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106 4. the successors of justinian
counter the Chagan’s assertion there of imperial pretensions. Thereafter
Roman operations were greatly assisted by the termination of the Persian
war and the transfer of resources and eastern troops to the Balkans. 44
Between 593 and 595 Priscus and Peter gradually reasserted Roman control
of the eastern Balkans, driving scattered Slav groups back to the Danube,
campaigning across the river to deter further incursions, and reopening
contacts with those Roman outposts that had survived the invasions of the
580s. This sequence of imperial collapse followed by recovery provides a
context for the story of Maurice’s achievement in winning over a brigand
chief: 45 ‘brigands’ was a convenient term to apply to local self-help groups
that appeared as central authority collapsed, but in many cases their priority
was efficient protection for their own territory and so they were prepared
to show deference to an emperor who appeared to be capable of
providing this.
The Avar Chagan, though concerned about these actions, was unable to
intervene: Singidunum was protected by a Roman fleet, and the Avars were
forced to turn their attentions west to Illyria and the Frankish kingdoms.
In autumn 597 the Avars again raided eastwards and reached Tomi on the
Black Sea; in 598 a Roman attempt, perhaps too ambitious, to trap the
Avars there failed, and the Avars were able to burst across the mountains
to ravage the Thracian plain, but disease and diplomacy persuaded them to
withdraw. A new treaty established the Danube as the frontier, but the
Romans were specifically allowed to cross the river to attack Slavs, a recognition
of the considerable Roman recovery that had been achieved. This
time it was the Romans who were on the offensive and had no intention of
preserving the treaty; in 599 there was a successful campaign into Pannonia
itself, in 601 Roman control of the Danube Cataracts was safeguarded, and
in 602 there were further successes against the Slavs. Constant campaigning,
much of which is probably reported inadequately by Theophylact, had
reasserted Roman authority in the Balkans: the Danube was now a real
frontier, Slavs beyond the frontier were becoming cowed, while Slavs south
of the river might be turned into Roman subjects.
This achievement, however, was the product of hard toil, and fighting
perhaps became less lucrative for the Romans. Concern about Maurice’s
desire for financial economies, which had already prompted sedition in
winter 593/94, culminated again in late 602 when Maurice ordered the
troops to spend the winter north of the Danube. 46 There were good military
reasons for this, expounded in the contemporary Strategikon, but the soldiers
mutinied, chose Phocas as leader and marched on Constantinople. In the
capital Maurice’s unpopularity had been demonstrated in rioting over a food
shortage in February; there were insufficient troops to defend the city, and
44 Ibid. 153–65. 45 Farka (1993/4). 46 Whitby, Maurice 165–9.
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