1. Historical background

In the middle of the 9th century the operations of the Byzantines against the Arabs in the eastern front, in the framework of the effort of gaining control over Asia Minor, took a new dimension. The beginning of this new period of Byzantine attacks is marked by the campaign of Petronas, strategos of the thema of Thrakesion, towards the end of summer 856, when the emir of Tarsus Alī returned to his capital after a summer raid against Byzantine territory, leaving the road towards the east open for the Byzantines. The operations against the Arabs were for the first time combined with the empire’s harsh religious policy against the the Paulicians. More specifically, in the frame of the strictly orthodox policy which began to be realized after the final restoration of the icons (March 843), the Paulicians were faced as enemies of the Empire, this resulting into an increase of their persecutions, which were inaugurated by the emperor Michael I Ragaves (811-813) and were continued by his successors. The immediate danger the Paulicians were under in the Byzantine territory forced them to move east of the Arab-Byzantine border, in the region of Upper Euphrates,¹ in order to ask for the protection of the Arabs. Finally the area north of Melitene was given to them by the emir of Melitene Amr al-Aqta’. The Paulicians settled there, founding later Tephrike and offering in exchange their military services to the straggle against the Byzantines. This presence of the Paulicians in the ranks of the Arab army gave in this phase a new dimension in the clash between the Arabs and the Byzantines.

2. Beginning and outcome of the campaign

In the end of summer of 856, Petronas, strategos of the thema of Thrakesion, moved with his troops towards eastern Cappadocia² and, through the emirate of Melitene,³ reached the region of Arsamosata and Amida. Next he turned north towards Tefrike, the capital of Karbeas, leader of the Paulicians, in the outskirts of which he proceeded in destroying villages and cultivations. Having thus completed his campaign against the Arabs and the Paulicians successfully, Petronas returned to the imperial lands, taking 10,000 prisoners with him. Neither Karveas, neither the emir of Melitene managed to organize any resistance to the attack of the Byzantines, whereas their attempt to persecute Petronas' troops during their return to the Byzantine territory was also unsuccessful.

3. Consequences

The victorious campaign of Petronas had, of course, a positive impact in the moral of the Byzantines, since their troops moved deeply into the Arab territories and returned with many prisoners.⁴ However, it did not bring any important gain to the Emperor, since the Arabs, aided by the Paulicians, continued their military operations against Byzantium.⁵ Thus, in order to take revenge for the destructions he suffered by Petronas, Amr al-Aqta’ asked the emir of Tarsus to raid the Byzantine Empire during the winter of 856-857, whereas in 858 the Arabs attacked western Cappadocia and took the fort of Semalouos. Concerning the Paulicians, the destruction of the suburbs of Tephrike by the Byzantine troops had no other consequence in their political substructure, which continued existing and developing, aided by the military help the Paulicians offered the Arabs against the Byzantine Empire.