# Paristrion

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Paristrion
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Paristrion.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paristrion
> Source revision: 1253101331
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Byzantine province (theme) in the Balkans

Paristrion Παρίστριον, Παραδούναβον, Παραδούναβις Province (doukaton) of the Byzantine Empire 10th/11th–1185 The province of Paristrion ca. 1045. Capital Dorostolon Historical era Middle Ages • Establishment. 10th or 11th century • Disbanded as a province. 1185

**Paristrion** ([Greek](/source/Greek_language): Παρίστριον, [lit.](/source/Literal_translation) 'beside the [Ister](/source/Danube)'), or **Paradounabon**/**Paradounabis** (Παραδούναβον / Παραδούναβις), which is preferred in official documents, was a [Byzantine province](/source/Byzantine_province) covering the southern bank of the Lower [Danube](/source/Danube) ([Moesia Inferior](/source/Moesia_Inferior)) in the 11th and 12th centuries.[1]

Although [Byzantine](/source/Byzantine) authors use the term to describe the lands along the Danube in general, the province of Paristrion seems to have comprised mostly modern [Dobruja](/source/Dobruja).[2] It is not certain exactly when the province was established: the [Romanian](/source/Romanians) scholar Nicolae Bănescu considered that it was established immediately after the end of the [Rus'–Byzantine War of 970–971](/source/Rus'%E2%80%93Byzantine_War_(970%E2%80%93971)), while others, such as [Vasil Zlatarski](/source/Vasil_Zlatarski), thought it a later, mid-11th century creation.[1] It was governed by a *[katepano](/source/Katepano)* or a *[doux](/source/Dux)*, and was probably based at Dorostolon (modern [Silistra](/source/Silistra)), where a Byzantine *[strategia](/source/Strategia)* ("generalcy") is indeed attested in the 970s.[3] In the aftermath of his victory over the Rus', Emperor [John I Tzimiskes](/source/John_I_Tzimiskes) (r. 969–976) appointed general [Leo Sarakenopoulos](/source/Leo_Sarakenopoulos) as commander over north-eastern [Bulgaria](/source/Bulgaria), based at [Pereyaslavets](/source/Pereyaslavets)/Ioannopolis. Sarakenopoulos and his subordinates engaged in major [fortification](/source/Fortification) activities in the region of the Dobruja over the next few years, where abandoned Roman-era [forts](/source/Forts) were rebuilt and re-occupied.[4]

The region however fell back under [Bulgarian](/source/First_Bulgarian_Empire) control under the [Cometopuli](/source/Cometopuli) brothers in 986 and was held until c. 1001, when Byzantine control was re-established. Bănescu, however, considered that [Dorostolon](/source/Dorostolon) at least remained in Byzantine hands throughout.[3][5] From the 1030s on, the region faced the continuous raids of the [Pechenegs](/source/Pechenegs). The population was withdrawn to a few large fortified centres, and the Pechenegs were allowed to settle in the province as allies and colonists (termed *[mixobarbaroi](/source/Mixobarbaroi)* by contemporary authors) and kept pacified through subsidies and through a vibrant [trade](/source/Trade). It was not until the early 1070s that the Pechenegs launched an open [rebellion](/source/Rebellion), and posed a constant threat to the Byzantine Empire's [Balkan](/source/Balkan) provinces until decisively defeated at the [Battle of Levounion](/source/Battle_of_Levounion) in 1091. Despite occasional [Cuman](/source/Cuman) raids thereafter, the Paristrion remained largely peaceful and prosperous in the 12th century.[6] The province seems to have been disbanded by the late 12th century.[1]

## Rulers

-[Basil Apokapes](/source/Basil_Apokapes)- 1056-1064

-Nestor 1074-1078( in rebellion)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ODB_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ODB_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ODB_1-2) [ODB](#CITEREFODB), "Paristrion" (A. Kazhdan), p. 1589.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Stephenson 2000](#CITEREFStephenson2000), pp. 55, 78.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-seals_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-seals_3-1) [Nesbitt & Oikonomides 1991](#CITEREFNesbittOikonomides1991), pp. 150–151.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Stephenson 2000](#CITEREFStephenson2000), pp. 56–58.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Stephenson 2000](#CITEREFStephenson2000), pp. 59, 63–64.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** cf. [Stephenson 2000](#CITEREFStephenson2000), pp. 80–107.

## Sources

- [Kazhdan, Alexander](/source/Alexander_Kazhdan), ed. (1991). *[The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium](/source/Oxford_Dictionary_of_Byzantium)*. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-19-504652-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-504652-8).

- Nesbitt, John; [Oikonomides, Nicolas](/source/Nicolas_Oikonomides), eds. (1991). [*Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 1: Italy, North of the Balkans, North of the Black Sea*](https://archive.org/stream/doseals-vol-1/). Vol. 1. Washington, DC: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-88402-194-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-88402-194-7).

- Stephenson, Paul (2000). [*Byzantium's Balkan Frontier: A Political Study of the Northern Balkans, 900–1204*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ILiOI0UgxHoC). Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-521-77017-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-521-77017-3).

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Paristrion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paristrion) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paristrion?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.