09-16-2008, 03:37 PM
As to the question of how long these troops remained, we must look to the seventh century. During the latter years of Phokas' reign, the Persians, Slavs, and Avars began whittling away at the Empire's periphery until the 'whittling' became more of a 'carving off of great chunks' (forgive the expression). Herakleios overthrew Phokas in 610, slowly reforming the army over a period of almost a decade - if the chronology can be trusted. In the early 620's he combined most of the field and remaining border troops (there is an issue here if the limitanei even existed by this point) into a single, rather large expeditionary force. Did the different classifications of troops operate as separate units/divisions/formations? I don't know. But after the last Persian War, Herakleios did attempt to recreate the Eastern frontiers as they were before him. He was not the reformer Ostrogorsky and others have made him out to be. Nevertheless, it is possible these soldiers - comitatenses - survived in an ad hoc collection formed as one (or more) of the regiments that constituted the themes.
John Baker
Justice is the constant and perpetual wish to render to every one his due.
- Institutes, bk. I, ch. I, para. I
Justice is the constant and perpetual wish to render to every one his due.
- Institutes, bk. I, ch. I, para. I
