Scythia Minor

Scythia Minor or Lesser Scythia (Greek: , romanized: ) was a Roman province in late Antiquity, occupying the lands between the lower Danube and the Black Sea, the modern-day Dobruja region in Romania and Bulgaria.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn It was detached from Moesia Inferior by the Emperor Diocletian to form a separate province sometime between 286 and 293 CE.Template:Sfn The capital of the province was Tomis (modern-day Constanța).Template:Sfn It ceased to exist around 679–681, when the region was overrun by the Bulgars, which the Emperor Constantine IV was forced to recognize in 681.Template:Sfn

According to the Laterculus Veronensis of c. Template:Trim and the Notitia Dignitatum of c. Template:Trim, Scythia belonged to the Diocese of Thrace. Its governor held the title of praeses and its dux commanded two legions, Legio I Iovia and Legio II Herculia.Template:Sfn The office of dux was replaced by that of quaestor exercitus, covering a wider area, in 536.Template:Sfn

The indigenous population of Scythia Minor was Thracian and their material culture is apparent archaeologically into the sixth century. Roman villas have also been found. The cities were either ancient Greek foundations on the coast (like Tomis) or more recent Roman foundations on the Danube.Template:Sfn Roman fortifications mostly date to the Tetrarchy or the Constantinian dynasty. Substantial repairs were made under Emperors Anastasius I and Justinian I, who granted the province fiscal immunity. By the fifth century, most of the troops stationed in Scythia were foederati of Germanic, Turkic, Hunnic or (perhaps) Slavic origin. They were a constant source of tension in the province.Template:Sfn

Christianity flourished in Scythia Minor in the fifth and sixth centuries. Numerous Christian inscriptions have been found.Template:Sfn Already in the fourth century, there is evidence of martyr cults there. Churches typically had relic crypts.Template:Sfn Several prominent theologians hailed from Scythia, including John Cassian, Dionysius Exiguus and the Scythian monks.Template:Sfn

See also

• List of ancient towns in Scythia Minor

Bibliography

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