Gephyra (May 2021)
Thebasa and the Byzantine-Arab Frontier of the Middle Taurus. Observations in confinio Lycaoniae atque Ciliciae
Abstract
This paper proposes a new location of the Lycaonian city of Thebasa at Pınarkaya (Divaz) in the province (il) of Karaman and provides a critical analysis of its previous identifications. It revaluates the importance of Thebasa in a broader, geo-historical context pointing out its transformation from a commercial hub to a strategic military base. Through several unpublished sites, the paper presents a fresh look at the settlement and communication networks of the Middle Taurus Region. It also develops new interpretations of the dynamics of Byzantine-Arab relations at the turn of the eighth and ninth centuries.
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