Byzantine Networks of Military Communications: Military Communications and Bulletins in and from the Caucasus, and Their Dissemination in Byzantium (c. 850–1204)

My paper explores the transmission of military news from the Eastern frontier to Constantinople. Whether concerning Byzantine campaigns in Caucasus or Cilicia, or operations led by Armenian generals, an intricate network, both official and unofficial, facilitated the dissemination of military reports and bulletins. This network served not only to inform the Byzantine public but also to advance imperial ideology and celebrate the martial virtues of emperors and generals. Through selected case studies, I examine these channels of communication, identify key actors involved in their operation, and analyse how distorted or embellished reports could find their way into imperial orations and historical narratives.