Theme of Sirmium
| Theme of Sirmium Θέμα Σιρμίου |
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| Theme of Byzantine Empire | |||||
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| Capital | Sirmium | ||||
| Government | Theme | ||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||
| • | Annexation | 1018 | |||
| • | Disestablished | 1071 | |||
The Theme of Sirmium (Greek: Θέμα Σιρμίου) was a Byzantine administrative unit (theme), which existed in present-day Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 11th century. Its capital was Sirmium (today Sremska Mitrovica).
In the 6th century, another Byzantine province existed in this area. It was known as Pannonia and also had its capital in Sirmium, but was much smaller in size.
In the beginning of the 11th century, the area which later became the Theme of Sirmium lay within the borders of the First Bulgarian Empire, under Tsar Samuil and the local duke (voivode) known as Sermon ruled over Sirmium and surrounding area. In a long war, the Byzantine emperor Basil II conquered Bulgaria, and established new Byzantine themes and other local governorates under generals (strategoi) on its territory. The central part of Samuil's realm became the Theme of Bulgaria, the northeastern part the Theme of Paristrion, and the northwestern part became the Theme of Sirmium.
In 1019–20, the bishoprics of Sirmium, Ras and Prizren (roughly corresponding to modern-day Serbia) are mentioned as the westernmost eparchies in the area of the Archbishopric of Ohrid. To the west of these eparchies lay a borderland with ecclesiastical provinces of the Metropolitanate of Dyrrhachium and Catholic bishoprics of maritime cities.
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