The dark ages (565-867)

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Justinian II, Basilica of Agios Demetrios,late 7th - early 8th century

Towards the end of the 6th century the Byzantine state was exposed to destructive raids by Slavs, who made their first appearance at this time, and Avars. Apart from the settlement of Slavic tribes in Macedonia during the 7th century in the wake of their penetration as far as southern Greece, these incursions caused the abandonment of towns and economic decline, common occurrences throughout the Empire in the first years of the Middle Byzantine period.


These unprecedented conditions accelerated prolonged internal conflicts that were brought to an end by the introduction of the military-cum-administrative institution of 'themata' (themes). Thus, territorial shrinkage (the setting up of the first Bulgarian state in 681, the Arab expansion in the second half of the 7th century, and the crisis brought on by the Iconoclast controversy) led eventually to a greater uniformity of language, dogma, and culture among the population of Byzantium.
The emergence of a new state under Charlemagne in 800 curtailed Byzantine influence in the old territories of the western Roman world. But in the 9th century the Empire was able to undertake the conversion to Christianity of neighbouring peoples and to exert a cultural influence over them, and so to draw them into both its sphere of political influence and its cultural community, the "Byzantine commonwealth".

more informations in
http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/He...a/en/A2.2.html

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External enemies and the complex internal crisis caused by Iconoclasm affected the economic life of the Macedonian region. Avar and Slav incursions in the 6th and 7th centuries, as well as the earthquakes that struck in the second decade of the 7th century, destroyed many towns and cities (e.g. Philippi and Thasos).


Because of the new conditions prevailing, the populations of many of these cities were transferred to naturally defensive positions that were subsequently fortified with walls (Beroia, Edessa, Servia, Stoboi, Vargala, Kaisareia (ancient Aiane), Amphipolis, Serrhai, Stromnitsa). At the same time, country dwellers took refuge in mountainous regions and in caves in which they folded their flocks.

The gradual absorption of the Slavs, however, and the growth of their commercial relations with the local Greeks aided the development of towns and cities. Thessalonike in particular was prominent in the economic and commercial activities of the region throughout this period, a fact reflected in the existence of various public officials, such as the 'kommerkarios', who regulated economic life and controlled shipping and its movements. Even during siege periods, vessels sailed into its harbour with timber, cereals, and pulses for the great state warehouses of the city.
The second most important Macedonian port was Christoupolis (present-day Kavala), also the seat of a 'kommerkiarios' who levied a 10% tax on all goods moving through the port.

source:
www.macedonia-heritage.gr

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Successive administrative reforms in Late Antiquity led to the creation of a system of themes, which first appeared in Asia Minor in the 7th century and had extended to the remaining provinces of the Byzantine Empire by the beginning of the 9th.


At the end of the 7th century, the theme of Hellas was created within the prefecture of Illyricum. It embraced western and central Macedonia, while eastern Macedonia (part of the prefecture of the East) was included in the theme of Thrace. Early in the 9th century, the theme of Hellas was divided into smaller themes, among which was the theme of Thessalonike, with Thessalonike city as its capital; it comprised western and central Macedonia and a part of Thessaly.
In the same period the western part of the theme of Thrace (the area lying between the Strymon and Evros rivers) formed the theme of Macedonia, from which the theme of Strymon (the area between the Strymon and Nestos rivers) was detached in the late 9th century.

source:
www.macedonia-heritage.gr