Civil Authority in the Byzantine Provinces (7th–9th Centuries)
Journal: Studia Ceranea Journal of the Waldemar Ceran Research Centre for the History and Culture of the Mediterranean Area and South-East Europe
Year: 2024

The issue of the rise of the thematic system of administration sparked off an intense debate that has engaged scholars for the past few decades. Those inclined to the view of a one-time reform have argued that the themata formed administrative units into which the Byzantine state was divided in the 7th century, and that the strategoi, who served as governors and commanders of particular themata, combined civil and military authority. However, it now seems that the changes in provincial administr