The quaestura exercitus was a peculiar administrative district of the
Eastern Roman Empire with a seat in Odessus (present-day Varna)
established by Emperor
Justinian I
.jpg/440px-Mosaic_of_Justinianus_I_-_Basilica_San_Vitale_(Ravenna).jpg)
Justinian I (r. 527–565) on May 18, 536.[1]
Territorially, the quaestura exercitus contained the Roman provinces
of
Moesia Inferior

Moesia Inferior and Scythia Minor, located in the lower Danube
region, as well as the provinces of Cyprus, Caria, and the Aegean
Islands (i.e. the Cyclades). All of these provinces were detached from
the
Praetorian prefecture of the East

Praetorian prefecture of the East and placed under the authority
of a new army official known as the quaestor exercitus ("
Quaestor

Quaestor of
the army").[2] The authority of the quaestor was the equivalent to
that of a magister militum.[3] Since the strategically vital Danubian
provinces were economically impoverished, the purpose of the quaestura
exercitus was to help support the troops that were stationed there. By
connecting the lower
Danubian provinces

Danubian provinces with wealthier provinces,
Justinian was able to transport supplies via the Black Sea. This
territorial restructuring relieved both the destitute populations and
devastated countryside of the
Danubian provinces

Danubian provinces from sustaining any
stationed troops. Unfortunately, there is a lack of subsequent
evidence on the history of the quaestura exercitus. However, since the
position of quaestor was still existent during the mid-570s, this
indicates that the overall territorial unit achieved a modicum of
success.[4][5]
Ultimately, the
Danubian provinces

Danubian provinces associated with the quaestura
exercitus did not survive the
Slav

Slav and Avar invasions of the Balkans
in the 7th century. However, isolated fortresses on the
Danube

Danube delta
and along the coast of the
Black Sea

Black Sea were maintained via supplies by
sea, and there is evidence that the great naval corps of the
Karabisianoi was first formed by the remainders of the quaestura.[6]
Lead seals from
Moesia Inferior

Moesia Inferior and
Scythia Minor

Scythia Minor provide evidence
supporting the existence of the quaestura exercitus. Specifically,
thirteen imperial seals (nine of which are from Justinian) demonstrate
that communications between officials from
Scythia Minor

Scythia Minor and
Constantinople

Constantinople occurred on a somewhat regular basis.[7]
References[edit]
^ Velkov 1977, p. 62: "In 536 (May 18) a peculiar administrative
district was created - quaestura exercitus. It included Lower Moesia
and Scythia (separated from the diocese of Thrace), the Cyclades,
Caria, and Cyprus."
^ Maas 2005, p. 120: "This infrastructure possessed flexibility
and scope for adaptation according to circumstances specific to
different parts of the empire, as demonstrated by Justinian's
establishment of the quaestura exercitus (quaestorship of the army) in
536, whereby the provinces of Moesia and Scythia on the lower Danube
and the Asian provinces of Caria, Cyprus, and the Islands were
detached from the praetorian prefecture of the east and placed under
the authority of a new official, the quaestor of the army."
^ Haldon 1999, p. 68: "An important new field command, the
quaestura exercitus, had been introduced during the reign of
Justinian. It was equivalent to that of a magister militum, placed
under the authority of an officer entitled quaestor, with authority
over troops based in the
Danube

Danube frontier zone (the provinces of
Scythia and Moesia II), but including also the Asia Minor coastal
province of
Caria

Caria and the Aegean islands."
^ Maas 2005, p. 120: "The Danubian provinces, strategically
critical but economically poor, had long struggled to support the
troops stationed in them, a problem Justinian sought to solve by
linking them in this way with the wealthier and more secure Asian
provinces that could transport supplies via the
Black Sea

Black Sea to the lower
Danube. Although evidence about the subsequent history of this
arrangement is limited, the post of quaestor was still in existence in
the mid 570s, suggesting that it achieved some success."
^ Haldon 1999, p. 68: "The purpose appears to have been to supply
the
Danube

Danube frontier forces by sea from a secure hinterland, thus
sparing the hard-pressed population and ravaged countryside of the
frontier districts where the armies were based."
^ Haldon 1999, p. 74: "The districts ascribed to the old
quaestura exercitus established by Justinian did not survive the Slav
and Avar invasions of the Balkan provinces (although isolated
fortresses on the
Danube

Danube delta and along the coast of the Black Sea
were maintained and supplied by sea); but its Aegean regions remained,
as before, the source of men, ships and resources for a maritime corps
known in the later seventh century as the "ship troops", or
Karabisianoi, probably based at first on Rhodes, although also drawing
its soldiers from the mainland."
^ Curta 2001, pp. 185–186: "Ever since A. H. Jones interpreted
the quaestura exercitus as an administrative reform designed to ensure
a continuous food supply for troops stationed on the Thracian border,
scholars insisted that the attributions of the quaestor were primarily
financial. He was directly responsible for the annona (provisioning)
of the army in
Moesia Inferior

Moesia Inferior and Scythia Minor. In addition, lead
seals found in the region point to communication of some regularity
between the two Balkan provinces included in the quaestura exercitus
and the central government. Thirteen imperial seals, nine of which are
from Justinian, demonstrate that officials in
Scythia Minor

Scythia Minor received
letters and written orders from the emperor."
Sources[edit]
Curta, Florin (2001). The Making of the Slavs: History and Archaeology
of the Lower
Danube

Danube Region, c. 500–700. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Maas, Michael (2005). The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Justinian.
Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
ISBN 0-521-81746-3.
Haldon, John F. (1999). Warfare, State and Society in the Byzantine
World, 565-1204. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.
ISBN 1-85728-494-1.
Velkov, Velizar Iv. (1977). Cities in Thrace and Dacia in Late
Antiquity: (Studies and Materials). Amsterdam, The Netherlands: A. M.
Hakkert.
v
t
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Late Roman provinces (4th–7th centuries AD)
History
As found in the Notitia Dignitatum. Provincial administration reformed
and dioceses established by Diocletian, c. 293. Permanent
praetorian prefectures established after the death of Constantine I.
Empire permanently partitioned after 395. Exarchates of Ravenna and
Africa established after 584. After massive territorial losses in the
7th century, the remaining provinces were superseded by the theme
system in c. 640–660, although in Asia Minor and parts of
Greece they survived under the themes until the early 9th century.
Western Empire (395–476)
Praetorian Prefecture
of Gaul
Diocese of Gaul
Alpes Poeninae et Graiae
Belgica I
Belgica II
Germania I
Germania II
Lugdunensis I
Lugdunensis II
Lugdunensis III
Lugdunensis IV
Maxima Sequanorum
Diocese of Vienne1
Alpes Maritimae
Aquitanica I
Aquitanica II
Narbonensis I
Narbonensis II
Novempopulania
Viennensis
Diocese of Spain
Baetica
Balearica
Carthaginensis
Gallaecia
Lusitania
Mauretania Tingitana
Tarraconensis
Diocese of the Britains
Britannia I
Britannia II
Flavia Caesariensis
Maxima Caesariensis
Valentia (?)
Praetorian Prefecture
of Italy
Diocese of Suburbicarian Italy
Apulia et Calabria
Campania
Corsica
Lucania et Bruttii
Picenum

Picenum Suburbicarium
Samnium
Sardinia
Sicilia
Tuscia et Umbria
Valeria
Diocese of Annonarian Italy
Alpes Cottiae
Flaminia et
Picenum

Picenum Annonarium
Liguria et Aemilia
Raetia I
Raetia II
Venetia et Istria
Diocese of Africa2
Africa proconsularis (Zeugitana)
Byzacena
Mauretania Caesariensis
Mauretania Sitifensis
Numidia Cirtensis
Numidia Militiana
Tripolitania
Diocese of Pannonia3
Dalmatia
Noricum mediterraneum
Noricum ripense
Pannonia I
Pannonia II
Savia
Valeria ripensis
Eastern Empire (395–c. 640)
Praetorian prefecture
of Illyricum
Diocese of Dacia
Dacia Mediterranea
Dacia Ripensis
Dardania
Moesia I
Praevalitana
Diocese of Macedonia
Achaea
Creta
Epirus Nova
Epirus Vetus
Macedonia Prima
Macedonia II Salutaris
Thessalia
Praetorian Prefecture
of the East
Diocese of Thrace5
Europa
Haemimontus
Moesia II4
Rhodope
Scythia4
Thracia
Diocese of Asia5
Asia
Caria4
Hellespontus
Insulae4
Lycaonia

Lycaonia (370)
Lycia
Lydia
Pamphylia
Pisidia
Phrygia Pacatiana
Phrygia Salutaris
Diocese of Pontus5
Armenia I5
Armenia II5
Armenia Maior5
Armenian Satrapies5
Armenia III

Armenia III (536)
Armenia IV

Armenia IV (536)
Bithynia
Cappadocia I5
Cappadocia II5
Galatia I5
Galatia II Salutaris5
Helenopontus5
Honorias5
Paphlagonia5
Pontus Polemoniacus5
Diocese of the East5
Arabia
Cilicia I
Cilicia II
Cyprus4
Euphratensis
Isauria
Mesopotamia
Osroene
Palaestina I
Palaestina II
Palaestina III Salutaris
Phoenice I
Phoenice II Libanensis
Syria I
Syria II Salutaris
Theodorias (528)
Diocese of Egypt5
Aegyptus I
Aegyptus II
Arcadia
Augustamnica I
Augustamnica II
Libya Superior
Libya Inferior
Thebais Superior
Thebais Inferior
Other territories
Taurica
Quaestura exercitus (536)
Spania

Spania (552)
1 Later the Septem Provinciae
2 Re-established after reconquest by the Eastern Empire in 534 as
the separate Prefecture of Africa
3 Later the Diocese of Illyricum
4 Placed under the
Quaestura exercitus in 536
5 Affected (i.e. boundaries modified, abolished or renamed) by
Justinian I's administrative reorganiz