Allagion
Encyclopedia
The allagion was a Byzantine
military term designating a military unit. It first appeared in the mid-to-late 10th century, and by the 13th century had become the most frequent term used for the Byzantine army
's standing regiments, persisting until the late 14th century.
, numbering between 50 and 400 men. In the 10th and 11th centuries, provincial allagia had some 50–150 men, while those of the central imperial army were closer to the upper limit, with circa 320–400 men.
in colloquial and technical (although not entirely in literary) usage to designate any standing regiment. The Byzantine emperor's own allagion (i.e. his military retinue) seems to have been replaced by the two divisions of the rather obscure Paramonai
corps, one on foot and one on horse. These, however, were still commanded, according to Pseudo-Kodinos, by an allagatōr (Greek: ) each, while the protallagatōr (Greek: πρωταλλαγάτωρ, "first allagatōr") probably commanded the corps as a whole. The allagia of the provincial army were divided into two distinct groups: the "imperial allagia" (Greek: , basilika allagia) and the "great allagia" (Greek: , megala allagia). The former were found in Byzantine Asia Minor
, while the latter in the Byzantine Empire's European provinces alone. With the gradual fall of Asia Minor to the Turks during the late 13th and early 14th centuries, the "imperial allagia" finally disappeared. The "great allagia", of which three are known by name – the Thessalonian (Greek: ), that of Serres
(Greek: ), and that of Bizye (Greek: ) – are first attested in 1286 and continue to be mentioned until 1355. Almost certainly, however, they date at least from the reign of Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos
(r. 1259–1282), and perhaps even before him to the Laskarid
emperors of Nicaea
who conquered these lands. They too disappeared as their provinces fell to the Serbs
and the Ottoman Turks
.
The exact role, nature and structure of the European megala allagia are not fully clear; they encompassed the regions around these cities, conforming roughly to the old themata of Thessalonica
, Strymon
, and Thrace
. They may therefore represent an attempt to centralize control over the provincial military forces, at a time when political control was increasingly devolving from the capital to the periphery. How extensive their reach was is, however, open to question. It is known that their forces comprised both frontier troops providing garrisons for fortresses, as well as cavalry pronoias
. In addition, they may have included small land-holders and mercenaries
. As Mark Bartusis comments on the various attempts to explain their role, "at the one extreme the megala allagia were the central element in the late Byzantine army; every soldier who lived in the provinces and who had a military obligation [...] was a megaloallagitēs...", meaning that they represented a universal military organization involved in the recruitment and maintenance of all provincial forces, from which only the imperial guards and the personal retinues of local governors must be excluded. On the other extreme, the megala allagia may have been only an aspect of the late Byzantine military system, confined only to some provinces and from which foreign mercenaries were probably excluded.
The size of the allagia was apparently equivalent to the old banda at circa 300–500 troops; thus the Chronicle of the Morea records that Constantine Palaiologos
had a force of 18 allagia or 6,000 cavalry troops at his command in the Morea
the early 1260s. The commander of the allagion seems to have been the archōn
tou allagiou (Greek: ), whose exact relation with the allagatōr is unknown. The office of tzaousios
also occurs in the early 14th century in the context of the megala allagia of the region of Thessalonica. Its exact functions, however, within these units are unknown.
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
military term designating a military unit. It first appeared in the mid-to-late 10th century, and by the 13th century had become the most frequent term used for the Byzantine army
Byzantine army
The Byzantine army was the primary military body of the Byzantine armed forces, serving alongside the Byzantine navy. A direct descendant of the Roman army, the Byzantine army maintained a similar level of discipline, strategic prowess and organization...
's standing regiments, persisting until the late 14th century.
Origin of the term
The term means "rotation of duties", and first appears in the latter half of the 10th century as an alternate term for a cavalry bandonBandon (Byzantine Empire)
The bandon was the basic military and territorial administrative unit of the middle Byzantine Empire. Its name derived from Latin bandum, "ensign, banner", which in turn had a Germanic origin. The term was used already in the 6th century as a term for a battle standard, and soon came to be applied...
, numbering between 50 and 400 men. In the 10th and 11th centuries, provincial allagia had some 50–150 men, while those of the central imperial army were closer to the upper limit, with circa 320–400 men.
Palaiologan allagia
By the late 13th century, the term had largely replaced the earlier tagmaTagma (military)
The tagma is a term for a military unit of battalion or regiment size. The best-known and most technical use of the term however refers to the elite regiments formed by Byzantine emperor Constantine V and comprising the central army of the Byzantine Empire in the 8th–11th centuries.-History and...
in colloquial and technical (although not entirely in literary) usage to designate any standing regiment. The Byzantine emperor's own allagion (i.e. his military retinue) seems to have been replaced by the two divisions of the rather obscure Paramonai
Paramonai
The Paramonai were an obscure Byzantine guard regiment of the Palaiologan period.The name derives from the Greek verb παραμένω meaning "to stand near something". Unlike other major guard units in the Palaiologan army like the Varangian Guard, the regiment of the Paramonai was a native Byzantine...
corps, one on foot and one on horse. These, however, were still commanded, according to Pseudo-Kodinos, by an allagatōr (Greek: ) each, while the protallagatōr (Greek: πρωταλλαγάτωρ, "first allagatōr") probably commanded the corps as a whole. The allagia of the provincial army were divided into two distinct groups: the "imperial allagia" (Greek: , basilika allagia) and the "great allagia" (Greek: , megala allagia). The former were found in Byzantine Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
, while the latter in the Byzantine Empire's European provinces alone. With the gradual fall of Asia Minor to the Turks during the late 13th and early 14th centuries, the "imperial allagia" finally disappeared. The "great allagia", of which three are known by name – the Thessalonian (Greek: ), that of Serres
Serres
Serres is a city in Greece, seat of the Serres prefecture.Serres may also refer to:Places:* Serres, Germany, a part of Wiernsheim in Baden-WürttembergIn France:* Serres, Aude in the Aude département...
(Greek: ), and that of Bizye (Greek: ) – are first attested in 1286 and continue to be mentioned until 1355. Almost certainly, however, they date at least from the reign of Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos
Michael VIII Palaiologos
Michael VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus reigned as Byzantine Emperor 1259–1282. Michael VIII was the founder of the Palaiologan dynasty that would rule the Byzantine Empire until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453...
(r. 1259–1282), and perhaps even before him to the Laskarid
Laskaris
The Laskaris or Lascaris family was a Byzantine Greek noble family whose members formed the ruling dynasty of the Empire of Nicaea from 1204 to 1261 and remained among the senior nobility up to the dissolution of the Byzantine Empire, whereupon many emigrated to Italy and then to Smyrna...
emperors of Nicaea
Empire of Nicaea
The Empire of Nicaea was the largest of the three Byzantine Greek successor states founded by the aristocracy of the Byzantine Empire that fled after Constantinople was occupied by Western European and Venetian forces during the Fourth Crusade...
who conquered these lands. They too disappeared as their provinces fell to the Serbs
Serbian Empire
The Serbian Empire was a short-lived medieval empire in the Balkans that emerged from the Serbian Kingdom. Stephen Uroš IV Dušan was crowned Emperor of Serbs and Greeks on 16 April, 1346, a title signifying a successorship to the Eastern Roman Empire...
and the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
.
The exact role, nature and structure of the European megala allagia are not fully clear; they encompassed the regions around these cities, conforming roughly to the old themata of Thessalonica
Thessalonica (theme)
The Theme of Thessalonica was a military-civilian province of the Byzantine Empire located in the southern Balkans, comprising varying parts of Central and Western Macedonia and centred around Thessalonica, the Empire's second-most important city.-History:In Late Antiquity, Thessalonica was the...
, Strymon
Strymon (theme)
The Theme of Strymon was a Byzantine military-civilian province located in modern Greek Macedonia, with the city of Serres as its capital...
, and Thrace
Thrace (theme)
The Theme of Thrace was a province of the Byzantine Empire located in the south-eastern Balkans, comprising varying parts of the eponymous geographic region during its history.-History:...
. They may therefore represent an attempt to centralize control over the provincial military forces, at a time when political control was increasingly devolving from the capital to the periphery. How extensive their reach was is, however, open to question. It is known that their forces comprised both frontier troops providing garrisons for fortresses, as well as cavalry pronoias
Pronoia
Pronoia refers to a system of land grants in the Byzantine Empire.-The Early Pronoia System:...
. In addition, they may have included small land-holders and mercenaries
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
. As Mark Bartusis comments on the various attempts to explain their role, "at the one extreme the megala allagia were the central element in the late Byzantine army; every soldier who lived in the provinces and who had a military obligation [...] was a megaloallagitēs...", meaning that they represented a universal military organization involved in the recruitment and maintenance of all provincial forces, from which only the imperial guards and the personal retinues of local governors must be excluded. On the other extreme, the megala allagia may have been only an aspect of the late Byzantine military system, confined only to some provinces and from which foreign mercenaries were probably excluded.
The size of the allagia was apparently equivalent to the old banda at circa 300–500 troops; thus the Chronicle of the Morea records that Constantine Palaiologos
Constantine Palaiologos (half-brother of Michael VIII)
Constantine Palaiologos was a son of Andronikos Palaiologos, Grand Domestic of the Empire of Nicaea and an unknown second wife...
had a force of 18 allagia or 6,000 cavalry troops at his command in the Morea
Morea
The Morea was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. It also referred to a Byzantine province in the region, known as the Despotate of Morea.-Origins of the name:...
the early 1260s. The commander of the allagion seems to have been the archōn
Archon
Archon is a Greek word that means "ruler" or "lord", frequently used as the title of a specific public office. It is the masculine present participle of the verb stem ἀρχ-, meaning "to rule", derived from the same root as monarch, hierarchy, and anarchy.- Ancient Greece :In ancient Greece the...
tou allagiou (Greek: ), whose exact relation with the allagatōr is unknown. The office of tzaousios
Tzaousios
The tzaousios was a late Byzantine military office, whose exact functions and role are somewhat unclear.The term is derived from the Turkish çavuş, meaning "courier" or "messenger", and was in use by the Byzantines perhaps as early as the late 11th century. In the 13th–15th centuries, it became...
also occurs in the early 14th century in the context of the megala allagia of the region of Thessalonica. Its exact functions, however, within these units are unknown.