The first task of John Curcuas, as Domestic or commander-in-chief, was to suppress the revolt of Bardas Boilas, who was governor of Chaldia, a strategically important region of the Empire's northeast Anatolian frontier.
Bardas, along with his allies Adrian the Chaldian and Tatzaces, a rich Armenian, revolted against the emperor and held out in the fortress of Paiperte (now Bayburt in northeast Turkey). Curcuas marched into Chaldia, stormed the citadel and took the rebels prisoner. They were not treated severely: Bardas, once the emperor's friend, was packed off to a monastery. He was replaced as governor by Curcuas's younger brother, Theophilus.
After this excitement, Curcuas was involved in a much more serious conflict with the powerful Muslim cities beyond the Euphrates. In 925 his master, Emperor Romanos, felt strong enough to demand tribute from these cities. When they refused, Curcuas was sent in to exercise a bit of sledgehammer diplomacy.
The Domestic targeted Melitene, now Malatya in eastern Turkey. He was accompanied by an Armenian captain, Melias, who became something of a folk-hero. The citizens of Melitene, seriously alarmed, sent to the Caliph at Baghdad for help, but none was sent.
Curcuas stormed the town, but the citadel held out. After ten days he agreed to withdraw, in exchange for hostages and a promise of peace and tribute.
(Attached is an image of the Roman attack on Melitene)
No comments:
Post a Comment