Spania
In the autumn of 551, a nobleman named Athanagild took Seville and declared himself king against Agila. This rebellion tore apart Gothic rule in southern Spain. The citizens of Córdoba had already rebelled against Arian Visigothic authority, killing Agila's son and losing the royal treasury. Agila retreated to Mérida while his power crumbled. Athanagild needed help to secure his throne. He begged Emperor Justinian I for military assistance during the winter of 552. Roman forces landed at the mouth of the Guadalete or perhaps Málaga in June or July 552. They joined with Athanagild to defeat Agila as he marched south from Mérida toward Seville in August or September 552. The war dragged on for two more years before Liberius returned to Constantinople by May 553. A Byzantine force from Italy landed at Cartagena in early March 555 and marched inland to Baza. Their landing was violent because the native population favored the Visigoths. Leander of Seville fled with most of his family due to this oppression. In late March 555, supporters of Agila assassinated him, making Athanagild the sole king of the Goths. The new king tried to expel the Byzantines but failed. The province remained a defensive bulwark against Gothic invasion of Africa.
The Byzantine province of Spania never extended very far inland. It received relatively little attention from East Roman authorities. The Persian Empire posed a larger threat in the East than any Gothic incursion into Africa. The most important cities were Málaga and Cartagena. These were the probable landing sites of the Byzantine army. Cartagena was renamed Carthago Spartaria during this period. It is unknown which city served as the provincial capital. Both cities functioned as fortified centers of Roman administration. The Goths easily ravaged the countryside but were inept at sieges. The fortified towns remained safe centers for governance. Medina Sidonia held out until 572 when Leovigild reconquered it. Gisgonza remained under Byzantine control until the reign of Witteric between 603 and 610. This indicates that the south of Baetica was completely Byzantine from Málaga to the mouth of the Guadalete. In the province of Carthaginiensis, Baza was also Byzantine. It probably resisted the inroads of Leovigild into that territory in 570 though it became Visigothic by 589. By the year 600 Spania had dwindled to little more than Málaga and Cartagena plus the Balearics. It extended no further north than the Sierra Nevada. George of Cyprus recorded only one civitas called the Mesopotamians.
The chief administrative official in Spania was the magister militum Spaniae meaning master of the military of Spain. This official governed both civil and military affairs in the province. He was subordinate only to the Emperor himself. Typically the magister was a member of the highest aristocratic class bearing the rank of patrician. The office appears in records for the first time in 589 but was likely created by Justinian. A mint issued provincial currency until the end of the province around 625. Five known magistri served during the history of the province though this certainly does not represent the whole. Two are passingly mentioned by Isidore as successive governors in the time of Suinthila without their names. The first known governor Comenciolus repaired the gates of Cartagena in lieu of barbarians. He left an inscription dated the 1st of September 589 which survives to this day. The gate was augmented with towers porticoes and a vaulted chamber. Around 600 there was a governor named Comitiolus who bore the rank of gloriosus. The patrician and magister Caesarius made a peace treaty with Sisebut in 614. He conferred with emperor Heraclius who was more concerned with matters in Mesopotamia. Travel between the border for personal and mercantile reasons was allowed. The two regions experienced prolonged periods of peace.
The province of Spania was predominantly Latin Christian while many Byzantine governors were Eastern Christians. Despite this difference the relationship between subject and ruler seemed no better than in Arian Visigothic Spain. The church of Spania was less independent of the Papacy than the Gothic church composed largely of Hispano-Romans. The two churches remained separate with no clerics attending councils of the other. No provincial council ever met in Spania. Bishop Vincent of Zaragoza's conversion to Arianism sparked theological controversy that stirred up a response from the bishop of Málaga. Gregory the Great interfered successfully in various bishoprics of the province more than any pope ever did in the Visigothic kingdom. He came to the defense of property belonging to two deposed bishops. He lorded it over the magister militum Comitiolus accusing him of interfering in ecclesiastical affairs. Licinianus of Cartagena replied that ordaining ignoramuses would leave the diocese empty. This comment served as a sad commentary on the state of clerical education in Spania. The theological controversies shared by both sides included disputes over Arianism versus Nicene Christianity.
Architectural and artistic style prevalent in Spania reflected Byzantinist styles of northern Africa rather than Byzantium proper. Two churches have been excavated and studied archaeologically: one at Algezares south of Murcia and another at San Pedro de Alcántara near Málaga. Only in the Balearic Islands did the style of Greece and Thrace take a foothold. In the vicinity of Cartagena pottery has been discovered bearing distinctively African amphorae. These artifacts testify to close ties between provinces of Spania and Mauretania Secunda. Cartagena has been excavated quite thoroughly revealing a housing complex probably created for Byzantine soldiers occupying the city. Many artifacts of the Byzantine presence can be seen in the Museo Arqueológico de Cartagena. Nevertheless the city like most in Spain was much diminished in population and area under Byzantine government. The border between Spania and Visigothic kingdom remained open allowing travel for personal and mercantile reasons. The ease of traversing the frontier was noted by exiled Leander whose brother crossed it without hindrance more than once. The border had been determined by a treaty known as pacta between Athanagild and Justinian I.
In the reigns of Athanagild and Leovigild the Byzantines were unable to push their offensive forward. The Visigoths made successful pushes back into Byzantine territory. Around 570 Leovigild ravaged Bastetania taking Medina Sidonia through treachery of an insider named Framidaneus. He may have taken Baza and certainly raided into environs of Málaga defeating a relief army sent from there. He took many cities and fortresses in the Guadalquivir valley defeating large armies of rustici according to John of Biclarum. In 577 at Orospeda Leovigild defeated more rustici rebellantes probably Bagaudae who established themselves in the disputed buffer zone. After two seasons of campaigning against Romans Leovigild concentrated military efforts elsewhere. During rule of Reccared the Byzantines again took offensive and probably regained ground. Reccared recognized legitimacy of Byzantine frontier writing to Pope Gregory requesting a copy of the treaty text. Gregory replied that the text was lost in fire during Justinian's reign warning Reccared he would not want it found. Sisebut became scourge of Byzantines in Spain carrying out massive expeditions in 614 and 615. He conquered Málaga before 619 when its bishop appeared at Second Council of Seville. He razed many cities to ground enough to catch attention of Frankish chronicler Fredegar. Sisebut probably also razed Cartagena which never reappeared in Visigothic Spain because Goths could not undertake decent sieges.
In 621 Byzantines still held a few towns but Suinthila recovered them shortly. By 624 entire province of Spania fell into Visigothic hands save Balearic Islands. These islands were an economic backwater in seventh century only nominally Byzantine like Sardinian giudicati and Corsica. They finally separated from Empire by Saracen incursions of eighth through tenth centuries. Sometime during joint reign of Egica and Wittiza a Byzantine fleet raided coasts of southern Spain driven off by local count named Theudimer. Dating of this event remains disputed occurring possibly as part of Leontius expedition to relieve Carthage under assault by Arabs in 697 or later around 702. What is almost universally accepted is that it was isolated incident connected with other military activities against Arabs or Berbers not attempt to reestablish lost province. Professor Thompson states we know nothing whatever of context of this strange event. The border between Spania and Visigothic kingdom remained open allowing travel for personal and mercantile reasons despite eventual collapse. The legacy of Spania persisted through archaeological evidence found in Cartagena and Málaga revealing the complexity of late Roman administration.
Common questions
When did Athanagild declare himself king against Agila in Spania?
Athanagild declared himself king against Agila in the autumn of 551. This rebellion tore apart Gothic rule in southern Spain and led to a civil war that lasted until 553.
Which cities formed the core of the Byzantine province of Spania?
The most important cities were Málaga and Cartagena, which served as fortified centers of Roman administration. The province extended no further north than the Sierra Nevada and included the Balearic Islands.
Who governed the military and civil affairs of the province of Spania?
The chief administrative official was the magister militum Spaniae meaning master of the military of Spain. This official governed both civil and military affairs and was subordinate only to the Emperor himself.
What religious differences existed between Spania and the Visigothic kingdom?
The province of Spania was predominantly Latin Christian while many Byzantine governors were Eastern Christians. The church of Spania remained separate from the Gothic church with no clerics attending councils of the other side.
When did the entire province of Spania fall into Visigothic hands?
By 624 the entire province of Spania fell into Visigothic hands save for the Balearic Islands. These islands finally separated from Empire by Saracen incursions of eighth through tenth centuries.
All sources
1 references cited across the entry