Kommata () was a historical region and administrative unit of the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...

in southern

Galatia Galatia (; , ''Galatía'') was an ancient area in the highlands of central Anatolia, roughly corresponding to the provinces of Ankara and Eskişehir in modern Turkey. Galatia was named after the Gauls from Thrace (cf. Tylis), who settled here ...

(central

Anatolia Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...

), in modern

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

History

The origin of the name is unknown, but may refer to a locality, or fortress, somewhere south of

Ankara Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...

. it is first mentioned in 872, as being the target of a raid by the

Paulicians Paulicianism (Classical Armenian: Պաւղիկեաններ, ; , "The followers of Paul"; Arab sources: ''Baylakānī'', ''al Bayāliqa'' )Nersessian, Vrej (1998). The Tondrakian Movement: Religious Movements in the Armenian Church from the 4th ...

under

Chrysocheir Chrysocheir (), also known as Chrysocheres, Chrysocheris, or Chrysocheiros (Χρυσόχερης/Χρυσόχερις/Χρυσόχειρος), all meaning "goldhand", was the second and last leader of the Paulician principality of Tephrike from 8 ...

, shortly before they were defeated by the Byzantine army at the

Battle of Bathys Ryax The Battle of Bathys Ryax was fought in 872 or 878 between the Byzantine Empire and the Paulicians. The Paulicians were a Christian sect which—persecuted by the Byzantine state—had established a separate principality at Tephrike on Byzantium ...

. Emperor

Leo VI the Wise Leo VI, also known as Leo the Wise (; 19 September 866 – 11 May 912), was Byzantine Emperor from 886 to 912. The second ruler of the Macedonian dynasty (although his parentage is unclear), he was very well read, leading to his epithet. During ...

() created the ''

tourma A ''turma'' (; plural ''turmae''; ) was a cavalry unit in the Roman army of the Republic and Empire. In the Byzantine Empire, it became applied to the larger, regiment-sized military-administrative divisions of a '' thema''. The word is often tran ...

'' of Kommata out of four ''

banda Banda may refer to: People * Banda (surname) * Banda Prakash (born 1954), Indian politician * Banda Kanakalingeshwara Rao (1907–1968), Indian actor * Banda Karthika Reddy (born 1977), Indian politician *Banda Singh Bahadur (1670–1716), Sikh ...

'' of the

Bucellarian Theme The Bucellarian Theme (, ''Boukellarion thema''), more properly known as the Theme of the Bucellarians (, ''thema Boukellariōn'') was a Byzantine theme (a military-civilian province) in northern Asia Minor (modern Turkey). It was created around ...

(

Aspona Aspona () was an ancient city and bishopric in Galatia, in central Asia Minor. It corresponds to the modern settlement of Sarıhüyük (earlier Şedithüyük). History The settlement lies some 80 km southeast of the capital of Turkey, Ankar ...

, Akarkous, Bareta,Exact location unknown. . Balbadona) and three ''banda'' of the

Anatolic Theme The Anatolic Theme (, ''Anatolikon hema'), more properly known as the Theme of the Anatolics (Greek: , ''thema Anatolikōn''), was a Byzantine theme (a military-civilian province) in central Asia Minor (modern Turkey). From its establishment, it ...

(

Eudokias Eudocias () or Eudocia () was an ancient town in the Roman province of Pamphylia Secunda, in the neighbourhood of Termessus. According to William Smith's ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography'' (1854), the ''Synecdemus'' of Hierocles mentions ...

Hagios Agapetos ''Agios'' (), plural ''Agioi'' (), transcribes masculine gender Greek words meaning 'sacred' or 'saint' (for example Agios Dimitrios, Agioi Anargyroi). It is frequently shortened in colloquial language to ''Ai'' (for example Ai Stratis). In poly ...

, Aphrazeia), and assigned it to the

Theme of Cappadocia The Theme of Cappadocia () was a Byzantine Empire, Byzantine Theme (Byzantine district), theme (a military-civilian province) encompassing the southern portion of the Cappadocia, namesake region from the early 9th to the late 11th centuries. Loc ...

. The ''tourma'' and region of Kommata thus encompassed the area between the

Halys River Halys may refer to: * Health-adjusted life years (HALYs), a type of disability-adjusted life year which are used in attempts to quantify the burden of disease or disability in populations * Halys River, a western name for the Kızılırmak River ...

in the east,

Lake Tatta Lake Tuz ( meaning 'Salt Lake) is the second largest lake in Turkey with its surface area and one of the largest hypersaline lakes in the world. It is located in the Central Anatolia Region, northeast of Konya, south-southeast of Ankara and ...

in the south, and the

Sangarios River The Sakarya (; ; ; ) is the third longest river in Turkey. It runs through the region known in ancient times as Phrygia. It was considered one of the principal rivers of Asia Minor (Anatolia) in Greek classical antiquity, and is mentioned in th ...

in the west.

References

Sources

* Byzantine Anatolia History of Ankara Province Subdivisions of the Byzantine Empire Galatia {{coord, 39, 00, N, 33, 00, E, display=title