The reign of Constans II (641-668) faced early obstacles, with the most significant pressure coming from Arabs in the east. Things changed when chaos took over the Arab world, and the civil war between Mu’awiya I and Ali broke out. Mu’awiya became caliph in Syria, while Ali, the son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, held power in Medina. It was this war that lead to a division within the islamic world, a division between Sunni and Shia muslims.
This civil war freed Byzantium from Arab pressure and enabled Emperor Constans II to launch a war against the Slavs in the Balkans in 658. According to the Byzantine historian Theophanes, the emperor was successful in capturing and subduing the Slavs. This partially restored Byzantine sovereignty over the Balkans, but despite this, the Slavs remained the most dominant group in the Balkans.
Slavs in Anatolia: Migration
A notable outcome was the migration of thousands of Slavs to Asia Minor (Anatolia). Theophanes, the Byzantine historian, reported that some Slavs were forcibly relocated and incorporated into the Byzantine army. Another information that Theophanes also brings to us says that a group of 5,000 Slavs approached the Arabs. The Arab commander in Emesa (Homs) in Syria, moved these Slavs with him and settled them in Syria in 665.
The second migration of Slavs in Anatolia occurred during the reign of Justinian II (685-695; 705-711). As in the case with his predecessor, he had problems with the Arabs, but the Arabs also came to a disadvantage after the death of Muawiya. The new caliph Abd al-Malik asked for peace with Byzantium in order to settle the situation within the caliphate, and this peace was very favorable for Byzantium as well.
Justinian II used that time to launch a new attack on the Balkan Slavs. With his huge army he moved towards Thrace in 688/89. and clashed with the Bulgarians, and then he conquered “large masses of Slavs” around Thessaloniki. He moved these Slavs to Anatolia in a region called Opsikia.
Slavic Betrayal and Punishment
The seal of the Slavs in Bithynia also testifies to this migration of the Slavs to the western part of Opsikia. This influx of Slavs in Anatolia filled the ranks of the Byzantine army in Asia Minor. However, even these Slavs did not prove to be faithful and they joined the Arabs in 691/692. Arabs settled them once again in Syria. Allegedly, there were 30,000 Slavs relocated. Around 20,000 joined the Arabs, while Justinian punished the other 10,000 by killing them all for the betrayal of others. Although this is an exaggeration, there is no doubt that the Slavs were resettled in large numbers and that their desertion was very common.
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