David Arianites
Encyclopedia
David Arianites was a high-ranking Byzantine
commander of the early 11th century.
He hailed from the noble Arianites
family of Constantinople
. He initially held the title of patrikios, and became a senior general under Basil II
. In 1017 Basil II invaded Bulgaria with a large army including Rus' mercenaries. His objective was the town of Kastoria
which controlled the road between Thessaly
and the coast of modern Albania
. He sent parts of his army under the commanders Constantine Diogenes
and David Arianites to loot Pelagonia
. Basil II himself managed to capture several minor Bulgarian castles but all attempts to seize Kastoria remained futile.
Basil II
installed David Arianites as strategos autokrator of Bulgaria
, implying powers of command over the other regional strategoi
in the northern Balkans (Sirmium with Ras and Dyrrhachium
). He was seated in Skopje
.
Constantine Arianites, the magistros and doux
of Adrianople, is possibly his son or close relative.
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
commander of the early 11th century.
He hailed from the noble Arianites
Arianites
Arianites is an extinct genus of Cephalopod belonging to the Ammonite subclass....
family of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. He initially held the title of patrikios, and became a senior general under Basil II
Basil II
Basil II , known in his time as Basil the Porphyrogenitus and Basil the Young to distinguish him from his ancestor Basil I the Macedonian, was a Byzantine emperor from the Macedonian dynasty who reigned from 10 January 976 to 15 December 1025.The first part of his long reign was dominated...
. In 1017 Basil II invaded Bulgaria with a large army including Rus' mercenaries. His objective was the town of Kastoria
Kastoria
Kastoria is a city in northern Greece in the periphery of West Macedonia. It is the capital of Kastoria peripheral unit. It is situated on a promontory on the western shore of Lake Orestiada, in a valley surrounded by limestone mountains...
which controlled the road between Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
and the coast of modern Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. He sent parts of his army under the commanders Constantine Diogenes
Constantine Diogenes
Constantine Diogenes was a prominent Byzantine Greek general of the early 11th century, active in the Balkans.Constantine Diogenes is the first notable member of the noble Cappadocian Diogenes family, which played an important role in 11th-century Byzantium. Constantine began his career as a...
and David Arianites to loot Pelagonia
Pelagonia
This is about the geographical plain between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia. For the political unit in Macedonia, go to Pelagonia Statistical Region....
. Basil II himself managed to capture several minor Bulgarian castles but all attempts to seize Kastoria remained futile.
Basil II
Basil II
Basil II , known in his time as Basil the Porphyrogenitus and Basil the Young to distinguish him from his ancestor Basil I the Macedonian, was a Byzantine emperor from the Macedonian dynasty who reigned from 10 January 976 to 15 December 1025.The first part of his long reign was dominated...
installed David Arianites as strategos autokrator of Bulgaria
Bulgaria (theme)
For other uses, see Bulgaria The Theme of Bulgaria was a province of the Byzantine Empire established by Emperor Basil II after the victory over Samuel of Bulgaria and the fall of the First Bulgarian Empire in 1018. It was based on the wider regions of Skopje and Ohrid...
, implying powers of command over the other regional strategoi
Strategos
Strategos, plural strategoi, is used in Greek to mean "general". In the Hellenistic and Byzantine Empires the term was also used to describe a military governor...
in the northern Balkans (Sirmium with Ras and Dyrrhachium
Dyrrhachium (theme)
The Theme of Dyrrhachium was a Byzantine military-civilian province located in modern Albania, covering the Adriatic coast of the country...
). He was seated in Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
.
Constantine Arianites, the magistros and doux
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
of Adrianople, is possibly his son or close relative.