Charpezikion (Greek: Χαρπεζίκιον) was a Byzantine fortress and small province (theme) in the 10th century.

The fortress of Charpezikion is identified with Çarpezik Kalesi, east of the Euphrates River,[1] while some earlier scholars identify it with Harpuzik, west of the Euphrates, some 16 km northwest of Arapgir.[2][3]

The fortress became the seat of a namesake military province (theme) during the conquests of John Kourkouas in the region.[3] Due to a confusion in the transcription of the manuscript of De Ceremoniis, several modern sources mention that its first appearance in the sources was in 935, in the context of a Byzantine expedition into southern Italy, but Nicolas Oikonomides corrected the actual event to the campaign against the Emirate of Crete in 949.[4]

It had a small garrison of only 905 men,[5] but a disproportionate number of higher officers: according to the so-called Escorial Taktikon, compiled sometime in 971/975, it had no fewer than 22 "great" and 47 "junior" tourmarchai.[6] Its mention in the Escorial Taktikon, where it is listed between the themes of Tephrike and Romanopolis,[7] is the last occurrence in the sources, meaning that the theme probably ceased to exist shortly after.[5]

References

  1. ^ Hild & Restle 1981, p. 86 (note 260).
  2. ^ Oikonomides 1972, p. 359.
  3. ^ a b Hild & Restle 1981, p. 86.
  4. ^ Oikonomides 1972, pp. 241–242.
  5. ^ a b ODB, "Charpezikion" (C. Foss), p. 415.
  6. ^ Oikonomides 1972, p. 345.
  7. ^ Oikonomides 1972, p. 267.

Sources

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