According to the account of John Skylitzes, in , after the Byzantine conquest of Bulgaria, emperor Basil II created new themes at Koloneia, Dryinopolis, and Dyrrhachium, and settled former Byzantine prisoners of war to secure the Byzantine positions in Epirus against future enemy attacks from central and western Macedonia. At 1040s the theme of Koloneia was incorporated to the Duchy of Dyrrachion. After the Sack of Constantinople at 1204 and the following partition of the Byzantine Empire Koloneia was granted to the Republic of Venice. However, Koloneia came under the control of the Despotate of Epirus and formed one of the themes of the Despotate. Following the Battle of Pelagonia in 1259 Koloneia was ceded to the Empire of Nicaea.