Arayofhistoriclightseemstobeamfromthedarknessofthetenthcentury。WeopenwithcuriosityandrespecttheroyalvolumesofConstantinePorphyrogenitus，^1whichhecomposedatamatureagefortheinstructionofhisson，andwhichpromisetounfoldthestateoftheeasternempire，bothinpeaceandwar，bothathomeandabroad。InthefirstoftheseworksheminutelydescribesthepompousceremoniesofthechurchandpalaceofConstantinople，accordingtohisownpractice，andthatofhispredecessors。^2Inthesecond，heattemptsanaccuratesurveyoftheprovinces，thethemes，astheywerethendenominated，bothofEuropeandAsia。^3ThesystemofRomantactics，thedisciplineandorderofthetroops，andthemilitaryoperationsbylandandsea，areexplainedinthethirdofthesedidacticcollections，whichmaybeascribedtoConstantineorhisfatherLeo。^4Inthefourth，oftheadministrationoftheempire，herevealsthesecretsoftheByzantinepolicy，infriendlyorhostileintercoursewiththenationsoftheearth。Theliterarylaborsoftheage，thepracticalsystemsoflaw，agriculture，andhistory，mightredoundtothebenefitofthesubjectandthehonoroftheMacedonianprinces。ThesixtybooksoftheBasilics，^5thecodeandpandectsofciviljurisprudence，weregraduallyframedinthethreefirstreignsofthatprosperousdynasty。Theartofagriculturehadamusedtheleisure，andexercisedthepens，ofthebestandwisestoftheancients；andtheirchosenpreceptsarecomprisedinthetwentybooksoftheGeoponics^6ofConstantine。Athiscommand，thehistoricalexamplesofviceandvirtueweremethodizedinfifty—threebooks，^7andeverycitizenmightapply，tohiscontemporariesorhimself，thelessonorthewarningofpasttimes。Fromtheaugustcharacterofalegislator，thesovereignoftheEastdescendstothemorehumbleofficeofateacherandascribe；andifhissuccessorsandsubjectswereregardlessofhispaternalcares，wemayinheritandenjoytheeverlastinglegacy。
[Footnote1:TheepithetofPorphyrogenitus，borninthepurple，iselegantlydefinedbyClaudian:—
ArduaprivatosnescitfortunaPenates；
Etregnumcumlucededit。CognatapotestasExcepitTyriovenerabilepignusinostro。
AndDucange，inhisGreekandLatinGlossaries，producesmanypassagesexpressiveofthesameidea。]
[Footnote2:AsplendidMs。ofConstantine，deCaeremoniisAulaeetEcclesiaeByzantinae，wanderedfromConstantinopletoBuda，Frankfort，andLeipsic，whereitwaspublishedinasplendideditionbyLeichandReiske，A。D。1751，infolio，withsuchlavishpraiseaseditorsneverfailtobestowontheworthyorworthlessobjectoftheirtoil。]
[Footnote3:See，inthefirstvolumeofBanduri\'sImperiumOrientale，ConstantinusdeThematibus，p。1—24，deAdministrandoImperio，p。45—127，edit。Venet。ThetextoftheoldeditionofMeursiusiscorrectedfromaMs。oftheroyallibraryofParis，whichIsaacCasaubonhadformerlyseen，Epist。
adPolybium，p。10，andthesenseisillustratedbytwomapsofWilliamDeslisle，theprinceofgeographerstilltheappearanceofthegreaterD\'Anville。]
[Footnote4:TheTacticsofLeoandConstantinearepublishedwiththeaidofsomenewMss。inthegreateditionoftheworksofMeursius，bythelearnedJohnLami，tom。vi。p。531—920，1211—1417，Florent。1745，yetthetextisstillcorruptandmutilated，theversionisstillobscureandfaulty。TheImperiallibraryofViennawouldaffordsomevaluablematerialstoaneweditor，Fabric。Bibliot。Graec。tom。vi。p。369，370。]
[Footnote5:OnthesubjectoftheBasilics，Fabricius，Bibliot。
Graec。tom。xii。p。425—514，andHeineccius，Hist。JurisRomani，p。396—399，andGiannone，IstoriaCivilediNapoli，tom。i。p。450—458，ashistoricalcivilians，maybeusefullyconsulted:xli。booksofthisGreekcodehavebeenpublished，withaLatinversion，byCharlesAnnibalFrabrottus，Paris，1647，inseventomesinfolio；iv。otherbookshavebeensincediscovered，andareinsertedinGerardMeerman\'sNovusThesaurusJurisCiv。etCanon。tom。v。Ofthewholework，thesixtybooks，JohnLeunclaviushasprinted，Basil，1575，aneclogueorsynopsis。Thecxiii。novels，ornewlaws，ofLeo，maybefoundintheCorpusJurisCivilis。]
[Footnote6:IhaveusedthelastandbesteditionoftheGeoponics，byNicolasNiclas，Leipsic，1781，2vols。inoctavo。
Ireadinthepreface，thatthesameemperorrestoredthelong—forgottensystemsofrhetoricandphilosophy；andhistwobooksofHippiatrica，orHorse—physic，werepublishedatParis，1530，infolio，Fabric。Bibliot。Graec。tom。vi。p。493—500。]
[Footnote7:OftheseLIII。books，ortitles，onlytwohavebeenpreservedandprinted，deLegationibusbyFulviusUrsinus，Antwerp，1582，andDanielHoeschelius，August。Vindel。1603anddeVirtutibusetVitiis，byHenryValesius，ordeValois，Paris，1634。]
Aclosersurveywillindeedreducethevalueofthegift，andthegratitudeofposterity:inthepossessionoftheseImperialtreasureswemaystilldeploreourpovertyandignorance；andthefadinggloriesoftheirauthorswillbeobliteratedbyindifferenceorcontempt。TheBasilicswillsinktoabrokencopy，apartialandmutilatedversion，intheGreeklanguage，ofthelawsofJustinian；butthesenseoftheoldciviliansisoftensupersededbytheinfluenceofbigotry:andtheabsoluteprohibitionofdivorce，concubinage，andinterestformoney，enslavesthefreedomoftradeandthehappinessofprivatelife。Inthehistoricalbook，asubjectofConstantinemightadmiretheinimitablevirtuesofGreeceandRome:hemightlearntowhatapitchofenergyandelevationthehumancharacterhadformerlyaspired。Butacontraryeffectmusthavebeenproducedbyaneweditionofthelivesofthesaints，whichthegreatlogothete，orchancelloroftheempire，wasdirectedtoprepare；andthedarkfundofsuperstitionwasenrichedbythefabulousandfloridlegendsofSimontheMetaphrast。^8Themeritsandmiraclesofthewholecalendarareoflessaccountintheeyesofasage，thanthetoilofasinglehusbandman，whomultipliesthegiftsoftheCreator，andsuppliesthefoodofhisbrethren。YettheroyalauthorsoftheGeoponicsweremoreseriouslyemployedinexpoundingthepreceptsofthedestroyingart，whichhadbeentaughtsincethedaysofXenophon，^9astheartofheroesandkings。ButtheTacticsofLeoandConstantinearemingledwiththebaseralloyoftheageinwhichtheylived。
Itwasdestituteoforiginalgenius；theyimplicitlytranscribetherulesandmaximswhichhadbeenconfirmedbyvictories。Itwasunskilledintheproprietyofstyleandmethod；theyblindlyconfoundthemostdistantanddiscordantinstitutions，thephalanxofSpartaandthatofMacedon，thelegionsofCatoandTrajan，ofAugustusandTheodosius。Eventheuse，oratleasttheimportance，ofthesemilitaryrudimentsmaybefairlyquestioned:theirgeneraltheoryisdictatedbyreason；butthemerit，aswellasdifficulty，consistsintheapplication。Thedisciplineofasoldierisformedbyexerciseratherthanbystudy:thetalentsofacommanderareappropriatedtothosecalm，thoughrapid，minds，whichnatureproducestodecidethefateofarmiesandnations:theformeristhehabitofalife，thelattertheglanceofamoment；andthebattleswonbylessonsoftacticsmaybenumberedwiththeepicpoemscreatedfromtherulesofcriticism。Thebookofceremoniesisarecital，tediousyetimperfect，ofthedespicablepageantrywhichhadinfectedthechurchandstatesincethegradualdecayofthepurityoftheoneandthepoweroftheother。Areviewofthethemesorprovincesmightpromisesuchauthenticandusefulinformation，asthecuriosityofgovernmentonlycanobtain，insteadoftraditionaryfablesontheoriginofthecities，andmaliciousepigramsonthevicesoftheirinhabitants。^10Suchinformationthehistorianwouldhavebeenpleasedtorecord；norshouldhissilencebecondemnedifthemostinterestingobjects，thepopulationofthecapitalandprovinces，theamountofthetaxesandrevenues，thenumbersofsubjectsandstrangerswhoservedundertheImperialstandard，havebeenunnoticedbyLeothephilosopher，andhissonConstantine。Histreatiseofthepublicadministrationisstainedwiththesameblemishes；yetitisdiscriminatedbypeculiarmerit；theantiquitiesofthenationsmaybedoubtfulorfabulous；butthegeographyandmannersoftheBarbaricworldaredelineatedwithcuriousaccuracy。Ofthesenations，theFranksalonewerequalifiedtoobserveintheirturn，andtodescribe，themetropolisoftheEast。TheambassadorofthegreatOtho，abishopofCremona，haspaintedthestateofConstantinopleaboutthemiddleofthetenthcentury:hisstyleisglowing，hisnarrativelively，hisobservationkeen；andeventheprejudicesandpassionsofLiutprandarestampedwithanoriginalcharacteroffreedomandgenius。^11Fromthisscantyfundofforeignanddomesticmaterials，IshallinvestigatetheformandsubstanceoftheByzantineempire；theprovincesandwealth，thecivilgovernmentandmilitaryforce，thecharacterandliterature，oftheGreeksinaperiodofsixhundredyears，fromthereignofHeracliustohissuccessfulinvasionoftheFranksorLatins。
[Footnote8:ThelifeandwritingsofSimonMetaphrastesaredescribedbyHankius，deScriptoribusByzant。p。418—460。
Thisbiographerofthesaintsindulgedhimselfinalooseparaphraseofthesenseornonsenseofmoreancientacts。HisGreekrhetoricisagainparaphrasedintheLatinversionofSurius，andscarcelyathreadcanbenowvisibleoftheoriginaltexture。]
[Footnote9:AccordingtothefirstbookoftheCyropaedia，professorsoftactics，asmallpartofthescienceofwar，werealreadyinstitutedinPersia，bywhichGreecemustbeunderstood。
AgoodeditionofalltheScriptoresTacticiwouldbeatasknotunworthyofascholar。HisindustrymightdiscoversomenewMss。，andhislearningmightillustratethemilitaryhistoryoftheancients。Butthisscholarshouldbelikewiseasoldier；andalas!QuintusIciliusisnomore。
Note:M。Guichardt，authorofMemoiresMilitairessurlesGrecsetsurlesRomains。SeeGibbon\'sExtraitsRaisonneesdemesLectures，Misc。Worksvol。v。p。219。—M]
[Footnote10:AfterobservingthatthedemeritoftheCappadociansroseinproportiontotheirrankandriches，heinsertsamorepointedepigram，whichisascribedtoDemodocus。
ThestingispreciselythesamewiththeFrenchepigramagainstFreron:UnserpentmorditJeanFreron—Ehbien?Leserpentenmourut。ButasthePariswitsareseldomreadintheAnthology，Ishouldbecurioustolearn，throughwhatchannelitwasconveyedfortheirimitation，Constantin。Porphyrogen。deThemat。c。ii。BrunckAnalect。Graec。tom。ii。p。56。BrodaeiAnthologia，l。ii。p。244。]
[Footnote11:TheLegatioLiutprandiEpiscopiCremonensisadNicephorumPhocamisinsertedinMuratori，ScriptoresRerumItalicarum，tom。ii。parsi。]
AfterthefinaldivisionbetweenthesonsofTheodosius，theswarmsofBarbariansfromScythiaandGermanyover—spreadtheprovincesandextinguishedtheempireofancientRome。TheweaknessofConstantinoplewasconcealedbyextentofdominion:
herlimitswereinviolate，oratleastentire；andthekingdomofJustinianwasenlargedbythesplendidacquisitionofAfricaandItaly。Butthepossessionofthesenewconquestswastransientandprecarious；andalmostamoietyoftheEasternempirewastornawaybythearmsoftheSaracens。SyriaandEgyptwereoppressedbytheArabiancaliphs；and，afterthereductionofAfrica，theirlieutenantsinvadedandsubduedtheRomanprovincewhichhadbeenchangedintotheGothicmonarchyofSpain。TheislandsoftheMediterraneanwerenotinaccessibletotheirnavalpowers；anditwasfromtheirextremestations，theharborsofCreteandthefortressesofCilicia，thatthefaithfulorrebelemirsinsultedthemajestyofthethroneandcapital。Theremainingprovinces，undertheobedienceoftheemperors，werecastintoanewmould；andthejurisdictionofthepresidents，theconsulars，andthecountsweresupersededbytheinstitutionofthethemes，^12ormilitarygovernments，whichprevailedunderthesuccessorsofHeraclius，andaredescribedbythepenoftheroyalauthor。Ofthetwenty—ninethemes，twelveinEuropeandseventeeninAsia，theoriginisobscure，theetymologydoubtfulorcapricious:thelimitswerearbitraryandfluctuating；butsomeparticularnames，thatsoundthemoststrangelytoourear，werederivedfromthecharacterandattributesofthetroopsthatweremaintainedattheexpense，andfortheguard，oftherespectivedivisions。ThevanityoftheGreekprincesmosteagerlygraspedtheshadowofconquestandthememoryoflostdominion。AnewMesopotamiawascreatedonthewesternsideoftheEuphrates:theappellationandpraetorofSicilyweretransferredtoanarrowslipofCalabria；andafragmentoftheduchyofBeneventumwaspromotedtothestyleandtitleofthethemeofLombardy。InthedeclineoftheArabianempire，thesuccessorsofConstantinemightindulgetheirprideinmoresolidadvantages。ThevictoriesofNicephorus，JohnZimisces，andBasiltheSecond，revivedthefame，andenlargedtheboundaries，oftheRomanname:theprovinceofCilicia，themetropolisofAntioch，theislandsofCreteandCyprus，wererestoredtotheallegianceofChristandCaesar:onethirdofItalywasannexedtothethroneofConstantinople:thekingdomofBulgariawasdestroyed；andthelastsovereignsoftheMacedoniandynastyextendedtheirswayfromthesourcesoftheTigristotheneighborhoodofRome。Intheeleventhcentury，theprospectwasagaincloudedbynewenemiesandnewmisfortunes:therelicsofItalyweresweptawaybytheNormanadventures；andalmostalltheAsiaticbranchesweredisseveredfromtheRomantrunkbytheTurkishconquerors。Aftertheselosses，theemperorsoftheComnenianfamilycontinuedtoreignfromtheDanubetoPeloponnesus，andfromBelgradetoNice，Trebizond，andthewindingstreamoftheMeander。ThespaciousprovincesofThrace，Macedonia，andGreece，wereobedienttotheirsceptre；thepossessionofCyprus，Rhodes，andCrete，wasaccompaniedbythefiftyislandsoftheAegeanorHolySea；^13andtheremnantoftheirempiretranscendsthemeasureofthelargestoftheEuropeankingdoms。
[Footnote12:SeeConstantinedeThematibus，inBanduri，tom。i。
p。1—30。ItisusedbyMauriceStratagem。l。ii。c。2foralegion，fromwhencethenamewaseasilytransferredtoitspostorprovince，Ducange，Gloss。Graec。tom。i。p。487—488。SomeetymologiesareattemptedfortheOpiscian，Optimatian，Thracesian，themes。]
[Footnote13:ItisstyledbythemodernGreeks，fromwhichthecorruptnamesofArchipelago，l\'Archipel，andtheArches，havebeentransformedbygeographersandseamen，D\'Anville，GeographieAncienne，tom。i。p。281。AnalysedelaCartedelaGreece，p。60。ThenumbersofmonksorcaloyersinalltheislandsandtheadjacentmountainofAthos，ObservationsdeBelon，fol。32，verso，montesanto，mightjustifytheepithetofholy，aslightalterationfromtheoriginal，imposedbytheDorians，who，intheirdialect，gavethefigurativenameofgoats，totheboundingwaves，Vossius，apudCellarium，Geograph。
Antiq。tom。i。p。829。]
Thesameprincesmightassert，withdignityandtruth，thatofallthemonarchsofChristendomtheypossessedthegreatestcity，^14themostamplerevenue，themostflourishingandpopulousstate。Withthedeclineandfalloftheempire，thecitiesoftheWesthaddecayedandfallen；norcouldtheruinsofRome，orthemudwalls，woodenhovels，andnarrowprecinctsofParisandLondon，preparetheLatinstrangertocontemplatethesituationandextentofConstantinople，herstatelypalacesandchurches，andtheartsandluxuryofaninnumerablepeople。Hertreasuresmightattract，buthervirginstrengthhadrepelled，andstillpromisedtorepel，theaudaciousinvasionofthePersianandBulgarian，theArabandtheRussian。Theprovinceswerelessfortunateandimpregnable；andfewdistricts，fewcities，couldbediscoveredwhichhadnotbeenviolatedbysomefierceBarbarian，impatienttodespoil，becausehewashopelesstopossess。FromtheageofJustiniantheEasternempirewassinkingbelowitsformerlevel；thepowersofdestructionweremoreactivethanthoseofimprovement；andthecalamitiesofwarwereimbitteredbythemorepermanentevilsofcivilandecclesiasticaltyranny。ThecaptivewhohadescapedfromtheBarbarianswasoftenstrippedandimprisonedbytheministersofhissovereign:theGreeksuperstitionrelaxedthemindbyprayer，andemaciatedthebodybyfasting；andthemultitudeofconventsandfestivalsdivertedmanyhandsandmanydaysfromthetemporalserviceofmankind。YetthesubjectsoftheByzantineempirewerestillthemostdexterousanddiligentofnations；theircountrywasblessedbynaturewitheveryadvantageofsoil，climate，andsituation；and，inthesupportandrestorationofthearts，theirpatientandpeacefultemperwasmoreusefulthanthewarlikespiritandfeudalanarchyofEurope。Theprovincesthatstilladheredtotheempirewererepeopledandenrichedbythemisfortunesofthosewhichwereirrecoverablylost。Fromtheyokeofthecaliphs，theCatholicsofSyria，Egypt，andAfricaretiredtotheallegianceoftheirprince，tothesocietyoftheirbrethren:themovablewealth，whicheludesthesearchofoppression，accompaniedandalleviatedtheirexile，andConstantinoplereceivedintoherbosomthefugitivetradeofAlexandriaandTyre。ThechiefsofArmeniaandScythia，whofledfromhostileorreligiouspersecution，werehospitablyentertained:theirfollowerswereencouragedtobuildnewcitiesandtocultivatewastelands；andmanyspots，bothinEuropeandAsia，preservedthename，themanners，oratleastthememory，ofthesenationalcolonies。EventhetribesofBarbarians，whohadseatedthemselvesinarmsontheterritoryoftheempire，weregraduallyreclaimedtothelawsofthechurchandstate；andaslongastheywereseparatedfromtheGreeks，theirposteritysuppliedaraceoffaithfulandobedientsoldiers。Didwepossesssufficientmaterialstosurveythetwenty—ninethemesoftheByzantinemonarchy，ourcuriositymightbesatisfiedwithachosenexample:itisfortunateenoughthattheclearestlightshouldbethrownonthemostinterestingprovince，andthenameofPeloponnesuswillawakentheattentionoftheclassicreader。
[Footnote14:AccordingtotheJewishtravellerwhohadvisitedEuropeandAsia，ConstantinoplewasequalledonlybyBagdad，thegreatcityoftheIsmaelites，VoyagedeBenjamindeTudele，parBaratier，tom。l。c。v。p。46。]
Asearlyastheeighthcentury，inthetroubledreignoftheIconoclasts，Greece，andevenPeloponnesus，^15wereoverrunbysomeSclavonianbandswhooutstrippedtheroyalstandardofBulgaria。Thestrangersofold，Cadmus，andDanaus，andPelops，hadplantedinthatfruitfulsoiltheseedsofpolicyandlearning；butthesavagesofthenortheradicatedwhatyetremainedoftheirsicklyandwitheredroots。Inthisirruption，thecountryandtheinhabitantsweretransformed；theGrecianbloodwascontaminated；andtheproudestnoblesofPeloponnesuswerebrandedwiththenamesofforeignersandslaves。Bythediligenceofsucceedingprinces，thelandwasinsomemeasurepurifiedfromtheBarbarians；andthehumbleremnantwasboundbyanoathofobedience，tribute，andmilitaryservice，whichtheyoftenrenewedandoftenviolated。ThesiegeofPatraswasformedbyasingularconcurrenceoftheSclavoniansofPeloponnesusandtheSaracensofAfrica。Intheirlastdistress，apiousfictionoftheapproachofthepraetorofCorinthrevivedthecourageofthecitizens。Theirsallywasboldandsuccessful；thestrangersembarked，therebelssubmitted，andthegloryofthedaywasascribedtoaphantomorastranger，whofoughtintheforemostranksunderthecharacterofSt。AndrewtheApostle。Theshrinewhichcontainedhisrelicswasdecoratedwiththetrophiesofvictory，andthecaptiveracewasforeverdevotedtotheserviceandvassalageofthemetropolitanchurchofPatras。BytherevoltoftwoSclavoniantribes，intheneighborhoodofHelosandLacedaemon，thepeaceofthepeninsulawasoftendisturbed。Theysometimesinsultedtheweakness，andsometimesresistedtheoppression，oftheByzantinegovernment，tillatlengththeapproachoftheirhostilebrethrenextortedagoldenbulltodefinetheritesandobligationsoftheEzzeritesandMilengi，whoseannualtributewasdefinedattwelvehundredpiecesofgold。FromthesestrangerstheImperialgeographerhasaccuratelydistinguishedadomestic，andperhapsoriginal，race，who，insomedegree，mightderivetheirbloodfromthemuch—injuredHelots。TheliberalityoftheRomans，andespeciallyofAugustus，hadenfranchisedthemaritimecitiesfromthedominionofSparta；andthecontinuanceofthesamebenefitennobledthemwiththetitleofEleuthero，orFree—Laconians。^16