THE FIFTH SLAVIC SIEGE OF THESSALONIKI

Abstract

The fifth Slavic siege of Thessaloniki took place in 676 – 678 and it shows that the relationship between the Slavic tribes and Byzantium, as well as between the Slavic tribes themselves, is much more complex than is traditionally presented in the historiography. The hostile actions of the slavs against the city can be divided into two periods. In the first stage participated the Rhynchines, Strymonites and Sagudates. During this period, in Thessaloniki, as Byzantine allies, there was also a Slavic squad, without specifying which tribe it was from. The fact that the Dragovites, who lived west of the city during this period, are not among the tribes fighting with Thessaloniki shows that perhaps it is from them the slavs in question, allies of the Byzanatines.This is also the reason why the first two years there is no real siege, only separate attacks on land and sea. At one point, the Slavic squad, which was helping Thessaloniki, turned against the Byzantines. This is the moment when the Draguvites appear among the tribes invading the city and at the same time move to a classic siege using siege machines. After the failure of the siege, the Draguvites fell into some form of dependence on the empire, and over the next two centuries there was no evidence of hostilities between them and the Byzantines. In contrast, the Strymonites and Rhynchines continued their raids for another decade.