th century must have affected them. There is no information about their later history; they must have been gradually absorbed by the local people. 4. Consequences of the Mardaïte Presence in Asia Minor The Mardaïtes played an important role mainly in the strategy employed by the Byzantines against the Arabs in the 7th century, particularly during the first siege of Constantinople: their raids in Lebanon, combined with the naval defeat of the besiegers, actually compelled the Arabs to raise the siege and sign a peace treaty. The repetition of the terms concerning the withdrawal of the Mardaïtes in the following treaties as well as the Arab insistence in 688 that the Mardaïtes should abandon the Black Μountain reveal the size of the threat the central regions of the caliphate were facing from these allies of the Byzantines. Although the settlement of the Mardaïtes in Byzantine land weakened the offensive policy of Byzantium in the Middle East, it strengthened the naval forces of the empire in southeastern Asia Minor, since the Mardaïtes soon proved their seamanship and significantly reinforced the fleet of the theme of the Kibyrrhaiotai, mainly in scouting and information gathering. The settlement of part of the Mardaïtes in the western themes had similarly positive results for the small fleets of those themes, which were greatly benefited from the seamanship of this people of Syria, particularly in a period when Byzantium was facing the additional threat of the Arabian fleets of the western Mediterranean. The settlement of the Mardaïtes in Asia Minor and mainland Greece affected the ethnological composition of the population in those regions. According to a document of the Latin sovereigns of Corfu dated 1365, which ratifies an earlier (1246) decree of Michael II, the ruler of Epirus, referring to a «decarhia Mardatorum», while some European travellers of the second half of the 19th century recognised Semite features in several Greek inhabitants of Attaleia, thus implying that they were of Mardaïte origin. According to some scholars, even the Akritic songs preserved the memory of the Mardaïtes, hidden behind the name Maurioritai («Μαυριορίτες»). Δημιουργήθηκε στις 27/9/2017 Σελίδα 2/8
1. P.A. Hollingsworth in The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 2 (New York Oxford 1991), p. 1297, see entry Mardaites, considers them of Persian or Armenian origin. M. Canard in The Encyclopedia of Islam 2 2 (Leiden London 1965), pp. 456 458, see entry Djaradjima, tends to believe that the Mardaites were of Persian origin. Χ. Μπαρτικιάν, Η λύση του αινίγματος των Μαρδαϊτών, in Στράτου, Ν.Α. (ed.), Βυζάντιον. Αφιέρωμα στον Ανδρέα Ν. Στράτο 1 (Athens 1986), pp. 17 39, formulates the theory that the Mardaites of the 7 th century were Mards (Iranian bandits) absorbed by the Armenians, who fought as Byzantine mercenaries and had nothing in common with the Djaradjima or the subsequent Mardaites of Asia Minor. Modern Mardaites of Lebanon claim to be descendants of Mardaites, but this view is contestated by Moosa, M., The Relation of the Maronites of Lebanon to the Mardaites and al Jarajima, Speculum 44 (1969), pp. 597 608. 2. Χ. Μπαρτικιάν, Η λύση του αινίγματος των Μαρδαϊτών, in Στράτου, Ν.Α. (ed.), Βυζάντιον. Αφιέρωμα στον Ανδρέα Ν. Στράτο 1 (Athens 1986), pp. 17 39, believes that they were monophysites, while Κ. Άμαντος, Μαρδαΐται, Ελληνικά 5 (1932), pp. 130 136, believes that they followed the Orthodox doctrine. 3. Evidence of Mardaitesʹ practicing mainly the guerrilla tactics is a quotation from the Byzantine chronicler Theophanesʹ work, in de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883), p. 397, 17 19. In his text, he describes the activity of the Byzantine forces, which were arrayed on the mountains of Bithynia in order to harass the Arabian forces that were besieging Constantinople in 717 718; their skirmishing raids were similar to those of the Mardaites («δίκην Μαρδαϊτ?ν κρυπτόμενοι», lurking as Mardaites). 4. Theophanes, in his Chronography, in de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883), p. 364, 3-5, mentions that with this movement Justinian tore down a «bronze» wall and amputated the Byzantine power: «τούτῳ τῷ ἔ τει ἐ γένετο λιμὸς ἐ ν Συρίᾳ καὶ πολλοὶ εἰ σῆ λθον εἰ ς Ῥωμανίαν. καὶ ἐ λθὼν ὁ βασιλεὺ ς εἰ ς Ἀρμενίαν ἐ κεῖ ἐ δέξατο τοὺ ς ἐ ν τῷ Λιβάνῳ Μαρδαΐτας, χάλκεον τεῖ χος διαλύσας». See also as above, p. 363, 14-20: καὶ πέμψας ὁ βασιλεὺ ς προσελάβετο τοὺ ς Μαρδαΐτας χιλιάδας ιβ, τὴ ν Ῥωμαϊκὴ ν δυναστείαν ἀκρωτηριάσας. πᾶσαι γὰ ρ αἱ νῦ ν οἰ κούμεναι παρὰ τῶν Ἀράβων εἰ ς τὰ ἄκρα πόλεις ἀπὸ Μοψουεστίας καὶ ἕ ως τετάρτης Ἀρμενίας ἀνίσχυροι καὶ ἀοίκητοι ἐ τύγχανον διὰ τὴ ν ἔφοδον τῶν Μαρδαϊτῶν ὧν παρασταλλέντων, πάνδεινα κακὰ πέπονθεν ἡ Ῥωμανία ὑ πὸ τῶν Ἀράβων μέχρι τοῦ νῦ ν». 5. The view that there were Mardaites settled in Antioch of Pisidia and the island of Karpathos as well is based on the fact that, in the 10 th century, galeai of the theme of Kibyrrhaiotai were stationed in those regions, as well as on the assumption that this particular type of ship was used exclusively by the Mardaites; see Makrypoulias, Ch.G., The Navy in the Works of Constantine Porphyrogenitus, Graeco Arabica 6 (1995), pp. 152 171. 6. Unlike Ahrweiler Γλύκατζη, Ε., Byzance et la mer (Paris 1966), pp. 399 400, Άμαντος, Κ., Μαρδαΐται, Ελληνικά 5 (1932), pp. 130 136, believes that the Mardaïtes of the western themes had nothing in common with the Mardaïtes of Attaleia, but took that name because they were seamen too. Βιβλιογραφία : Lilie R.J., Die byzantinische Reaktion auf die Ausbreitung der Araber Studien zur Strukturwandlung des byzantinischen Staates im 7. und 8. Jahrhundert, München 1976, Miscellanea Byzantina Monacensia 22 Ostrogorsky G., Ιστορία του Βυζαντινού Κράτους, 1-3, Αθήνα 1989, Παναγόπουλος, I. (μτφρ.) Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia, Leipzig 1883 Χριστοφιλοπούλου Α., Βυζαντινή Ιστορία 2.2, Θεσσαλονίκη 1997 Ahrweiler H., Byzance et la mer. La marine de guerre, la politique et les institutions maritimes de Byzance au VIIe-XVe siècles, Paris 1966 Δημιουργήθηκε στις 27/9/2017 Σελίδα 3/8
Antoniadis-Bibicou H., Etudes d histoire maritime de Byzance, Paris 1966 Ditten H., Ethnische Verschiebungen zwischen der Balkanhalbisel und Kleinasien vom Ende des 6. bis zur zweiten Hälfte des 9. Jahrhunderts, Berlin 1993, Berliner Byzantinische Arbeiten Honigmann E., Die Ostgrenze des byzantinischen Reiches von 363 bis 1071, Bruxelles 1935 Στράτος Α., Το Βυζάντιον στον Ζ αιώνα 5, Αθήνα 1974 Άμαντος Κ., "Μαρδαΐται", Ελληνικά, 5, 1932, 130-136 Brooks E.W., "The Arabs in Asia Minor (641-750), from Arabic Sources", Journal of Hellenic Studies, 18, 1898, 182-208 Canard M., "Djaradjima", The Encyclopedia of Islam 2, Leiden - London 1965, 456-458 Canard M., "Byzantium and the Muslim World to the Middle of the Eleventh Century", The Cambridge Medieval History, 4:1, Cambridge 1966, 696-735 Haldon J.F., "Theory and Practice in Tenth-Century Military Administration: Chapters II, 44 and 45 of the Book of Ceremonies", Travaux et Mémoires, 13, 2000, 201-352 Hollingsworth P.A., "Mardaites", Kazhdan, A. (ed.), The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 2, New York - Oxford 1991, 1297 Makrypoulias Ch. G., "The Navy in the Works of Constantine Porphyrogenitus", Graeco-Arabica, 6, 1995, 152-171 Moosa M., "The Relation of the Maronites of Lebanon to the Mardaites and al-jarājima", Speculum, 44, 1969, 597-608 Μπαρτικιάν Χ.Μ., "Η λύση του αινίγματος των Μαρδαϊτών", Στράτου, Νία Α. (επιμ.), Βυζάντιον. Αφιέρωμα στον Ανδρέα Ν. Στράτο 1, Aθήνα 1986, 17-39 Treadgold W.T., "The Army in the Works of Constantine Porphyrogenitus", Rivista di Studi Bizantini e Neoellenici, 29, 1992, 77-162 Δικτυογραφία : Corruption and Mistranslation: The Common Syriac Source on the Origin of the Mardaites http://www.byzantinecongress.org.uk/comms/woods_paper.pdf Γλωσσάριo : caliph The supreme religious and political authority of Muslims, considered successor of Muhammad (Arabic: khalifa = deputy). He was the head of the Caliphate, the religious state of the Arabs. Greek fire Incendiary mixture based on crude oil ( naphtha ), which was launched with the help of a pressure pump. Its used was spread in Byzantium towards the late 7th century and became one of the most powerful weapons of the Byzantine navy until the invention of canons. katepano (from "epano","above") Governor of a katepania. Title that from the end of the 10th century characterized the commanders of large Δημιουργήθηκε στις 27/9/2017 Σελίδα 4/8
provinces as Italy or Mesopotamia and from the 11th century, it was used also in the regions of Bulgaria, Antioch etc. monotheletism Doctrine developed in the 7 th century by Patriarch Sergios, who wanted to reconcile the Orthodox with the monophysites of the Byzantine Empire. Monothelitism supported that Jesus had two natures but only one will. Despite the efforts of Emperor Herakleios (610 641) to impose the new doctrine, monothelitism, was renounced as a heresy in 680. 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 Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883). Νικηφόρος Πατριάρχης, Ιστορία Σύντομος, Mango, C. (ed.), Nikephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople, Short History. Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 13 (Washington 1990). Κωνσταντίνος Πορφυρογέννητος, Προς τον ίδιον υιόν Ρωμανόν, Moravcsik, G. Jenkins, R.J.H. (ed.), Constantine Porphyrogenitus, De Administrando Imperio 2. Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 1 (Washington 1967). Κωνσταντίνος Πορφυρογέννητος, Έκθεσις της βασιλείου τάξεως, Reiske, I.I. (ed.), Constantini Porphyrogeniti De cerimoniis aulae byzantinae (Bonn 1829). Συνεχιστής Θεοφάνους, Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus. Corpus Scriptorum historiae Byzantinae (Bonn 1838). Παραθέματα Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, in de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883), 355, 6 356, 2: Τούτῳ τῷ ἔτει εἰσῆλθον Μαρδαΐται εἰς τὸν Λίβανον καὶ ἐκράτησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ Μαύρου ὄρους ἕως τῆς ἁγίας πόλεως καὶ ἐχειρώσαντο τὰς τοῦ Λιβάνου περιωπάς. καὶ πολλοὶ δοῦλοι καὶ αἰχμάλωτοι καὶ αὐτόχθονες πρὸς αὐτοὺς κατέφυγον, ὥστε διʹ ὀλίγου χρόνου εἰς πολλὰς χιλιάδας γενέσθαι. καὶ ταῦτα μαθὼν Μαυΐας καὶ οἱ σύμβουλοι αὐτοῦ ἐφοβήθησαν σφόδρα συλλογισάμενοι, ὅτι τὸ βασίλειον τῶν Ρωμαίων ὑπὸ θεοῦ φρουρεῖται. καὶ ἀποστέλλει πρέσβεις πρὸς τὸν αὐτοκράτορα Κωνσταντῖνον ζητῶν εἰρήνην, ὑποσχόμενος καὶ ἐτήσια τῷ βασιλεῖ παρέχειν πάκτα. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς τοὺς τοιούτους πρέσβεις δεξάμενος καὶ τὴν αἴτησιν αὐτῶν ἀκηκοὼς ἀπέστειλε σὺν αὐτοῖς ἐν Συρίᾳ Ἰωάννην τὸν πατρίκιον, τὸ ἐπίκλην Πιτζιγαῦδιν, ὡς ἀρχαιογενῆ τῆς πολιτείας καὶ πολύπειρον ὄντα καὶ μεγάλης ἀντεχόμενον φρονήσεως, ἐπί τὸ ἁρμοδίως διαλεχθῆναι τοῖς Ἄραψι καὶ τὰ τῆς εἰρήνης συμφωνῆσαι. τούτου δὲ καταλαβόντος ἐν Συρίᾳ, ὁ Μαυΐας σώρευμα πεποιηκὼς τῶν τε ἀμηραίων καὶ κορασηνῶν ἐδέξατο αὐτὸν μετὰ μεγάλης τιμῆς. πολλῶν οὖν ἀναμεταξὺ αὐτῶν εἰρηνικῶν λεχθέντων λόγων, συνεφωνήθη πρὸς ἑκατέρους ἔγγραφον γενέσθαι εἰρήνης μεθʹ ὅρκου λόγον ἐπὶ συμφώνου ἐτησίου πάκτου, παρέχεσθαι τῇ Ῥωμαϊκῇ πολιτείᾳ παρὰ τῶν Ἀγαρηνῶν χρυσοῦ χιλιάδας τρεῖς καὶ ἄνδρας αἰχμαλώτους ν καὶ ἵππους εὐγενεῖς ν. ταῦτα στοιχηθέντα μεταξὺ τῶν δύο μερῶν ἐπὶ χρόνους λ φυλάττεσθαι πλατεῖαν εἰρήνην ἀνάμεσον Ῥωμαίων καὶ Ἀράβων <πεποίηκεν>. καὶ τῶν τοιούτων καθολικῶν δύο ἐγγράφων λόγων πρὸς ἀλλήλους μεθʹ ὅρκων γεγονότων καὶ ἀλλήλοις ἐπιδοθέντων, ὁ πολλαχῶς λεχθεὶς πανεύφημος ἀνὴρ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ὑπέστρεψε μετὰ καὶ δώρων πολλῶν. Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, in de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883), 361, 7 13: Τούτῳ τῷ ἔτει ἐγένετο λιμὸς καὶ θανατικὸν μέγα ἐν Συρίᾳ, καὶ Ἀβιμέλεχ ἐκράτησε τοῦ ἔθνους. τῶν δὲ Μαρδαϊτῶν ἐπιτιθεμένων τοῖς μέρεσι τοῦ Λιβάνου, καὶ τοῦ λοιμοῦ ἐπικρατοῦντος, ὁ αὐτός Ἀβιμέλεχ τὴν ἐπὶ Μαυΐου ζητηθεῖσαν εἰρήνην αἰτεῖται ἀποστείλας πρέσβεις πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, τὰς αὐτὰς τξε χιλιάδας τοῦ χρυσοῦ νομισμάτων συνθέμενος τελεῖν, καὶ τοὺς τξε δούλους, καὶ ὁμοίως εὐγενεῖς ἵππους τξε. Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, in de Boor, C., Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883), 363, 6 20: Δημιουργήθηκε στις 27/9/2017 Σελίδα 5/8
Τούτῳ τῷ ἔτει ἀποστέλλει Ἀβιμέλεχ πρὸς Ἰουστινιανὸν βεβαιῶσαι τὴν εἰρήνην, καὶ ἐστοιχήθη ἡ εἰρήνη οὕτως ἵνα ὁ βασιλεὺς παύσῃ τὸ τῶν Μαρδαϊτῶν τάγμα ἐκ τοῦ Λιβάνου, καὶ διακωλύσῃ τὰς ἐπιδρομὰς αὐτῶν καὶ Αβιμέλεχ δώσῃ τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις καθ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν νομίσματα χίλια καὶ ἵππον καὶ δοῦλον καὶ ἵνα ἔχωσι κοινὰ κατὰ τὸ ἴσον τοὺς φόρους τῆς Κύπρου καὶ Ἀρμενίας καὶ Ιβηρίας. καὶ ἔπεμψεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Παῦλον τὸν μαγιστριανὸν πρὸς Ἀβιμέλεχ ἀσφαλίσασθαι τὰ στοιχηθέντα, καὶ γέγονεν ἔγγραφος ἀσφάλεια μετὰ μαρτύρων. καὶ φιλοτιμηθεὶς ὁ μαγιστριανὸς ὑπέστρεψεν. καὶ πέμψας ὁ βασιλεὺς προσελάβετο τοὺς Μαρδαΐτας χιλιάδας ιβ, τὴν Ῥωμαϊκὴν δυναστείαν ἀκρωτηριάσας. πάσαι γὰρ αἱ νῦν οἰκούμεναι παρὰ τῶν Ἀράβων εἰς τὰ ἄκρα πόλεις ἀπὸ Μοψουεστίας καὶ ἕως τετάρτης Ἀρμενίας ἀνίσχυροι καὶ ἀοίκητοι ἐτύγχανον διὰ τὴν ἔφοδον τῶν Μαρδαϊτῶν ὧν παρασταλλέντων, πάνδεινα κακὰ πέπονθεν ἡ Ῥωμανία ὑπό τῶν Ἀράβων μέχρι τοῦ νῦν. Θεοφάνης, Χρονογραφία, in de Boor, C. (ed.), Theophanis Chronographia (Leipzig 1883), 364, 3 5: Τούτῳ τῷ ἔτει ἐγένετο λιμὸς ἐν Συρίᾳ καὶ πολλοὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς Ῥωμανίαν. καὶ ἐλθὼν ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς Ἀρμενίαν ἐκεῖ ἐδέξατο τοὺς ἐν τῷ Λιβάνῳ Μαρδαΐτας, χάλκεον τεῖχος διαλύσας. Νικηφόρος Πατριάρχης, Ιστορία Σύντομος, in Mango, C. (ed.), Nikephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople, Short History (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 13, Washington 1990), 34, 21 31: ὁ δὲ τῶν Σαρακηνῶν βασιλεὺς τὸ τοῦ στόλου ἀκούσας δυστύχημα πρέσβεις ἀποστέλλει πρὸς Κωνσταντῖνον ὡς σπεισόμενος πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τελέσμασιν ἐνιαυσίοις. ὁ δὲ τούτους δεξάμενος καὶ τὰ δηλωθέντα ἀκηκοὼς συνεκπέμπει αὐτοῖς Ἰωάννην τὸν πατρίκιον, τὸ ἐπίκλην Πιτζιγαύδιον, πολυπειρίᾳ καὶ φρονήσει διαφέροντα, ὡς τὰ ἐπὶ τῇ εἰρήνῃ διαλεχθησόμενον. ὃς πρὸς τὰ τῶν Σαρακηνῶν γενόμενος ἤθη συμβαίνει τε αὐτοῖς ὅρκοις τὴν εἰρήνην βεβαιωσάμενος ἐπὶ τριάκοντα ἔτεσιν, ὥστε παρέχεσθαι Ῥωμαίοις ὑπὸ τῶν Σαρακηνῶν ἀνὰ ἔτος ποσότητα χρυσίου τρεῖς χιλιάδας ἄνδρας τε αἰχμαλώτους πεντήκοντα καὶ ἵππους πεντήκοντα. Κωνσταντῖνος Πορφυρογέννητος, Πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον υἱὸν Ῥωμανόν, in Moravcsik, G. Jenkins, R.J.H. (ed.), Constantine Porphyrogenitus, De Administrando Imperio 2 (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 1, Washington 1967), 21, 3 16: Ἰστέον, ὅτι πρὸς τῇ τελευτῇ Μαυίου, τῶν Ἀράβων ἀρχηγοῦ, εἰσῆλθον οἱ Μαρδαΐται εἰς τὸν Λίβανον, καὶ ἐκράτησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ Μαύρου ὄρους ἕως τῆς ἁγίας πόλεως, καὶ ἐχειρώσαντο τὰς τοῦ Λιβάνου περιωπάς. καὶ πολλοὶ δοῦλοι καὶ αὐτόχθονες πρὸς αὐτοὺς κατέφυγον, ὥστε διʹὀλίγου χρόνου εἰς πολλὰς χιλιάδας γενέσθαι. Καὶ τοῦτο μαθὼν Μαυίας καὶ οἱ σύμβουλοι αὐτοῦ, ἐφοβήθησαν σφόδρα. Καὶ ἀποστέλλει πρέσβεις πρὸς τὸν αὐτοκράτορα Κωνσταντῖνον ζητῶν εἰρήνην. Ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ προφάσει πέμπεται παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως Κωνσταντίνου, τοῦ ὀρθοδόξου, υἱοῦ τοῦ Πωγωνάτου, Ἰωάννης ὁ ἐπίκλην Πιτζηκαύδης. Τούτου δὲ καταλαβόντος ἐν Συρίᾳ, Μαυίας ἐδέξατο αὐτὸν μετὰ μεγάλης τιμῆς, καὶ συνεφωνήθη πρὸς ἀμφοτέρους ἔγγραφον γενέσθαι εἰρήνης μεθʹ ὅρκου λόγον ἐπὶ συμφώνου ἐτησίου πάκτου, παρέχεσθαι τῷ τῶν Ῥωμαίων βασιλεῖ παρὰ τῶν Ἀγαρηνῶν χρυσίου χιλιάδας τρεῖς καὶ ἄνδρας αἰχμαλώτους ω καὶ ἵππους εὐγενεῖς ν. Κωνσταντῖνος Πορφυρογέννητος, Πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον υἱὸν Ῥωμανόν, in Moravcsik, G. Jenkins, R.J.H. (ed.), Constantine Porphyrogenitus, De Administrando Imperio 2 (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 1, Washington 1967), 50, 169 221: Ἰστέον, ὅτι τύπος ἐκράτησεν παλαιὸς τὸν κατεπάνω Μαρδαϊτῶν Ἀτταλείας παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως δηλονότι προβάλλεσθαι, διὸ καὶ παρὰ Λέοντος, τοῦ μακαριωτάτου βασιλέως, κατεπάνω προεβλήθη Σταυράκιος ὁ Πλατὺς ἐπονομαζόμενος, ὃς χρόνους μὲν διέπρεψεν ἱκανούς, οὐχί καλῶς δὲ καὶ τὰ τέλη διέθηκεν. Τοῦ γὰρ πρωτοσπαθαρίου Εὐσταθίου καὶ ἀσηκρῆτις ἐν τῷ τῶν Κιβυρραιωτῶν θέματι ἐκ προσώπου ἀποσταλέντος, φθόνοι τινὲς ἀναμεταξὺ τούτων καὶ μάχαι γεγόνασιν ὅ τε γὰρ Σταυράκιος ὁ Πλατὺς εἰς τὸν πατρίκιον Ἡμέριον καὶ λογοθέτην τοῦ δρόμου θαρρῶν, ὡς ἅτε παρ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν βασιλέα μεσιτευθείς, τῷ ἐκ προσώπου Εὐσταθίῳ ἀντέπιπτεν, καὶ μάλιστα ἐναντίως εἶχεν, ἐν οἷς αὐτὸν ἑῶρα ἔξω τοῦ δέοντός τι διαπραττόμενον ἢ καὶ προστάττοντα, ὅ τε δὲ πάλιν ὁ ἐκ προσώπου Εὐστάθιος πρὸς τὸν Σταυράκιον διέκειτο ἐχθρωδῶς, καὶ πολλὰς κατ αὐτοῦ ἐπιθέσεις καὶ μηχανὰς ἐπλάττετο. Ὅθεν αἰτίας ὁ προρρηθεὶς Εὐστάθιος κατὰ τοῦ Σταυρακίου ἀνήγαγεν, ὡς «Τὸ τῶν Κιβυρραιωτῶν θέμα δύο στρατηγοὺς ἔχειν οὐ δύναται, δηλονότι ἐμὲ καὶ Σταυράκιον, τὸν κατεπάνω Μαρδαϊτῶν, ἄλλα γὰρ ἐμοῦ προστάττοντος καὶ διοικεῖν ἐθέλοντος, ἄλλα ποιεῖν ὁ κατεπάνω Μαρδαϊτῶν βούλεται, καὶ αὐτεξούσιος ὢν τὰ αὐτῷ δοκοῦντα μανικῶς διαπράττεται.» Ἀνήγαγεν δὲ καὶ ἄλλας ψευδολογίας τινάς, καὶ πολλὰς μηχανὰς κατ αὐτοῦ συνερράψατο, τὰς μὲν πιθανῶς συνθείς, τὰς δὲ συκοφαντικῶς τε καὶ μανικῶς ἀναπλασάμενος. Καὶ οὗτος δηλονότι τῷ πατρικίῳ Ἡμερίῳ καὶ λογοθέτῃ τοῦ δρόμου θαρρῶν ταῦτα ἔγραψεν, ἐπειδὴ τῷ τότε καιρῷ φίλος Εὐσταθίου μᾶλλον ἦν ὁ πατρίκιος Ἡμέριος ἤπερ Σταυρακίου, κἂν ὕστερον ἐχθρανθέντες ἀμφότεροι ἔχθρας ἀνάμεστοι καὶ μανίας πλήρεις γεγόνασιν. Τὴν οὖν τοιαύτην ἀναφορὰν Εὐσταθίου δεξάμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς Δημιουργήθηκε στις 27/9/2017 Σελίδα 6/8
καὶ τῇ αἰτήσει τοῦ πατρικίου Ἡμερίου πεισθείς, δέδωκεν τὴν τοῦ τοιούτου κατεπάνω ἐξουσίαν τῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ Εὐσταθίῳ καὶ ἐκ προσώπου. Τοῦ δὲ μακαρίου βασιλέως τὸν βίον ἀπὸ τῶν κάτω πρὸς τὰ άνω μετηλλαχότος, Ἀλέξανδρος, ὁ αδελφὸς αὐτοῦ, τῆς αὐτοκράτορος ἀρχῆς ἐγκρατὴς γεγονώς, ὡς πάντας τοὺς ὑπὸ τοῦ μακαρίου βασιλέως καὶ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ προβληθέντας ἔν τισιν ἀρχαῖς διεδέξατο, χαιρεκάκοις καὶ κακοβούλοις ἀνδράσιν πεισθείς, οὕτω δη καὶ τὸν προρρηθέντα Εὐστάθιον διεδέξατο, καὶ ἀντ αὐτοῦ πεποίηκεν ἕτερον. Ὁ γὰρ Χασὲ ἐκεῖνος, ὁ ἐκ Σαρακηνῶν τῷ γένει ὁρμώμενος, Σαρακηνὸς δὲ τῷ ὄντι τῇ γνώμῃ καὶ τῷ τρόπῳ καὶ τῇ λατρείᾳ διατελῶν, ὁ τοῦ πατρικίου Δαμιανοῦ δοῦλος, ἐπεὶ πολλὴν παρρησίαν εἶχεν τῷ τότε καιρῷ ὁ πρωτοσπαθάριος οὗτος Χασὲ πρὸς τὸν κύριν Ἀλέξανδρον, τὸν βασιλέα, ὡσαύτως καὶ ὁ πρωτοσπαθάριος Νικήτας, ὁ ἀδελφὸς τοῦ Χασέ, ὁ καὶ τῶν Κιβυρραιωτῶν στρατηγὸς γεγονὼς παρὰ αὐτοῦ τοῦ κυροῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου βασιλέως, ὁ Νικήτας οὖν οὗτος, ὁ αδελφὸς τοῦ προρρηθέντος Χασέ, τὸν βασιλέα ᾐτήσατο, ὅτι «Ὡς ἀρχαῖον σου φίλον εὐεργετεῖν με πρέπον ἐστίν, ἐν δὲ πρὸς τὴν βασιλείαν σου αἴτημα ἔχω, καὶ δίκαιόν ἐστιν εἰσακοῦσαί μου». Τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως διαπορουμένου καὶ ἀντερωτῶντος, τί ἂν εἴη τοῦτο τὸ αἴτημα, καὶ ὅπερ ἐάν ἐστιν, ὑπακοῦσαι ὑποσχομένου, ὁ προρρηθεὶς Νικήτας ᾐτήσατο, ὅτι «Τὸν υἱόν μου, αἰτοῦμαι ἵνα ποιήσῃ ἡ βασιλεία σου κατεπάνω τῶν Μαρδαϊτῶν Ἀτταλείας», οὗτινος ὁ βασιλεύς τῇ αἰτήσει πεισθείς, ἐπὶ προελεύσεως εἰσαγαγὼν ἐπὶ τοῦ Χρυσοτρικλίνου τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ πρωτοσπαθαρίου Νικήτα, τὸν σπαθαροκανδιδάτον Ἀβέρκιον, προεβάλετο αὐτὸν κατεπάνω τῶν Μαρδαϊτῶν Ἀτταλείας, καθὼς καὶ ὁ μακάριος Λέων ὁ βασιλεὺς πρότερον Σταυράκιον τὸν Πλατὺν ἐπονομαζόμενον. Καὶ ὁ ἐξ ἀρχῆθεν παλαιὸς ἔχων τύπος, καθὼς ἐν ἀρχαῖς εἴρηται, ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως προβάλλεσθαι τὸν κατεπάνω Μαρδαϊτῶν. aulae byzantinae (Bonn 1829), 654, 1 3: Διὰ τῶν Μαρδαϊτῶν. Μαρδαΐται, στρατὸς σὺν ἀρχόντων δπζ, καὶ κατὰ προσθήκην ἕτεροι,α ὁμοῦ επζ. aulae byzantinae (Bonn 1829), 655, 4 8: Διὰ τῶν Μαρδαϊτῶν τῆς Δύσεως. Στρατὸς συνάρχοντες δπζ. ρόγα κεντηνάρια δ, λίτραι ξστ: λβ. καὶ ἡ προσθήκη ἀνδρῶν,α ἀνά: η, γινόμενον ρ α, λίτραι ια : η. ὁμοῦ τὸ πᾶν διὰ τῶν Μαρδαϊτῶν τῆς δύσεως ρόγα κεντηνάρια ε λίτραι οζ : μβ. aulae byzantinae (Bonn 1829), 656, 10 12: διὰ τῶν Μαρδαϊτῶν τῆς δύσεως τουρμαρχῶν γ ἀνά: λστ, δρουγγαρίων μβ ἀνά: ιβ, κομήτων μβ ἀνά: στ, στρατιωτῶν,ε ἀνά: δ. aulae byzantinae (Bonn 1829), 656, 18 657, 7: ἰστέον, ὅτι ἐδέξατο ὁ στρατηγὸς τῶν Κιβυρραιωτῶν καὶ ὁ κατεπάνω τῶν Μαρδαϊτῶν Ἀτταλίας, ἵνα ὁ μὲν στρατηγὸς εὐτρεπίσῃ χελάνδια δύο ἀπὸ τῶν οὐσιῶν τῶν τουρμαρχῶν, ὁ δὲ κατεπάνω τῶν Μαρδαϊτῶν εὐτρεπίσῃ γαλαίας, καὶ διὰ Μαρτίου μηνὸς ἀποστείλωσι αὐτὰ εἰς Συρίαν, ἵνα περὶ πάντων τῶν ἐκεῖσε μελετωμένων καὶ πραττομένων ἐνέγκωσιν ἀπόκρισιν καὶ ἀληθὲς μανδάτον. aulae byzantinae (Bonn 1829), 660, 7 12: ἰστέον, ὅτι ἐδέξατο ὅ τε Κιβυρραιώτης καὶ ὁ κατεπάνω τῶν Μαρδαϊτῶν Ἀτταλίας καὶ ὁ Λέων τοῦ Συμβατίκη, ἵνα ἔχωσιν ἀσφάλειαν καὶ ἀκρίβειαν, καὶ μὴ παραχωρῶσίν τινα τῶν ἀγνωρίστων πρὸς Συρίαν ἀπελθεῖν, καὶ δι αὐτῶν ἀποκομισθῆναι εἰς Συρίας τὰ ἀπὸ Ῥωμανίας μανδάτα. aulae byzantinae (Bonn 1829), 662, 16 17: οἱ ναύκληροι τῶν γαλεῶν ἀνά: δ, ὁ λαὸς τῶν γαλεῶν, ἤτοι οἱ Μαρδαΐται, ἀνά: γ. aulae byzantinae (Bonn 1829), 665, 19 21: Δημιουργήθηκε στις 27/9/2017 Σελίδα 7/8
ἀπὸ τῶν Μαρδαϊτῶν τῶν τῆς Δύσεως θεμάτων, Νικοπόλεως, Πελοποννήσου, Κεφαλληνίας ἄνδρες, γ. Συνεχιστές Θεοφάνους, in Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus (Bonn 1838), 304, 23 305, 3: Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς τὸ λεῖπον τῆς στρατείας ἀπὸ τῶν κατὰ Πελοπόννησον στρατιωτῶν καὶ Μαρδαϊτῶν ἀναπληρώσας, καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν συνεργὸν προσλαβόμενος, πρὸς ἐπίθεσιν εὐτρεπίζεται. Συνεχιστές Θεοφάνους, in Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus (Bonn 1838), 311, 23 305, 3: διαπιστοῦντος δ οὖν ὅμως αὐτοῦ, μετὰ δεκάτην ἡμέραν τινὲς τῶν διαδράντων τὸν ὄλεθρον, ἀπὸ τῶν κατὰ Πελοπόννησον Μαρδαϊτῶν καὶ Ταξάτων τυγχάνοντες, αὐτάγγελοι τῶν ὀλεθρίων διηγημάτων γεγόνασιν. Χρονολόγιο 638: The Arabs conquer Syria and subdue the Mardaïtes mid 660s: The Mardaïtes revolt against the Arabs c. 677: Encouraged by the Byzantines, the Mardaïtes occupy the mountains of Syria and Lebanon and launch raids against the Arabs in the region 678: Peace treaty between the Byzantines and the Arabs. Temporary ceasing of the Mardaïte raids 688: New revolt of the Mardaïtes against the Arabs. According to the new peace treaty, 12,000 Mardaïtes have to abandon Syria and resettle in southeast Asia Minor 708: The rest of the Mardaïtes of Syria are permanently subdued to the Arabs 9 th century: Part of the Mardaïtes settles in the Peloponnese, western mainland Greece and the Ionian islands 10 th century: Last evidence about the participation of Mardaïtes in Byzantine campaigns Δημιουργήθηκε στις 27/9/2017 Σελίδα 8/8