- Immortals (Byzantine)
The Immortals (Greek: Ἀθάνατοι, "Athanatoi") were one of the elite "tagmata" military units of the
Byzantine Empire , first raised during the latter part of the 10th century. The term comes from the "a-" ("anti") + "thanatoi" "mortals" from "θάνατος" "Thanatos"/death .History
The "Athanatoi" were a body of young men of noble status that was originally raised by
John I Tzimisces . [See the "Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium", entry "Athanatoi".] The unit was revived under the EmperorMichael VII (1071–1081). His generalNikephoros reorganised the central field army/Imperial Guard ("Tagmata ") of the Eastern Empire following the disastrous defeat suffered by the Byzantines at theBattle of Manzikert in 1071, when campaigning against theSeljuk Turks . The Seljuks had subsequently over-run most ofAsia Minor , which had provided the main recruiting ground for the pre-Manzikert army.As part of the reorganisation process, the remnants of the provincial troops of the Eastern
themata (military provinces) were brought together as the Immortals, providing a new regiment of the Tagmata. The new Immortals may have beencavalry , like the bulk of the old Byzantine field army, but this is not certain.The Byzantine historian
Nicephorus Bryennius records that the Immortals numbered 10,000. He adds that the title of "Immortals" was originally accorded only to officers but was soon applied to the entire corps. InWalter Scott 's novel "Count Robert of Paris " the Immortals appear as rivals to the Viking or Anglo-SaxonVarangian Guard for Imperial favour.It is not known when the Immortals disappeared from the Byzantine order of battle. However the loss of the eastern provinces forced the Empire to depend increasingly on foreign
mercenaries to the detriment of indigenous units such as the Immortals. The Tagmata had effectively ceased to exist by the death ofAlexius I in 1118 (see Byzantine Armies 1118-1461 listed below), although the Varangians survived until at least 1204.ee also
*
Persian Immortals Footnotes
References
*Heath, Ian: "Byzantine Armies 886-1118" ISBN 0-85045-306-2.
*Runciman, Steven: "Byzantine Civilisation".
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
