Theme of Iberia
| Theme of Iberia θέμα 'Ιβηρίας |
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| Theme of the Byzantine Empire | |||||
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| Capital | Theodosioupolis | ||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||
| • | Established | 1001 | |||
| • | Niketas of Pisidia was appointed as the doux of Iberia. | 1025/6 | |||
| • | Kingdom of Ani was incorporated into Theme. | 1045 | |||
| • | Katakalon Kekaumenos was appointed as the doux of Iberia. | 1045 | |||
| • | Leo Tornikios was appointed as the doux of Iberia. | 1047 | |||
| • | Constantine IX disbanded "Iberian Army" | 1053 | |||
| • | Gregory Pakourianos (1071-74), governor of Theme of Iberia, formally ceded a portion of the theme including Tao and Kars to King George II. | ca. 1074 | |||
| Today part of |
 Turkey
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The theme of Iberia (Greek: θέμα 'Ιβηρίας) was an administrative and military unit – theme – within the Byzantine Empire carved by the Byzantine Emperors out of several Georgian land in the 11th century. It was formed as a result of Emperor Basil II’s annexation of a portion of the Bagrationi Dynasty domains (1000–1021) and later aggrandized at the expense of several Armenian kingdoms acquired by the Byzantines in a piecemeal fashion in the course of the 11th century. The population of the theme—at its largest extent—was multiethnic with the possible Georgian majority, including a sizable Armenian community of Chalcedonic rite to which Byzantines sometimes expanded, as a denominational name, the ethnonym "Iberian", a Graeco-Roman designation of Georgians. The theme ceased to exist in 1074 as a result of the Seljuk invasions.
The theme was created by the emperor Basil II (976-1025) from the lands inherited from the Georgian prince David III of Tao. These areas – parts of the Armeno-Georgian marchlands centered on Thither Tao, including Theodosioupolis (now Erzurum, Turkey), Phasiane, Hark’, Apahunik’, Mardali (Mardaghi), Khaldoyarich, and Ch’ormayari – had been granted to David for his crucial assistance to Basil against the rebel commander Bardas Sclerus in 979. However, David’s rebuff of Basil in Bardas Phocas’ revolt of 987 evoked Constantinople’s distrust of the Caucasian rulers. After the failure of the revolt, David was forced to make Basil II the legatee of his extensive possessions.
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Wikipedia