Armenian Persecution(Between Naples and Armenia)

The Byzantine Empire was ruled by the Isaurian or Syrian dynasty from 711 to 802. The Isaurian emperors were successful in defending and consolidating the Empire against the Caliphate after the onslaught of the early Muslim conquests, but were less successful in Europe, where they suffered setbacks against the Bulgars, had to give up the Exarchate of Ravenna, and lost influence over Italy and the Papacy to the growing power of the Franks.The Isaurian dynasty is chiefly associated with Byzantine Iconoclasm, an attempt to restore divine favour by purifying the Christian faith from excessive adoration of icons, which resulted in considerable internal turmoil.

Byzantine Empire There are 12 provinces, of which 7 are classed as Themes: *1. Exarchate of Ravenna *2. Venetia and Istria *3. Duchy of Rome *4. Duchy of Naples *5. Duchy of Calabria *6. Thema of Hellas *7. Thema of Thrace *8. Thema of Opsikion *9. Thema of Thrakesion *10. Thema of Anatolikon *11. Thema of Karabisianoi *12. Thema of Armeniakon. NAPOLI!

The duchy of Naples during XI century.

Between Naples and ByzanceThe duchy of Naples played an important role in the maintenance of Byzantin and Greek presence in the Southern Italy at this period. In 661, Naples obtained from the emperor Constant II the right to be ruled by a local duke, one Basil, whose subjection to the emperor soon became merely nominal. Among his titles were patrikios ("patrician") and hypatos ("consul").

Saracens: enemies -friendsIn 840, Duke Sergius made the succession to the duchy hereditary, and thenceforth Naples was de facto indipendent, In this age the city was mainly a military centre, ruled by an aristocracy of warriors and landwners,even though it had been compelled to surrender to the neighbouring Lombards much of its inland territoryNaples was not a merchant city as other Campanian sea cities like Amalfi and Gaeta, but it had a respectable fleet who took part in the battle against the Saracens in 849. Anyway Naples did not hesitate to ally with infidels if this turned to its advantage: in 836, for example, it asked support to the Saracens in order to push off the siege of Lombard troops .

SAINT GREGORY MONASTERYIn the mid-eighth century, much of the Basilian monks and nuns were saved by flight, in the massacre of persecution carried out by iconosclast, repairing in Italy, especially in Rome and Naples. Some nuns, who brought with them the relics of san Gregorio, called Illuminator, First patriarch of Armenia, escaped in Naples, where they were housed in the San Gregorio Armeno street.

The monastery was rebuilt several times in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; The church was rebuilt in the late 500. It is not understood how, there exists a via San Gregorio Armeno, and it was given the same name to the square to which it belongs, canceling the old feature, the name of San Gennariello All'Olmo. This name doubly important for the civil and religious history: that is, the church, dedicated to our most holy founder by the bishop S. Agnello in the seventh century.

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