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영어

This article’s aim is to illuminate the multicultural nature of Byzantine aristocracy in the light of Arab-Islam originated elites during the 10th-11th centuries. For this purpose, our analyses were carried out not only on the names, family names, titles held by some imperial dignitaries but also on their public careers and activities. Firstly, the evidence of the high ranks of the court hierarchy, sebastos, protonobelissimos, rector, magistros, vestarchos, praepositos, anthypatos, patrikios and protospatharios shows the close relationship of the Arab-Islam immigrated elites with Byzantine emperors. On the other hand, the different type of military and civil functions exercised by the same group of dignitaries illustre their high ability in Byzantine Army and civil administration. Secondly, the evidence of some Arab-Islam originated family names or acculturated names(anthroponimy), for example, Amiropoulos, Sarakenopoulos, Anemas, Chase, Hassan, Abdalas, Bourtzes, Koulaib, Moussarab, Mansur, Nasur and Ubaidalah etc., refelct the immigration movement of Arab noble families into Byzantine imperial territories during the same period when the Byzantine army pushed out against Arab-Islam forces in the eastern Asia Minor, northern Syria and Palestine. On the other hand, the presence of Greek-Byzantine given names held by a number of dignitaries and their relatives, for example, Ioannes, Georgios, Constantinos, Theognost, Mikael etc., proves an integration of the Arab noble families by intermarriage and religious conversion into Byzantine aristocracy during the first half of 11th century. Finally, some key military and civil offices the frontier zones committed to some imperial dignitaries illustrate the intermediary role played by Arab immigrated elites between Byzantine government and indigenous population in the territories for a long time occupied by Arab-Islam forces. For example, the position of strategos (military commander) in the thema of Cibyirreotes or Hellas and the exercise of doux (governors) or basilikos (tax official) at Antioch in northern Syria as well as at southern Italy allow us to understand Byzantine emperors’ multicultural policy, whiche was intented to incorporate the heterogeneous population in Byzantine empire.