The Byzantine Court and the Provinces: Archaeological Reflections from the Byzantine Life in Western Anatolia in the 13th Century

Following the Latin conquest of Constantinopolis in 1204, the Laskarids, who considered themselves inheritors of the Byzantine throne like those at Trebizond and Epiros, were crowned at Nicaea (İznik) but established their social and administrative centers at Magnesia (Manisa) and Nymphaeum (Kemalpaşa). No doubt rapid Turkification of Anatolia lies behind this issue. The commercial and religious change observed at Anaia about this time is again related with this point. With the reconquest of Constantinopolis in 1261 did not hinder the rise of Anaia but rather the fortress seems to have lived better days, possibly with the privileges given to the Latins. Furthermore, the Byzantine palace in Constantinopolis must have been in contact with the customs officials due to tax and duty coming from Anaia and/or clergy. The paper refers to the Byzantine aristocracy in exile covering the palace at Kemalpaşa and the excavation finds from Anaia as reflections of the socio-cultural life mentioned above. The data mentioned are evidences for the “globalism” of the Middle Ages in this period not mentioned in the written sources.

< Back to Abstracts of Papers