183:
344:, where he played a prominent role. In 927, Kourkouas and Melias attacked Melitene, and succeeded in storming the city, although the citadel held out. As a result, Melitene pledged vassalage to the Byzantine Empire. In the event, Melitene soon renounced this treaty, and was placed again under siege by the Byzantines. According to an Arab account, Melias tried to infiltrate the city by disguising some of his troops as
356:. He is last known to have participated in the opening stages of the campaign that led to the final capture of Melitene on 19 May 934, but neither Arab nor Byzantine sources mention him during or after this event, making it probable that he died at about this time.
261:. Of these petty border-lords, Melias alone would hold his position for long: Ismael died in a Melitenian offensive in 909, while Vasak was accused of treason in 913, possibly due to his association with the failed usurpation of
162:
clan; he was possibly a grandson of Mliah, the prince of
Varazhnunik, who was killed by the Arabs in 853. Melias first appears in historical sources as a vassal of Ashot the Long-armed, an Armenian prince (possibly a
229:, the Armenian refugees were pardoned by Emperor Leo and granted the border provinces as quasi-fiefs: the three brothers Vasak, Grigorik and Pazunes settled in the fortress of Larissa, which formed a border
276:. Settled by Armenian immigrants, for the next decades, it would be one of the main Byzantine bases of attack against the Arabs. In a similar manner, Melias proceeded to occupy the mountainous regions of
940:
306:
launched an attack on
Tzamandos, which they took and razed, but in retaliation Melias and his men raided Arab territory as far as Marash (Germanikeia, modern
785:
Byzance et les Arabes, Tome III: Die
Ostgrenze des Byzantinischen Reiches von 363 bis 1071 nach griechischen, arabischen, syrischen und armenischen Quellen
371:(r. 963–969) and during Tzimiskes's own reign (r. 969–976). It has also been suggested that the memory of Melias has been preserved in the figure of the
920:
171:) who entered Byzantine imperial service in circa 890. As part of Ashot's Armenian contingent, he fought on the Byzantine side at the disastrous
930:
348:, but the ploy was foiled. Nevertheless, the city soon after agreed to host a Byzantine garrison. In 930, Melias raided the territory near
200:, sharing their time between raids against the Arabs and outright brigandage. After participating in the failed aristocratic rebellion of
245:(a fortified frontier district), Ismael (possibly an Arab-Armenian) took over the deserted area of Symposion, and Melias was appointed "
226:
925:
201:
333:. In the next year, Melias and his troops took part in the campaign against Bulgaria that led to yet another disastrous defeat at
787:. Corpus Bruxellense Historiae Byzantinae (in German). Brussels: Éditions de l'Institut de philologie et d'histoire orientales.
950:
891:
720:
945:
935:
288:
respectively. The threat that this new province and Melias's activities posed on the Arab emirates of the frontier zone (
208:(r. 886–912) in 905, however, Melias and many other Armenian nobles were forced to flee to the Arab border emirate of
867:
839:
815:
757:
732:
360:
191:
20:
359:
Melias's descendants, however, continued to play an important role in
Lykandos and in the Byzantine army: another
806:
748:
241:
262:
85:
910:
129:
190:
Melias escaped death and returned to his service at the
Byzantine eastern frontier, where, according to
859:
168:
272:, refortified it and made it his seat. Emperor Leo soon raised it and its surrounding region to a
172:
81:
176:
716:
727:(in French). Lyon: Maison de l'Orient et de la Méditerranée Jean Pouilloux. pp. 67–85.
352:, but was defeated by the Arab general Nedjm, and one of his sons was captured and taken to
179:. Ashot himself perished in this battle, along with the larger part of the Byzantine force.
770:(1957). "Les patrices byzantins sous le règne de Constantin VII Porphyrogénète (913–959)".
368:
8:
915:
955:
334:
960:
887:
863:
835:
811:
801:
788:
767:
753:
743:
728:
299:
236:
164:
109:
721:"Les Arméniens sur la frontière sud-orientale de Byzance, fin IXe - fin XIe siècles"
194:, he led a group of fellow Armenians in the Byzantine border wars with the Arabs as
849:
125:
47:
307:
881:
853:
829:
825:
382:
205:
257:) and the wasteland", covering the mountainous frontier zone around the Pass of
831:
The
Emperor Romanus Lecapenus and His Reign: A Study of Tenth-Century Byzantium
364:
341:
182:
137:
97:
904:
378:
303:
186:
Map of the Arab–Byzantine frontier zone, where Melias spent most of his life
877:
792:
317:
of
Lykandos was raised to the status of a full theme, with Melias as its
886:. Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press.
159:
329:
323:
277:
222:
121:
66:
373:
349:
345:
302:
was launched against him, but was repulsed. In 914/5, the Arabs of
269:
209:
133:
71:
353:
290:
196:
154:
402:
258:
231:
810:. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. p. 1334.
752:. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. p. 1258.
298:("Lord of the Passes"). In 909 or 912, a major assault led by
294:) is recognized in Arab sources, where Melias is mentioned as
413:
141:
313:
In recognition for his success against Marash, in 916 the
128:
service and became a distinguished general, founding the
800:
Kazhdan, Alexander; Cutler, Antony (1991). "Melias". In
220:
In 907 or 908, however, through the intervention of the
268:
Melias soon occupied the old and deserted fortress of
408:
meaning "beautiful", "fine". Melias is probably the
19:For the namesake general active in the 970s, see
902:
120:, "Mleh the Great" in Armenian sources) was an
547:
545:
543:
799:
471:
310:), reportedly bringing back 50,000 captives.
855:A History of the Byzantine State and Society
506:
504:
941:Byzantine people of the Arab–Byzantine wars
540:
442:
440:
438:
340:Melias next reappears in the campaigns of
147:
848:
834:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
782:
664:
640:
628:
551:
522:
501:
215:
921:9th-century Byzantine military personnel
824:
766:
688:
676:
652:
616:
528:
495:
435:
181:
16:10th-century Armenian prince and general
876:
715:
700:
612:
610:
608:
599:
587:
575:
534:
510:
483:
446:
429:
417:
903:
136:and participating in the campaigns of
467:
465:
463:
461:
459:
457:
455:
931:Byzantine people of Armenian descent
741:
725:La Frontière. Séminaire de recherche
605:
563:
742:Foss, Clive (1991). "Lykandos". In
367:, both during the reign of Emperor
13:
807:The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
749:The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
452:
14:
972:
883:The Making of Byzantium, 600–1025
152:Melias was a member of the lower
192:Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos
21:Melias (Domestic of the Schools)
926:10th-century Byzantine generals
694:
682:
670:
658:
646:
634:
622:
593:
581:
569:
557:
516:
489:
477:
423:
395:
280:and Symposion, which became a
1:
772:Studi Bizantini e Neoellenici
389:
951:10th-century Armenian people
363:is recorded as serving with
158:nobility, possibly from the
7:
946:9th-century Armenian people
249:of Euphrateia, the Passes (
10:
977:
936:Medieval Armenian generals
709:
18:
860:Stanford University Press
783:Honigmann, Ernst (1935).
472:Kazhdan & Cutler 1991
113:
101:
77:
61:
53:
43:
35:
28:
858:. Stanford, California:
86:Byzantine–Bulgarian wars
212:to escape retribution.
173:Battle of Bulgarophygon
148:Origin and early career
216:Foundation of Lykandos
187:
57:ca. 890–905, 907/8–934
185:
54:Years of service
401:The name comes from
369:Nikephoros II Phokas
679:, pp. 138–139.
432:, pp. 315–316.
377:Melementzes in the
124:prince who entered
82:Arab–Byzantine wars
911:9th-century births
802:Kazhdan, Alexander
768:Guilland, Rodolphe
744:Kazhdan, Alexander
337:on 20 August 917.
263:Constantine Doukas
227:Eustathios Argyros
188:
893:978-0-520-20496-6
850:Treadgold, Warren
321:with the rank of
300:Rustam ibn Baradu
239:and now became a
202:Andronikos Doukas
91:
90:
968:
897:
873:
845:
826:Runciman, Steven
821:
796:
779:
778:. Rome: 188–221.
763:
738:
704:
698:
692:
686:
680:
674:
668:
662:
656:
650:
644:
638:
632:
626:
620:
614:
603:
597:
591:
590:, pp. 70–72
585:
579:
578:, pp. 70–71
573:
567:
561:
555:
549:
538:
532:
526:
525:, pp. 64–65
520:
514:
508:
499:
493:
487:
486:, pp. 68–69
481:
475:
469:
450:
444:
433:
427:
421:
410:Malikh al-Armani
399:
265:, and banished.
235:of the theme of
204:against Emperor
115:
103:
84:in the East and
48:Byzantine Empire
26:
25:
976:
975:
971:
970:
969:
967:
966:
965:
901:
900:
894:
870:
842:
818:
760:
735:
717:Dédéyan, Gérard
712:
707:
699:
695:
687:
683:
675:
671:
663:
659:
651:
647:
639:
635:
627:
623:
615:
606:
598:
594:
586:
582:
574:
570:
566:, p. 1258.
562:
558:
550:
541:
533:
529:
521:
517:
509:
502:
494:
490:
482:
478:
474:, p. 1334.
470:
453:
445:
436:
428:
424:
400:
396:
392:
383:Digenes Akritas
218:
206:Leo VI the Wise
150:
31:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
974:
964:
963:
958:
953:
948:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
918:
913:
899:
898:
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874:
868:
846:
840:
822:
816:
797:
780:
764:
758:
739:
733:
711:
708:
706:
705:
703:, p. 356.
693:
691:, p. 139.
681:
669:
667:, p. 480.
665:Treadgold 1997
657:
655:, p. 136.
645:
643:, p. 479.
641:Treadgold 1997
633:
631:, p. 474.
629:Treadgold 1997
621:
604:
592:
580:
568:
556:
552:Honigmann 1935
539:
527:
523:Honigmann 1935
515:
513:, p. 316.
500:
488:
476:
451:
434:
422:
420:, p. 315.
393:
391:
388:
365:John Tzimiskes
342:John Kourkouas
296:sahib al-Durub
253:, from Arabic
217:
214:
149:
146:
138:John Kourkouas
89:
88:
79:
75:
74:
63:
59:
58:
55:
51:
50:
45:
41:
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37:
33:
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29:
15:
9:
6:
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3:
2:
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919:
917:
914:
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909:
908:
906:
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879:
878:Whittow, Mark
875:
871:
869:0-8047-2630-2
865:
861:
857:
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851:
847:
843:
841:0-521-35722-5
837:
833:
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827:
823:
819:
817:0-19-504652-8
813:
809:
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798:
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790:
786:
781:
777:
773:
769:
765:
761:
759:0-19-504652-8
755:
751:
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745:
740:
736:
734:2-903264-50-3
730:
726:
722:
718:
714:
713:
702:
697:
690:
689:Runciman 1988
685:
678:
677:Runciman 1988
673:
666:
661:
654:
653:Runciman 1988
649:
642:
637:
630:
625:
619:, p. 207
618:
617:Guilland 1957
613:
611:
609:
601:
596:
589:
584:
577:
572:
565:
560:
553:
548:
546:
544:
536:
531:
524:
519:
512:
507:
505:
498:, p. 206
497:
496:Guilland 1957
492:
485:
480:
473:
468:
466:
464:
462:
460:
458:
456:
448:
443:
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439:
431:
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419:
416:chroniclers.
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308:KahramanmaraĹź
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69:
68:
64:
60:
56:
52:
49:
46:
42:
38:
34:
27:
22:
882:
854:
830:
805:
784:
775:
771:
747:
724:
701:Whittow 1996
696:
684:
672:
660:
648:
636:
624:
602:, p. 71
600:Dédéyan 1993
595:
588:Dédéyan 1993
583:
576:Dédéyan 1993
571:
559:
554:, p. 65
537:, p. 70
535:Dédéyan 1993
530:
518:
511:Whittow 1996
491:
484:Dédéyan 1993
479:
449:, p. 69
447:Dédéyan 1993
430:Whittow 1996
425:
418:Whittow 1996
409:
405:
397:
381:
379:acritic epic
372:
358:
339:
328:
322:
318:
314:
312:
295:
289:
285:
281:
273:
267:
254:
250:
246:
240:
230:
221:
219:
195:
189:
175:against the
153:
151:
140:against the
117:
105:
93:
92:
65:
247:tourmarches
916:934 deaths
905:Categories
390:References
327:and later
177:Bulgarians
160:Varazhnuni
44:Allegiance
956:Magistroi
828:(1988) .
564:Foss 1991
330:magistros
324:patrikios
319:strategos
315:kleisoura
282:kleisoura
278:Tzamandos
274:kleisoura
242:kleisoura
237:Sebasteia
223:strategos
126:Byzantine
67:Strategos
961:Patricii
880:(1996).
852:(1997).
719:(1993).
374:apelates
350:Samosata
346:artisans
335:Acheloos
270:Lykandos
255:al-Durub
210:Melitene
165:Bagratid
134:Lykandos
122:Armenian
118:Mleh-mec
116:, often
110:Armenian
72:Lykandos
804:(ed.).
793:6934222
746:(ed.).
710:Sources
354:Baghdad
291:Thughur
197:akritai
155:naxarar
890:
866:
838:
814:
791:
756:
731:
403:Arabic
361:Melias
304:Tarsus
286:tourma
284:and a
259:Hadath
251:Trypia
232:tourma
102:Μελίας
94:Melias
30:Melias
406:malīh
169:Taron
167:from
142:Arabs
130:theme
104:) or
98:Greek
888:ISBN
864:ISBN
836:ISBN
812:ISBN
789:OCLC
754:ISBN
729:ISBN
414:Arab
114:Ő„Ő¬ŐĄŐ°
106:Mleh
78:Wars
62:Rank
36:Died
412:of
132:of
70:of
39:934
907::
862:.
774:.
723:.
607:^
542:^
503:^
454:^
437:^
386:.
144:.
112::
100::
896:.
872:.
844:.
820:.
795:.
776:9
762:.
737:.
108:(
96:(
23:.
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