bandon (Byzantine Empire)

The bandon ({{langx|el|βάνδον}}) was the basic military unit and administrative territorial entity of the middle Byzantine Empire. Its name, like the Latin {{lang|la|bandus}} and {{lang|la|bandum}} ("ensign, banner"), had a Germanic origin.{{sfn|Bali|2013|p=462}}{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=250}} It derived from the Gothic {{lang|got|bandwō}},{{sfn|Bali|2013|p=462}} which is proof of foreign influence in the army at the time this type of unit evolved.{{sfn|Heath|1979|p=4}}

Origin

The term was used already in the 6th century, mentioned by Procopius,{{sfn|Bali|2013|p=462}} as a term for a battle standard, and soon came to be applied to the unit bearing such a standard itself.{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=250}} From the reign of Nikephoros I (802–811) it was the name for a subdistrict of the Byzantine {{Transliteration|grc|thema}}.{{sfn|Bali|2013|p=462}}

Organization

In the Byzantine army of the 8th to the 11th centuries CE, the {{Transliteration|grc|bandon}} formed the basic unit, with five to seven {{Transliteration|grc|banda}} forming a {{Transliteration|grc|tourma}}, the major subdivision of a {{Transliteration|grc|thema}}, a combined military-civilian province.{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=250}} Each {{Transliteration|grc|bandon}} was commanded by a {{Transliteration|grc|komes}} ("count"), with infantry {{Transliteration|grc|banda}} 200 to 400 strong and cavalry {{Transliteration|grc|banda}} 50 to 100 strong.{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=250}}{{sfn|Heath|1995|p=13}} It is considered that the {{Transliteration|grc|bandon}} in the {{Transliteration|grc|Tactica}} (9th century) previously in the {{Transliteration|grc|Strategikon}} (6th century) was alternatively written as {{Transliteration|grc|tagma}} or {{Transliteration|grc|arithmos}}.{{sfn|Heath|1979|p=4}}

Infantry {{Transliteration|grc|banda}} were formed by sixteen {{Transliteration|grc|lochagiai}}, each with sixteen man, commanded by an officer {{Transliteration|grc|lochagos}} (file leader), which was assisted by {{Transliteration|grc|dekarchos}} (leader of ten), {{Transliteration|grc|pentarchos}} (leader of five), {{Transliteration|grc|tetrarchos}} (leader of four), and {{Transliteration|grc|ouragos}} (file closer).{{sfn|Heath|1979|p=4}} Each four {{Transliteration|grc|lochagiai}} formed an {{Transliteration|grc|allagion}} (winglet), and around three-quarters of the men were spearmen {{Transliteration|grc|skutaoi}} and one-quarter were archers.{{sfn|Heath|1979|p=4}} At the time the Strategikon was written, the cavalry {{Transliteration|grc|banda}} were subdivided into three {{Transliteration|grc|hekatontarchia}}, each commanded by a {{Transliteration|grc|hekatontarchos}} with a senior second-in-command {{Transliteration|grc|illarches}}.{{sfn|Heath|1979|p=4}}

By the reign of Leo VI the Wise (886–912), the {{Transliteration|grc|hekatontarchia}} disappeared and the {{Transliteration|grc|bandon}} was divided into six {{Transliteration|grc|allagia}} (probably commanded by {{Transliteration|grc|pentekontarchai}}), and each pair was still commanded by a {{Transliteration|grc|hekatontarchos}} or {{Transliteration|grc|kentarchos}}.{{sfn|Heath|1979|p=5}} Each of six {{Transliteration|grc|allagia}} had fifty men, organized in five {{Transliteration|grc|dekarchiai}} of ten men each.{{sfn|Heath|1979|p=5}} All four officers ({{Transliteration|grc|dekarchos}}, {{Transliteration|grc|pentarchos}}, {{Transliteration|grc|tetrarchos}}, {{Transliteration|grc|ouragos}}) were lancers.{{sfn|Heath|1979|p=5}}

Late empire

At the beginning of the 10th century the infantry unit consisted of 256 men (16x16), and cavalry unit of 300 men (6x50), but the manuals indicate that the unit strength in fact varied between 200 and 400 men.{{sfn|Heath|1979|p=5}} The work Praecepta Militaria by Nikephoros II Phokas (963–969) indicates that the cavalry {{Transliteration|grc|bandon}} was only 50 strong.{{sfn|Heath|1979|p=5}} Unlike other middle Byzantine administrative and military terms, the {{Transliteration|grc|bandon}} survived well into the late Byzantine period, and remained the basic territorial unit of the Empire of Trebizond until its fall.{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=250}}

References

Sources

{{cite book |first=Ian |last=Heath |others=Illustrated by Angus McBride |year=1979 |title=Byzantine Armies 886-1118 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RgkpDKYvb48C |series=Men-at-Arms |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=9780850453065 |pages=4–6}}
{{cite encyclopedia |editor-first=Alexander |editor-last=Kazhdan |editor-link=Alexander Kazhdan |year=1991 |encyclopedia=The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-504652-6 |title=Bandon |page=250}}
{{cite book |first=Ian |last=Heath |others=Illustrated by Angus McBride |year=1995 |title=Byzantine Armies AD 1118-1461 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jR-B1CnCft8C |series=Men-at-Arms |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=9781855323476 |page=13}}
{{citation |first=Tomislav |last=Bali |year=2013 |title=Review of Paul Stephenson, ur., The Byzantine World |url=http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=197851&lang=en |language=Croatian |publisher=Croatian Historical Society |journal=Historical Journal |volume=66 |issue=2 |pages=462}}