Home Region:  Anatolia-Caucasus (Southwest Asia)

Byzantine Empire II

867 CE 1072 CE

D G SC WF HS CC PT EQ 2020  tr_byzantine_emp_2 / TrByzM2

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Preceding Entity: Add one more here.
632 CE 866 CE Byzantine Empire I (tr_byzantine_emp_1)    [continuity]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.
1073 CE 1204 CE Byzantine Empire III (tr_byzantine_emp_3)    [continuity]

The phase of the Byzantine Empire from 867-1072 CE is commonly known as the Macedonian Dynasty (867-1056 CE), which the dates approximate. The Byzantine culture of the period was a military and aristocratic one with palaces serving "not only as imperial residences but also as administrative centres. They were placed prominently in the centre of cities and surpassed all other public buildings in scale and ostentation." [1]
In the previous period the Byzantines responded to the Arab conquests with the creation of themes, whose local commander governors could raise taxes, that enabled the Byzantine elites and their thematic armies to respond more rapidly to external threats with the result of less centralized control. In this era the powers of the themes were drawn back: the number of officials within the thematic administrations increased and by the end of the period the strategos, military governor, was replaced by a krites (judge). [2] In the early eleventh century Basil II brought in a professional army directed from Constantinople called the tagmata, which lead to the disappearance of the thematic armies. [3]
The professional Byzantine civil service and palace staff was "relatively small, and mostly composed of humble clerks or custodians", although there were some very rich bureaucrats and dignitaries. [4] In the 10th CE the most important official was the Grand Chamberlain, who worked in the Great Palace, and was especially influential during periods of regency or when the Emperor was on military campaign. [5]
A significant codification of Byzantine law occurred in this period when Leo VI (886-912 CE) in six volumes and sixty books (variously called the Exavivlos or the Vasilika (Basilika)) presented in the Greek language "virtually all the laws in the Justinian Corpus, arranged here (as it had not been before) in a systematic manner." [6] A resurgence of literature began, in the early ninth CE, after the Iconoclasm had motivated copying and reading of religious literature. Intellectuals began to receive government positions under "iconoclast emperors". Emperor Theophilus founded Magnaura Palace school, "the empire’s first known public school since the reign of Heraclius." [7]
The peak of Byzantine military power and international prestige was under Emperor Basil II who conquered the Bulgarian Empire and continued Byzantine expansion into Syria and Armenia. [8]

[1]: (Bakirtzis 2008, 374) E Jeffreys. J Haldon. R Cormack. eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[2]: (Cheynet 2008, 522) E Jeffreys. J Haldon. R Cormack. eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[3]: (Cheynet 2008, 521) E Jeffreys. J Haldon. R Cormack. eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[4]: (Treadgold 1997, 552) Warren Treadgold. 1997. A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford University Press. Stanford.

[5]: (Treadgold 1997, 550) Warren Treadgold. 1997. A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford University Press. Stanford.

[6]: (Gregory 2010, 253-254) Timothy E Gregory. 2010. A History of Byzantium. Second Edition. Wiley-Blackwell. Chichester.

[7]: (Treadgold 1997, 559-561) Warren Treadgold. 1997. A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford University Press. Stanford.

[8]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Johannes Preiser-Kapeller. Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences

General Variables
Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale
Hierarchical Complexity
Professions
Bureaucracy Characteristics
Law
Specialized Buildings: polity owned
Transport Infrastructure
Special-purpose Sites
Information / Writing System
Information / Kinds of Written Documents
Information / Money
Information / Postal System
Information / Measurement System
Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)
Luxury Goods
Religion Variables Coding in Progress.
Human Sacrifice Coding in Progress.
Crisis Consequences Coding in Progress.
Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range Byzantine Empire II (tr_byzantine_emp_2) was in:
 (867 CE 961 CE)   Konya Plain
 (961 CE 1072 CE)   Crete     Konya Plain
Home NGA: Konya Plain

General Variables
Identity and Location
Utm Zone:
35 T
[867, 1072]

Original Name:
Bzyantine Empire II
[867, 1072]

Capital:
Constantinople
[867, 1072]

By 395 CE capital of Eastern Roman Empire. [1]

[1]: (Davidson 2011, 76) Davidson, P. 2011. Atlas of Empires. New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd. London.


Alternative Name:
Eastern Roman Empire
[867, 1072]

"THE MACEDONIANS: BASIL I ΤΟ BASIL II (867-1025)" [1] Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων (Greek) - Basileia ton Rhomaion (“Empire of the Romans”). "The Macedonians" is not an official name of the polity, only the name of a dynasty. [2] Macedonian Dynasty. [3]

[1]: (Holmes 2008, 266) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[2]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

[3]: (Gregory 2010, 242) Gregory, Timothy E. 2010. A History of Byzantium. Second Edition. Wiley-Blackwell. Chichester.

Alternative Name:
Byzantium
[867, 1072]

"THE MACEDONIANS: BASIL I ΤΟ BASIL II (867-1025)" [1] Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων (Greek) - Basileia ton Rhomaion (“Empire of the Romans”). "The Macedonians" is not an official name of the polity, only the name of a dynasty. [2] Macedonian Dynasty. [3]

[1]: (Holmes 2008, 266) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[2]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

[3]: (Gregory 2010, 242) Gregory, Timothy E. 2010. A History of Byzantium. Second Edition. Wiley-Blackwell. Chichester.

Alternative Name:
The Macedonians
[867, 1072]

"THE MACEDONIANS: BASIL I ΤΟ BASIL II (867-1025)" [1] Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων (Greek) - Basileia ton Rhomaion (“Empire of the Romans”). "The Macedonians" is not an official name of the polity, only the name of a dynasty. [2] Macedonian Dynasty. [3]

[1]: (Holmes 2008, 266) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[2]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

[3]: (Gregory 2010, 242) Gregory, Timothy E. 2010. A History of Byzantium. Second Edition. Wiley-Blackwell. Chichester.

Alternative Name:
Empire of the Romans
[867, 1072]

"THE MACEDONIANS: BASIL I ΤΟ BASIL II (867-1025)" [1] Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων (Greek) - Basileia ton Rhomaion (“Empire of the Romans”). "The Macedonians" is not an official name of the polity, only the name of a dynasty. [2] Macedonian Dynasty. [3]

[1]: (Holmes 2008, 266) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[2]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

[3]: (Gregory 2010, 242) Gregory, Timothy E. 2010. A History of Byzantium. Second Edition. Wiley-Blackwell. Chichester.

Alternative Name:
Macedonian Dynasty
[867, 1072]

"THE MACEDONIANS: BASIL I ΤΟ BASIL II (867-1025)" [1] Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων (Greek) - Basileia ton Rhomaion (“Empire of the Romans”). "The Macedonians" is not an official name of the polity, only the name of a dynasty. [2] Macedonian Dynasty. [3]

[1]: (Holmes 2008, 266) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[2]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

[3]: (Gregory 2010, 242) Gregory, Timothy E. 2010. A History of Byzantium. Second Edition. Wiley-Blackwell. Chichester.

Alternative Name:
Basileia ton Rhomaion
[867, 1072]

"THE MACEDONIANS: BASIL I ΤΟ BASIL II (867-1025)" [1] Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων (Greek) - Basileia ton Rhomaion (“Empire of the Romans”). "The Macedonians" is not an official name of the polity, only the name of a dynasty. [2] Macedonian Dynasty. [3]

[1]: (Holmes 2008, 266) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[2]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

[3]: (Gregory 2010, 242) Gregory, Timothy E. 2010. A History of Byzantium. Second Edition. Wiley-Blackwell. Chichester.

Alternative Name:
Middle Byzantine Empire II
[867, 1072]

"THE MACEDONIANS: BASIL I ΤΟ BASIL II (867-1025)" [1] Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων (Greek) - Basileia ton Rhomaion (“Empire of the Romans”). "The Macedonians" is not an official name of the polity, only the name of a dynasty. [2] Macedonian Dynasty. [3]

[1]: (Holmes 2008, 266) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[2]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

[3]: (Gregory 2010, 242) Gregory, Timothy E. 2010. A History of Byzantium. Second Edition. Wiley-Blackwell. Chichester.


Temporal Bounds
Peak Years:
1025 CE
 

"When Basil II died in 1025 the Byzantine Empire’s frontiers extended from the Danube to the Euphrates. Byzantium’s only serious rivals were the Fatimids and Ottonians. But within fifty years Byzantium had collapsed." [1]
Peak of military power and international prestige under Emperor Basil II (conquest of Bulgarian Empire, continuation of expansion towards Syria and Armenia). [2]

[1]: (Holmes 2008, 271) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[2]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences


Duration:
[867 CE ➜ 1072 CE]
 

Basil I (r.867-886 CE) - Romanus IV Diogenes (r.1068-1071 CE) and Michael VII Ducas (r.1071-1078 CE). [1]
867 CE: "Dynastic change to the so-called Macedonian Emperors, beginning of a period of renewed expansion and increasing societal complexity". [2]

[1]: (Haussig 1971, Chronological Table) Haussig, H W.trans Hussey, J M. 1971. History of Byzantine Civilization. Thames and Hudson.

[2]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences


Political and Cultural Relations
Suprapolity Relations:
alliance with [---]
[867, 1072]

"Emperors from the time of Basil II found it cheaper to call upon allies and dependents, such as Venice, to supply warships, than to pay for an expensive standing fleet at Constantinople." [1]
From 11th CE "Byzantium had to depend more than before on its alliances with foreign peoples". [2]

[1]: (Haldon 2008, 560) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[2]: (Gregory 2010, 281) Gregory, Timothy E. 2010. A History of Byzantium. Wiley-Blackweel. Chichester.


Supracultural Entity:
Christianity
[867, 1072]

"The Byzantine Empire recognized neither the western Frankish Empire nor the Bulgarian Emperor. It spoke of the archontes Boulgaron, the princes of the Bulgars, and the reges Francias, the kings of Francia. The Byzantine Empire never gave up its claims to universal rule. It claimed to be at the apex of the family of kings; it was the father, they were the sons. ... It was only with the Arab rulers that there had long been some recognition of equality, and also with the Persian kings, which was reflected in the title of ’brother’ used in official documents." [1]

[1]: (Haussig 1971, 201) Haussig, H W.trans Hussey, J M. 1971. History of Byzantine Civilization. Thames and Hudson.


Succeeding Entity:
Byzantine Empire III
[867, 1072]

Scale of Supracultural Interaction:
[15,000,000 to 20,000,000] km2
[867, 1072]

km squared. To the East, Christianity extended not only into the Middle East, but also as far as Central Asia, India and China. Westernmost reach was Ireland. In Africa present as far south as Ethiopia. [1] During this period in the Middle East, partly in response to Byzantine military campaigns, conditions became less conducive for non-Muslims living under Islam. In 923 CE "a year-long wave of persecutions by Muslims against Christians swept through the Middle East. Atrocities were committed in Egypt, Syria and Palestine; in Ascalon, Caesarea and Jerusalem churches were destroyed." [2]

[1]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

[2]: (Haag 2012) Haag, M. 2012. The Tragedy of the Templars: The Rise and Fall of the Crusader States. Profile Books.


Relationship to Preceding Entity:
continuity
[867, 1072]

Preceding Entity:
632 CE 866 CE Byzantine Empire I (tr_byzantine_emp_1)    [continuity]  
 
Succeeding Entity:
1073 CE 1204 CE Byzantine Empire III (tr_byzantine_emp_3)    [continuity]  
 

Degree of Centralization:
unitary state
[867, 1072]



Language
Linguistic Family:
Indo-European
[867, 1072]

Language:
Greek
[867, 1072]

"In some of the central authorities Greek had established itself as the language of the chancery since the beginning of the fourth century, in contrast to the army, which retained Latin as the official military language until the beginning of the seventh century. Other imperial authorities, above all the ministry of justice, kept to the Latin language until the beginning of the seventh century." [1] Heraclius (r.610-641 CE) made Greek the official language. [2] "Greek (spoken by the population as first language in southern Balkans and most of Anatolia, as second language Empire-wide) and Latin (spoken by part of the population as first language in the remaining possessions in Italy), Languages of minorities, migrants and deportees: Syriac, Armenian (in some eastern provinces of Anatolia, also as languages of liturgy and sacred literature), Slavonic (Balkans, deportees to Anatolia)." [3]

[1]: (Haussing 1971) Haussig, H W. trans Hussey, J M. 1971. History of Byzantine Civilization. Thames and Hudson.

[2]: (Davidson 2011, 76-77) Davidson, P. 2011. Atlas of Empires. New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd. London.

[3]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences)


Religion
Religion Genus:
Christianity
[867, 1072]

Religion Family:
Catholic
[867, 1072]
Religion Family:
Orthodox
[867, 1072]

Religion:
Roman Catholic
[867, 1072]
Religion:
Byzantine Orthodox
[867, 1072]

Alternate Religion:
Uncoded
[867, 1072]


Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale
Population of the Largest Settlement:
100,000 people
867 CE

Inhabitants.
Preiser-Kapeller [1]
Constantinople 100,000: 867CE; 200,000: 1000 CE
Chase-Dunn [2]
Constantinople 300,000: 900 CE; 300,000: 1000 CE
Modelski [3]
Constantinople 500,000: 900 CE; 600,000: 1000 CE Unrealistic, even beyond most estimates for the period before the Justinianic plague [4]

[1]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences)

[2]: (Chase-Dunn Spreadsheet)

[3]: (Modelski 2003, 49) Modelski, G. 2003. World Cities -3000 to 2000. FAROS 2000. Washington D.C.

[4]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

Population of the Largest Settlement:
100,000 people
900 CE

Inhabitants.
Preiser-Kapeller [1]
Constantinople 100,000: 867CE; 200,000: 1000 CE
Chase-Dunn [2]
Constantinople 300,000: 900 CE; 300,000: 1000 CE
Modelski [3]
Constantinople 500,000: 900 CE; 600,000: 1000 CE Unrealistic, even beyond most estimates for the period before the Justinianic plague [4]

[1]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences)

[2]: (Chase-Dunn Spreadsheet)

[3]: (Modelski 2003, 49) Modelski, G. 2003. World Cities -3000 to 2000. FAROS 2000. Washington D.C.

[4]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

Population of the Largest Settlement:
300,000 people
900 CE

Inhabitants.
Preiser-Kapeller [1]
Constantinople 100,000: 867CE; 200,000: 1000 CE
Chase-Dunn [2]
Constantinople 300,000: 900 CE; 300,000: 1000 CE
Modelski [3]
Constantinople 500,000: 900 CE; 600,000: 1000 CE Unrealistic, even beyond most estimates for the period before the Justinianic plague [4]

[1]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences)

[2]: (Chase-Dunn Spreadsheet)

[3]: (Modelski 2003, 49) Modelski, G. 2003. World Cities -3000 to 2000. FAROS 2000. Washington D.C.

[4]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

Population of the Largest Settlement:
200,000 people
1000 CE

Inhabitants.
Preiser-Kapeller [1]
Constantinople 100,000: 867CE; 200,000: 1000 CE
Chase-Dunn [2]
Constantinople 300,000: 900 CE; 300,000: 1000 CE
Modelski [3]
Constantinople 500,000: 900 CE; 600,000: 1000 CE Unrealistic, even beyond most estimates for the period before the Justinianic plague [4]

[1]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences)

[2]: (Chase-Dunn Spreadsheet)

[3]: (Modelski 2003, 49) Modelski, G. 2003. World Cities -3000 to 2000. FAROS 2000. Washington D.C.

[4]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

Population of the Largest Settlement:
300,000 people
1000 CE

Inhabitants.
Preiser-Kapeller [1]
Constantinople 100,000: 867CE; 200,000: 1000 CE
Chase-Dunn [2]
Constantinople 300,000: 900 CE; 300,000: 1000 CE
Modelski [3]
Constantinople 500,000: 900 CE; 600,000: 1000 CE Unrealistic, even beyond most estimates for the period before the Justinianic plague [4]

[1]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences)

[2]: (Chase-Dunn Spreadsheet)

[3]: (Modelski 2003, 49) Modelski, G. 2003. World Cities -3000 to 2000. FAROS 2000. Washington D.C.

[4]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.


Polity Territory:
520,000 km2
867 CE

in squared kilometers
963-969 CE: "The reign of Nicephorus II marked the beginning of an expansion that went beyond defensive needs." [1]
Chase-Dunn
760,000: 880 CE; 750,000: 900 CE; 795,000: 920 CE; 841,000: 940 CE; 864,000: 950 CE; 886,000: 960 CE; 932,000: 980 CE; 1,000,000: 1000 CE; 1,233,000: 1020 CE; 1,229,000: 1040 CE; 1,107,000: 1050 CE; 986,000: 1060 CE [2] Estimates seem much too high for me, maybe relying on unrealistic assumption on the extent of Byzantine power in the Balkans etc. I have tried to circumscribe the Byzantine borders at a specific time for a specific region as exact as possible. [3]
Preiser-Kapeller [4]
520,000: 867 CE - loss of Sicily and Crete to the Arabs, regain of territories in Greece.
610,000: 900 CE - gain of territories on the Balkans and at the Eastern Frontier.
810,000: 1000 CE - conquest of Crete, Cyprus, Cilicia and Northern Syria as well as annexation of parts of Armenia and Bulgaria
1,150,000: 1050 CE - peak of territorial extension due to annexation of Bulgaria and most parts of Armenia
"610,000 in 900 CE; 810,000 in 1000 CE." Calculated using a GIS software by Alessio Palmisano. [5]

[1]: (Treadgold 1997, 535) Treadgold, Warren. 1997. A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford University Press. Stanford.

[2]: (Chase-Dunn Spreadsheet)

[3]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

[4]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences

[5]: (Palmisano, Alessio. Personal Communication to Jill Levine, Dan Hoyer, and Peter Turchin. April 2020. Email)

Polity Territory:
610,000 km2
900 CE

in squared kilometers
963-969 CE: "The reign of Nicephorus II marked the beginning of an expansion that went beyond defensive needs." [1]
Chase-Dunn
760,000: 880 CE; 750,000: 900 CE; 795,000: 920 CE; 841,000: 940 CE; 864,000: 950 CE; 886,000: 960 CE; 932,000: 980 CE; 1,000,000: 1000 CE; 1,233,000: 1020 CE; 1,229,000: 1040 CE; 1,107,000: 1050 CE; 986,000: 1060 CE [2] Estimates seem much too high for me, maybe relying on unrealistic assumption on the extent of Byzantine power in the Balkans etc. I have tried to circumscribe the Byzantine borders at a specific time for a specific region as exact as possible. [3]
Preiser-Kapeller [4]
520,000: 867 CE - loss of Sicily and Crete to the Arabs, regain of territories in Greece.
610,000: 900 CE - gain of territories on the Balkans and at the Eastern Frontier.
810,000: 1000 CE - conquest of Crete, Cyprus, Cilicia and Northern Syria as well as annexation of parts of Armenia and Bulgaria
1,150,000: 1050 CE - peak of territorial extension due to annexation of Bulgaria and most parts of Armenia
"610,000 in 900 CE; 810,000 in 1000 CE." Calculated using a GIS software by Alessio Palmisano. [5]

[1]: (Treadgold 1997, 535) Treadgold, Warren. 1997. A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford University Press. Stanford.

[2]: (Chase-Dunn Spreadsheet)

[3]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

[4]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences

[5]: (Palmisano, Alessio. Personal Communication to Jill Levine, Dan Hoyer, and Peter Turchin. April 2020. Email)

Polity Territory:
810,000 km2
1000 CE

in squared kilometers
963-969 CE: "The reign of Nicephorus II marked the beginning of an expansion that went beyond defensive needs." [1]
Chase-Dunn
760,000: 880 CE; 750,000: 900 CE; 795,000: 920 CE; 841,000: 940 CE; 864,000: 950 CE; 886,000: 960 CE; 932,000: 980 CE; 1,000,000: 1000 CE; 1,233,000: 1020 CE; 1,229,000: 1040 CE; 1,107,000: 1050 CE; 986,000: 1060 CE [2] Estimates seem much too high for me, maybe relying on unrealistic assumption on the extent of Byzantine power in the Balkans etc. I have tried to circumscribe the Byzantine borders at a specific time for a specific region as exact as possible. [3]
Preiser-Kapeller [4]
520,000: 867 CE - loss of Sicily and Crete to the Arabs, regain of territories in Greece.
610,000: 900 CE - gain of territories on the Balkans and at the Eastern Frontier.
810,000: 1000 CE - conquest of Crete, Cyprus, Cilicia and Northern Syria as well as annexation of parts of Armenia and Bulgaria
1,150,000: 1050 CE - peak of territorial extension due to annexation of Bulgaria and most parts of Armenia
"610,000 in 900 CE; 810,000 in 1000 CE." Calculated using a GIS software by Alessio Palmisano. [5]

[1]: (Treadgold 1997, 535) Treadgold, Warren. 1997. A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford University Press. Stanford.

[2]: (Chase-Dunn Spreadsheet)

[3]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

[4]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences

[5]: (Palmisano, Alessio. Personal Communication to Jill Levine, Dan Hoyer, and Peter Turchin. April 2020. Email)

Polity Territory:
1,150,000 km2
1050 CE

in squared kilometers
963-969 CE: "The reign of Nicephorus II marked the beginning of an expansion that went beyond defensive needs." [1]
Chase-Dunn
760,000: 880 CE; 750,000: 900 CE; 795,000: 920 CE; 841,000: 940 CE; 864,000: 950 CE; 886,000: 960 CE; 932,000: 980 CE; 1,000,000: 1000 CE; 1,233,000: 1020 CE; 1,229,000: 1040 CE; 1,107,000: 1050 CE; 986,000: 1060 CE [2] Estimates seem much too high for me, maybe relying on unrealistic assumption on the extent of Byzantine power in the Balkans etc. I have tried to circumscribe the Byzantine borders at a specific time for a specific region as exact as possible. [3]
Preiser-Kapeller [4]
520,000: 867 CE - loss of Sicily and Crete to the Arabs, regain of territories in Greece.
610,000: 900 CE - gain of territories on the Balkans and at the Eastern Frontier.
810,000: 1000 CE - conquest of Crete, Cyprus, Cilicia and Northern Syria as well as annexation of parts of Armenia and Bulgaria
1,150,000: 1050 CE - peak of territorial extension due to annexation of Bulgaria and most parts of Armenia
"610,000 in 900 CE; 810,000 in 1000 CE." Calculated using a GIS software by Alessio Palmisano. [5]

[1]: (Treadgold 1997, 535) Treadgold, Warren. 1997. A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford University Press. Stanford.

[2]: (Chase-Dunn Spreadsheet)

[3]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

[4]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences

[5]: (Palmisano, Alessio. Personal Communication to Jill Levine, Dan Hoyer, and Peter Turchin. April 2020. Email)


Polity Population:
[7,500,000 to 8,500,000] people
900 CE

People.
Preiser-Kapeller [1] "My estimates may be more conservative than others." [2]
5,500,000: 867 CE
7,300,00: 900 CE
10,000,000: 1000 CE
13,000,000: 1050 CE
12,000,000: 1025 CE. [3]
"Between 850 and 1000 there is evidence for the regression of woodland in favour of arable land, an indication of a growing population (Dunn 1992: 242-8; Lefort 2002: 269)." [4]
"... around 1025, although the empire occupied more or less the same amount of territory as in 750, it was more densely populated (at c.20 inhabitants per km2) and all in all more populous at roughly 18 million (between 10 and 18 million—Koder 1984/2001: 153; 19 million around 1025—Laiou 2002: 50-1; 18 million around 1050—Stein 1949-51:154)." [4]
Estimates based on McEvedy and Jones (1978). [5]
900 CE
Greece 1m, Anatolia 6.5m, southern Crimea ?m, small part of southern Italy m?.
950 CE
Small part of Greece 0.5m and southern Italy ?m, Anatolia 6.75m, southern Crimea ?m.
1000 CE
Greece 1m, Anatolia 7m, small part of southern Italy ?m.
1050 CE
Greece and Balkans 2m, Anatolia 7m, small part of southern Italy ?m.
According to Stein, Byzantine Empire (1951) Mid-11th Century time of Comneni: 10-12m. [6]

[1]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences)

[2]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

[3]: (Treadgold 1997, 570) Treadgold, Warren. 1997. A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford University Press. Stanford.

[4]: (Stathakopoulos 2008, 312) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[5]: (McEvedy and Jones 1978) McEvedy, C. Jones, R. 1978. Atlas of World Population History. Allen Lane. London.

[6]: (Russell 1958) Russell, J C (1958) Late and Medieval Population. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society. New Series. Vol 48. No 3. pp. 1-152 citing Stein, E. 1949-1951. Introduction a l’histoire et aux institutions byzantines, Traditio 7: 154

Polity Population:
[10,000,000 to 14,000,000] people
1000 CE

People.
Preiser-Kapeller [1] "My estimates may be more conservative than others." [2]
5,500,000: 867 CE
7,300,00: 900 CE
10,000,000: 1000 CE
13,000,000: 1050 CE
12,000,000: 1025 CE. [3]
"Between 850 and 1000 there is evidence for the regression of woodland in favour of arable land, an indication of a growing population (Dunn 1992: 242-8; Lefort 2002: 269)." [4]
"... around 1025, although the empire occupied more or less the same amount of territory as in 750, it was more densely populated (at c.20 inhabitants per km2) and all in all more populous at roughly 18 million (between 10 and 18 million—Koder 1984/2001: 153; 19 million around 1025—Laiou 2002: 50-1; 18 million around 1050—Stein 1949-51:154)." [4]
Estimates based on McEvedy and Jones (1978). [5]
900 CE
Greece 1m, Anatolia 6.5m, southern Crimea ?m, small part of southern Italy m?.
950 CE
Small part of Greece 0.5m and southern Italy ?m, Anatolia 6.75m, southern Crimea ?m.
1000 CE
Greece 1m, Anatolia 7m, small part of southern Italy ?m.
1050 CE
Greece and Balkans 2m, Anatolia 7m, small part of southern Italy ?m.
According to Stein, Byzantine Empire (1951) Mid-11th Century time of Comneni: 10-12m. [6]

[1]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences)

[2]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Personal Communication.

[3]: (Treadgold 1997, 570) Treadgold, Warren. 1997. A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford University Press. Stanford.

[4]: (Stathakopoulos 2008, 312) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[5]: (McEvedy and Jones 1978) McEvedy, C. Jones, R. 1978. Atlas of World Population History. Allen Lane. London.

[6]: (Russell 1958) Russell, J C (1958) Late and Medieval Population. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society. New Series. Vol 48. No 3. pp. 1-152 citing Stein, E. 1949-1951. Introduction a l’histoire et aux institutions byzantines, Traditio 7: 154


Hierarchical Complexity
Settlement Hierarchy:
6
[867, 1072]

levels.
1. Capital
2. Capital of a province3. City in a province4. Town in a province5. Chorion - village community.6. Agridia - Hamlet ?. Farmstead
"Unlike the West, it did not originate as an independent peasant community with common meadowland and distribution of arable land, but was a taxable unit whose boundaries were defined by the fisc. The Byzantine rural community was only an economic unit in so far as this served the purpose of taxation. Membership of the village community resulted from inscription on the tax list. It was this principle which determined other forms of peasant settlements, individual farmsteads and hamlets. In Byzantine rural economy the most important role was played by the typical village settlement in which the farmsteads formed a close nucleus round which the arable land of the peasants was grouped. The Byzantines called this kind of settlement a chorion. In addition there were also individual farms situated in the middle of an agricultural estate. These were called ktesidia and for purposes of taxation were linked with the nearest village settlement as a taxable unit. The so-called hamlets (agridia), consisting of a widely distributed group of houses and farms, were treated in the same way." [1]
Mainly Greek terminology, vaild for later period (9th cent. onwards) [2]

[1]: (Haussig 1971, 174) Haussig, H W.trans Hussey, J M. 1971. History of Byzantine Civilization. Thames and Hudson.

[2]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015, Personal Communication)


Religious Level:
7
[867, 1072]

Note on Byzantine monks: "Monks took a leading role not only in determining theology but in shaping a whole view of Christian life that had lasting effects on the Byzantine church." [1] Early 10th CE in Constantinople the church hierarchy "was dominated by monks" who "tended to enjoy the greatest spiritual authority, first for their opposition to Iconoclasm and later for their personal sanctity". Their influence increased with the formation of large monasteries such as Theodore’s Monastery of Studius, in Constantinople, and those of Mount Olympus in Bithynia, Mount Latrus (near Ephesus) and Mount Athos (near Thessalonica). "Monks on mountains were far enough from the world to escape many of its distractions, but close enough to influence it." [2]
1. Pope
Pope is primus inter pares among the five patriarchs. [3]
1. Patriarch of Constantinople
"Patriarchs were elected by the standing synod in Constantinople, which presented three names to the emperor. He was entitled to choose one of these, or, if unable to accept any of the candidates, to choose the new patriarch himself." [4] Five Patriarchs (Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem).
2. Metropolitans and archbishops"the term ’bishop’ applies to patriarchs, metropolitans, archbishops, and bishops (both suffragan and assistant bishops or chorepiskopoi) throughout the Byzantine period. After the ’ecumenical’ patriarch of Constantinople, who after the seventh century occupied the only remaining patriarchal seat under Byzantine rule, metropolitans held the second highest rank in the Orthodox Church." [4]
"The title ’archbishop’ emerged in special cases, for example in important cities such as Athens which did not possess a metropolitan." [4]
3. Bishops and ChorepiskopoiBishops and Chorepiskopoi form one rank below the metropolitans and archbishops [3]
"Chorepiskopoi (literally ’country bishops’) were assigned to rural communities and were subject to a bishop in a nearby city." [4]
"After the fourth century, the powers and functions of chorepiskopoi were gradually restricted and they were allowed only to ordain clerics of the lower orders. After the second Council of Nicaea (787) which prohibited them from ordaining even readers (anagnostai) without episcopal assent (canon 14), this separate episcopal rank began to disappear (Jugie 1904)." [4]
3. Priest"In the early Church, priests or presbyters served as advisers, teachers, and ministers who assisted the bishops to whom they were assigned." [4]
4. Deacon"Deacon (diakonos, ’servant’)" [5]
"Deacons assisted the priest or bishop at the Divine Liturgy, baptisms, and other sacraments. ... Various administrative and pastoral jobs were delegated to deacons from an early period; they helped bishops to dispense charity to the community, manage the diocese’s finances and property, and to deal with other official business (Laodikeia, canons 21, 23, 25). Deacons were subject to the authority of both bishops and priests, but they came to exercise considerable power, especially in the patriarchate of Constantinople." [6]
4. Deaconess (diakonissa)Become more and more rare, would be of equal rank as deacon. [3]
"The deaconess’s chief liturgical role was to assist at the baptisms of women; she also acted as a mediator between women parishioners and their bishops, kept order among female members of the congregation, and ministered especially to women." [6]
5. Subdeacon"The rank of subdeacon provided a stepping-stone to that of deacon; its duties were similar to those of the deacon." [7]
6. Reader (anagnostesj"A reader is a member of the lower clergy with the responsibility of reading, usually from the ambo, passages from the Epistles and the Old Testament prescribed for offices and the Divine Liturgy." [7]
7. Minor orders"Other members of the minor clerical orders included doorkeepers, exorcists, cantors, and widows. All of these officials helped in either liturgical, administrative, or pastoral functions. Most would have received payment from their dioceses, or, in the case of private foundations, from their donors, but it is likely that most would have been engaged in secular professions in order to supplement their incomes." [7]

[1]: (Treadgold 1997, 555) Treadgold, Warren. 1997. A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford University Press. Stanford.

[2]: (Treadgold 1997, 554-555) Treadgold, Warren. 1997. A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford University Press. Stanford.

[3]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015, Personal Communication)

[4]: (Cunningham 2008, 529) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[5]: (Cunningham 2008, 530) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[6]: (Cunningham 2008, 531) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[7]: (Cunningham 2008, 532) Jeffreys E, Haldon J and Cormack R eds. 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. Oxford.


Military Level:
[8 to 9]
[867, 1072]

levels.
11th CE + ? "the strategos, commander of the thematic armies, essentially disappeared, replaced by the provincial governor (normally the kritis) who had previously been his subordinate." [1]
Cheynet
"The reign of Basil II marked a real turning point in the transformation of the Byzantine administrative system and ruling classes, for it confirmed earlier developments and served as an obligatory point of reference for his successors. He sanctioned in a definitive manner the changeover to the professional army of the tagmata, thus ensuring the eventual disappearance of the thematic armies and the formation of a new hierarchy within the themes." [2]
Preiser-Kapeller [3]
1. Emperor
2. Domestikos of the Scholai3. Commanders of larger frontier commands (Dux, Katepanos)4. Strategoi of the themata5. Comanders of single units6. Commanders of subunits 100
6. Banda of 200 men each
’Leo never divided the banda of two hundred men each, but he ceased to use drungi of a thousand men, creasing more turmae