Dyrrhachium (theme)

The Theme of Dyrrhachium ( Medieval Greek: θέμα Δυρραχίου; ), also referred to at the time as provintia Dirrachii et Arbani, was a Byzantine military-civilian province ( theme). It encompassed the Adriatic coastal regions of what is now Albania, among other areas.

Established in the 9th century and named after its capital, Dyrrhachium (modern-day Durrës), the theme was dissolved in 1205 following the fall of Constantinople to the Fourth Crusade. The former capital would subsequently come under Venetian control, leading to the establishment of the short-lived Duchy of Durazzo.

History

Establishement

The exact date of the theme's establishment is unclear; a '' strategos'' of Dyrrhachium is attested in the '' Taktikon Uspensky'' of , but several seals of ''strategoi'' dating from the previous decades survive. J.B. Bury proposed its creation alongside the themes of the Peloponnese and Cephallenia in the early 9th century, with the historian Jadran Ferluga putting the date of its establishment in the reign of Emperor Nikephoros I ()... Its boundaries are not very clear. To the north, it abutted the Theme of Dalmatia and the Serbian principality of Duklja, and the Theme of Nicopolis to the south. The theme covered the coast in between, but how far inland it extended is uncertain: according to Konstantin Jireček, it reached as far as Drivast (modern Drisht) and Pulati in the north, and Bellegrada (modern Berat) in the centre, and bordered the lands of the Upper Devoll and Ohrid in the south. During the Byzantine–Bulgarian wars of the late 10th and early 11th centuries, the city seems to have been autonomous or at times under Bulgarian suzerainty.

11th to 12th century

From the mid-11th century on, its governor held the title of '' doux'' or '' katepano''. In 1040–1041, the troops of the theme, under their leader Tihomir, rebelled and joined the revolt of Peter Delyan.

During the late 11th and the 12th centuries, the city of Dyrrhachium and its province were of great importance to the Byzantine Empire. The city was the main point of entry for trade but also for invaders from Italy, and was ideally placed to control the actions of the Slavic rulers of the western Balkans. Thus the ''doux'' of Dyrrhachium became the senior-most Byzantine authority throughout the western Balkan provinces. Two successive governors, Nikephoros Bryennios the Elder and Nikephoros Basilakes, used this post as a launchpad for their imperial ambitions in the late 1070s. The region also played a crucial role in the Byzantine–Norman Wars, being occupied by the Normans in 1081–1084. After its recovery, Emperor Alexios I Komnenos entrusted the command of the theme to some of his closest relatives.

Around 1190, the Principality of Arbanon, centered in Krujë, was ruled by Progon, followed by his sons, Gjin and Dhimitër. Although it was virtually self-governing, the principality also remained dependent on the Byzantine Empire, as indicated by Progon’s title of ''archon''.
Due to its predominantly Albanian ethnic character, the theme was referred to in the Partitio Romaniae as ''provintia Dirrachii et Arbani'', highlighting two main centers of Albanian settlement within the empire: ''Arbanon-Raban'' and Devol. Other areas within or in close proximity of the theme, such as the coastal regions of Epirus, were also largely inhabited by Albanians. In addition, Albanians were the principal inhabitants of the mountainous regions above the eastern shore of Lake Shkodër, while the central regions of what is now modern Albania around the Devol river, were also predominantly inhabited by Albanians. Likewise, the region of ancient Dardania (modern Kosovo), accessible via the Drin river system, had strong Albanian presence during this period.

According to the same ''Partitio Romaniae'', the regions of Vagenetia and Glavinitsa, designated as ''chartoularaton'', were also part of the province of Dyrrhachium.

Sack of Constantinople and dissolution of the theme

The city magnates (''archontes'') retained considerable influence and autonomy of action throughout, and it was they who in 1205, after the sack of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade, surrendered the city to the Republic of Venice. Between July and August, the Venetian expedition en route to Constantinople, intended to install Doge Tommaso Morosini as Patriarch, took this opportunity and seized Dyrrachium. In addition to acquiring the dependencies of the city, Venice also gained control over other territories formerly part of the theme, specifically the regions of Glavinitsa and Vagenetia. However, the Venetians showed limited interest in maintaining control over these two territories, and by the end of the same year, they had fallen under the authority of the newly-established Despotate of Epirus, then ruled by Michael I Komnenos Doukas.

Arbanon, facing difficulties in the aftermath of Constantinople’s fall, chose to align itself with the Orthodox world and accepted suzerainty under Epirus, while at the same time preserving an alliance with Serbia. Under the rule of Dhimitër, Arbanon regarded Venice as its primarily threat.

Religion

During the existence of the theme, Dyrrhachium was also the main ecclesiastical center in the region. As attested by the Notitiae Episcopatuum and other sources, local episcopal sees in the province were grouped under jurisdiction of the Metropolitanate of Dyrrhachium, that belonged to the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Toward the end of the 12th century, the theme also experienced an increased Catholic influence, as the Church of Rome sought to expand its reach into the region of Albania, radiating from the archiepiscopal seat at Antivari.

Economy

Following the dissolution of the theme, Albania faced growing instability due to the rise of the Despotate of Epirus and the emergence of new Slavic powers in Bulgaria and Serbia. These developments had repercussions for the region. The major trans-Balkan trade routes crossing Albania, such as the Via Egnatia and the Via de Zenta, were disrupted by ongoing conflict. As a result, these routes lost their traditional role as conduits for eastern goods, triggering the decline of Epirote and Albanian ports, particularly Dyrrachium.

List of known governors

* Unnamed '' strategos'' of Dyrrhachium during Leo Choirosphaktes' embassy to Bulgaria (896/904)
* Leo Rhabdouchos, '' protospatharios'' and ''strategos'' of Dyrrhachium in 917
* Constantine, imperial '' spatharios'' and ''strategos'' of Dyrrhachium (8th/9th-century seal)
* Niketas Pegonites, '' patrikios'' and ''strategos'' of Dyrrhachium until 1018
* Eustathios Daphnomeles, ''strategos'' of Dyrrhachium from 1018
* Basil Synadenos, ''strategos'' of Dyrrhachium until
* Michael Dermokaites, ''strategos'' of Dyrrhachium from
* Michael, ''patrikios'' and ''katepano'' of Dyrrhachium
* Perenos, '' doux'' of Dyrrhachium
* Michael Maurex, '' vestarches'' and '' katepano'' of Dyrrhachium (seal dated to the 1060s/early 1070s)
* Nikephoros Bryennios the Elder, ''doux'' of Dyrrhachium in 1075–1077
* Nikephoros Basilakes, '' protoproedros'' and ''doux'' of Dyrrhachium in 1078
* George Monomachatos, ''doux'' of Dyrrhachium in 1078–1081
* George Palaiologos, 1081
* John Doukas, ''doux'' of Dyrrhachium in 1085–1092
* John Komnenos, '' sebastos'' and ''doux'' of Dyrrhachium in 1092–1106
* Alexios Komnenos, 1106 – after 1108
* Pirogordus yrrogeorgios? ''doux'' of Dyrrhachium early in the reign of John II Komnenos and George I of Duklja
* Alexios Kontostephanos, ''doux'' of Dyrrhachium in the second quarter of the 12th century, during the reign of John II Komnenos and George I of Duklja
* Alexios Bryennios, ''doux'' of Dyrrhachium and Ohrid, probably sometime between 1148 and 1156
* Alexios Doukas, mid-12th century
* Constantine Doukas,
* Unnamed ''doux'' of Dyrrhachium in 1203

References

Sources

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{{Byzantine themes in De Thematibus

History of Durrës
Themes of the Byzantine Empire
Albania under the Byzantine Empire
States and territories established in the 9th century
States and territories disestablished in the 13th century