The Byzantine Defensive System on the Balkan Border (End of 10th- End of 11th Century) New Findings from the Systematic Review of the Narrative Sources and the Seal Findings

The article offers a detailed overview of the defense system that the Byzantines established along their Balkan borders in order to repulse attacks by Tsar Samuel and his successors. The time period under discussion extends from the reign of Basil II until the end of the XIth century and includes arguments for structural changes. Such an undertaking would have been nearly impossible without the recovery of seals during the past decades since the literary sources off er only limited information. But now we can off er new insights. We lay special emphasis on the date when the important military commands were established (or re-established) under a strategos, then a katepano or doux, and when new themes under a strategos, those not yet present in the Taktikon Escorial - were organized.