General John (V)

Although the Romans could not establish a permanent occupation of Armenia, it was still possible to secure the frontier. In 930 the Domestic, John Curcuas, and his brother Theophilus, were assigned to this task.

The brothers targeted the city of Theodosiopolis, now Erzurum in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. At the time it was of prime strategic importance: one road ran from the city down the Araxes river into Armenia, another over the hills to Manzikert. 

While the city was held by the Arabs, the surrounding countryside was occupied by the people of Iberia (modern Georgia). Although nominally allies against the Muslims, the Iberians had no desire to see the Roman Empire entrenched on its borders. So, while pretending friendship with John Curcuas, they secretly supplied the Arab defenders of Theodosiopolis with provisions from a neighbouring town, Cetzeum.

When they became aware of this, the Curcuas brothers asked to be allowed to occupy Cetzeum for the duration of the siege. This request was angrily refused by the governor, on the grounds that it would make him unpopular with the other local Armenian princes. He would only permit a Roman officer to enter the city, who could be easily ignored. 

At the same time the Iberians demanded to be given possession of any Arab towns and fortresses conquered by the Romans. To enforce their claims, they produced forged charters or 'golden bulls', which they pretended had been granted to them by the emperor, Romanos I.

Showing considerable tact, John Curcuras let all of this pass. He needed the Iberians to secure his flank, so he smiled at their requests and did nothing. Meanwhile his equally capable brother, Theophilus, burnt and ravaged the countryside and took prisoner a local emir, who consented to give his son as a hostage and join the imperial army. 

Finally, after a siege of seven months, the Romans captured Theodosiopolis. It became a vassal tributary state, but John Curcuas still had to step carefully. To keep the Iberians sweet, he granted them all conquered territory north of the Araxes. 

(Attached is a pic of a building at Erzurum from the later Seljuq era)