BYZANTINES IN CALABRIA (VI-VII century A.D.)

The byzantine anthropization in Italy started from Sicily and Calabria with the greek-gothic wars.

After they've taking conquered the Sicily and defeated the Goths, the byzantine military departs from Siracusa and landed in Reggio Calabria.
The conquest began in the VI century a.C., and ended with the Byzantine victory over Goths.

first stages of byzantine general Belisario (Belisarius):
in blu Siracusa and in red Reggio Calabria

panorama of Reggio Calabria

NOTE: In this period the roman cities were in crisis and it passed from the classic city to middle ages castrum.

The military and strategic aspect for the steady control of the territory continued in the following centuries, let's say that they are the most charateristics phenomenon of the Byzantine operations in this land.
Consequently there was continuous settlement evolution of the centers, as in the long span of time that goes from the VI century to the X century a.C. the Calabria was invaded by different people.

Between the late ancient and early Middle ages some ancient centers disappeared, among these Blanda and Temesa, others will change site, among the former the ancient Scolacium, Thurium and Locri, where their site change is very complex, and much be done in contex of the study that allows us tounderstaind the settlement evolution - especially in the area around Locri - (fig.1).
In fact, archaeological essays carriedout in the area around the ancient Locri, have not provided sufficient material related to centers organized in the V-VI and VII centuries a.C..

In these centuries in the territory aroun Locri there are only scattered settlements like the large villas, that represented the only monumental structures.

fig.1 - The disappearance roman cities.

The archaeologist E. Arslan argues that, it must be taken into account that the slippage of some cities in the Justinian era such as Locri and Thurium, occured also because the nearby coast and the lowland areas had an impaludation, thus becoming places of malaria, and therefore uninhabitable for the population that lived here.  

Ghisline Noyè thought that this could be the moment when the city found itself marginalized infront of the great dominii (land owners), and also the moment when the phases of the fortified centers of the interior would be thrown, direct discendants of the italian oppida (italic-greek fortresses) dismantled by the Romans.

For the Byzantines the different ancient cities were important for disparate reasons, among these Crotone, that thanks to its ancient port it continued to existens, especially during the Greek-Gothic wars maintainig its role strategic-military.
The port of Crotone was important in economic role, and after Otranto together Reggio (corrector and capital of the Byzantine Duchy of Calabria) and Vibona until eighth century became a meeting point for goods and Byzantine military ships (figg.2).

figg.2 - position of Crotone

panorama of Crotone

figg.2.1 - position of Reggio

panorama of Reggio Calabria

Also the port of Vibona (Vibo Valentia) in the VI century AD was fundamental for the economy of its territory, and the had the function of commercial deposit; from archaeological essay a retaining wall for the floods was built in the said port, from where wood and pitch are still embarked toward Rome (fig.3).

fig.3 - position Vibona: was the port district of Vibo Valentia

panorama of Vibo Valentia

Procopius in his chronicles following the Byzantines, gives us clues concerning the main centers entered in the orbit of military deeds undertaken by Belisario, one of these was an important stronghold, or a phourion (fortress) built in Reggio Calabria, where the general managed to win the battle against Totila.

The general Belisario arrived in the city in 536 A.C. found, but he find it devoid of fortifications and walls, thus succeeding in conquering it without effort, in fact the inhabitants for this were in hatred to the Goths, and according to the historian/chronicler Procopio that followed him in his battles, we know that the city was not fortified alredy a long time ago.
After 536 it was quickly fortified, since we know that between 549 and 550 a.C. the city supported a siege against the Goths, and from here began the ascent to Italy. The chronicles of Procopius assert that after fortifying it, in 552 the Byzantine led by Belisario fully supported the siege of the Goths.

In Rossano near Thurium the Byzantine had a phourion (military base), where the general Belisario placed his troops, Totila settled under the walls with his soldiers trying to assault, but without succes, so the Calabria entered definitively in byzantine orbit.
On the site of Copia-Thurium did not discovery materials from the of the VI/VII century a.C., period of abandonment of the roman city.
The castle of Rossano (Ruskianè) was the first internal Byzantine stronghold, located on the first silanin contractforts, where the population concentrated here at the beginning of the VI century.

Finally in VII century also the boshop of Thurium with his clergy moved in the byzantinian city of Ruskianè.

ruins of roman Thurium

In blu THURIUM and in red ROSSANO

To conclude the experience of the first phase of Byzantine anthopization, in a nutshell we say: towards the end of the VI century the Lombard after having conquered most of italian territory, under the patronage of the Duchy of Benevento arrive and devasted Calabria pushing up to ancient Taureanum and conqued Crotone in 596 a.C..

In fine, in 663 a.C. the Lombards of Benevento ripped almost all the south Italy to the Byzantine, settling from the Pollino to Cosenza and the Savuto valley, with the establishment of the gastaldati of Laino, Cassano and Cosenza.

For to divide the calabrian territory, in these last areas the Byzantines-Lombard limes was created, this was an outpoust of military control, wich divided Calabria under the influence of the Longobards (north) by that Byzantine (centre-south), in an ideal line that connected Amantea on the Tyrrhenian coast to Rossano on the ionian coast (figure below).

in blu Limes byzantine-longobards: white Lombard territory and grey byzantine territory

On "ideal line" of the limes there were a series of fortresses communicating with each other, among theme was the castle of Cleto builted in the XI century a.C. on previous byzantine fortress (figure below).

castle of Cleto - built in Norman age (XI century) on a previous byzantine fortress

The most important Lombard centers were: Cosenza, Cassano, Malvito and Laino, headquarters where the military and tax official were staing (figure below).

position most important longobards cities in Calabria

figure above show Cosenza - it was the most important lombard gastaldato, posizioned near the limes (border line with the Byzantine territory).

Dott. Giuseppe Lombardo