DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4680#0365
696 XVI. THE PENTAPOLIS OF PHRYGIA.
country, following and even outstripping the advance of Seljuk
armies. Their progress was most rapid in time of peace. When war
was openly maintained, the Byzantine armies took the field, and, as
a rule, were stronger in battle than the Turks. But during peace, the
dying Empire relaxed its efforts ; the Chr. population was apathetic,
uneducated, helpless, and often disaffected to the Orthodox Empire1;
and there was no force to oppose the subtle penetrative power of the
Nomads. Hence, although in 1097 it is clear that the Pentapolis was
in Byzantine hands, and though the reign of John Coranenus presents
in the pages of Byzantine history a superficial appearance of frequent
victory over the Turks, yet we find that in 1158 the valley has passed
entirely into the hands of the Turkish Nomads2. Cinnamus p. 196
describes in strong terms the astonishment of the Turks when a small
Byzantine army ventured to invade the district in that year. The
central place of the district is called by Cinnamus Sarapata Mylonos,
which seems to be a mixture of a Turkish and a Greek name,
Hissar-Abad and Mylon. Now a Byzantine fortress must have been
needed in the Pentapolis, when it was on the frontier lines between
Khoma and Akroenos; for the old sites on the W. side in the level
ground were ill suited for defence. Accordingly a new castle seems
to have been founded on the higher E. side on the castle-hill of
Sandykli, called Mylon by the Greeks, and 'the place of the castle'
by the Turks 3.
In 1175 Manuel Comnenus, preparing for his great blow against
the Turkish power, marched by Melangeia to Dorylaion, which was
now completely deserted and abandoned to the nomads *. After
rebuilding and fortifying Dorylaion on a new site 5, he proceeded to
Siblia, and restored its fortifications ; but, in place of taking the
direct route by Nakoleia, Meros, Konne, and the Glaukos-valley
(the Pentapolis), he went round by the Rhyndacos-country6. This
1 See p. 16. 'TovpKonavuv, rightly distinguishing them
2 On the adoption of Turkish names from the ToDpKoi.
by the Byzantines (a proof of complete * Cinnamus p. 295, Nicetas p. 226.
Turcization) see p. 21 note 2 and Hist. 5 Hist. Geogr. p. 212.
Geogr. pp. 285, 290. So Arab names c rots a/Mpl r<» 'PvvSaKa xapiois Cinn.
were adopted about Melitene, J. G. C. 1-1.297. Nicetas p. 229 gives less infor-
Anderson in Class. Bevieiv April 1896. mation on the subject. We have in-
s Similarly we find that Banaz, Tcaal, ferred above, p. 20 note 2 that Manuel
and Baklan were nomadized by 1176 marched by way of Aizanoi and Eu-
(see p. 21 and Ch. XIII § 15), the dis- meneia, and this inference seems prac-
trict of Khonas by 1190 (pp. 23 and tically certain; the only alternative
219). Anna Comnena II p. 248 calls open is that of a march by Philadelpheia
the Nomads tS>v Kara rqv 'Aciav oikiwvtuv and Laodiceia.
country, following and even outstripping the advance of Seljuk
armies. Their progress was most rapid in time of peace. When war
was openly maintained, the Byzantine armies took the field, and, as
a rule, were stronger in battle than the Turks. But during peace, the
dying Empire relaxed its efforts ; the Chr. population was apathetic,
uneducated, helpless, and often disaffected to the Orthodox Empire1;
and there was no force to oppose the subtle penetrative power of the
Nomads. Hence, although in 1097 it is clear that the Pentapolis was
in Byzantine hands, and though the reign of John Coranenus presents
in the pages of Byzantine history a superficial appearance of frequent
victory over the Turks, yet we find that in 1158 the valley has passed
entirely into the hands of the Turkish Nomads2. Cinnamus p. 196
describes in strong terms the astonishment of the Turks when a small
Byzantine army ventured to invade the district in that year. The
central place of the district is called by Cinnamus Sarapata Mylonos,
which seems to be a mixture of a Turkish and a Greek name,
Hissar-Abad and Mylon. Now a Byzantine fortress must have been
needed in the Pentapolis, when it was on the frontier lines between
Khoma and Akroenos; for the old sites on the W. side in the level
ground were ill suited for defence. Accordingly a new castle seems
to have been founded on the higher E. side on the castle-hill of
Sandykli, called Mylon by the Greeks, and 'the place of the castle'
by the Turks 3.
In 1175 Manuel Comnenus, preparing for his great blow against
the Turkish power, marched by Melangeia to Dorylaion, which was
now completely deserted and abandoned to the nomads *. After
rebuilding and fortifying Dorylaion on a new site 5, he proceeded to
Siblia, and restored its fortifications ; but, in place of taking the
direct route by Nakoleia, Meros, Konne, and the Glaukos-valley
(the Pentapolis), he went round by the Rhyndacos-country6. This
1 See p. 16. 'TovpKonavuv, rightly distinguishing them
2 On the adoption of Turkish names from the ToDpKoi.
by the Byzantines (a proof of complete * Cinnamus p. 295, Nicetas p. 226.
Turcization) see p. 21 note 2 and Hist. 5 Hist. Geogr. p. 212.
Geogr. pp. 285, 290. So Arab names c rots a/Mpl r<» 'PvvSaKa xapiois Cinn.
were adopted about Melitene, J. G. C. 1-1.297. Nicetas p. 229 gives less infor-
Anderson in Class. Bevieiv April 1896. mation on the subject. We have in-
s Similarly we find that Banaz, Tcaal, ferred above, p. 20 note 2 that Manuel
and Baklan were nomadized by 1176 marched by way of Aizanoi and Eu-
(see p. 21 and Ch. XIII § 15), the dis- meneia, and this inference seems prac-
trict of Khonas by 1190 (pp. 23 and tically certain; the only alternative
219). Anna Comnena II p. 248 calls open is that of a march by Philadelpheia
the Nomads tS>v Kara rqv 'Aciav oikiwvtuv and Laodiceia.