siege siege undertaken local slavic tribes reportedly aid arab fleet siege failure attributed intervention city patron marked consolidation byzantine control peninsula centuries slavic rule western half marked beginning peninsula ecclesiastical affairs background byzantine_empire military position balkans collapsed early 7th century result disastrous military ventures arabs east forced effective abandonment danube opened way large scale penetration settlement balkan slavic tribes raided far southern greece coasts asia minor region cities sacked abandoned including remained occupied imperial hands greece eastern coasts central greece remained byzantine hands theme interior slavic groups established large native greek population probably remained land mixed autonomous communities peaceful soon emerged remaining byzantine strongholds mainly agricultural trading byzantine held coastal towns north greek mainland turn 7th 8th century smaller slavic districts emerged fringes imperial territory ruled received byzantine titles recognized form imperial imperial authority greece greatly strengthened campaign ventured constantinople overland south regions northwestern coast claimed chronicle work highly disputed accuracy chronology essential source period cities abandoned result slavic population fleeing followed years independent slavic rule archaeological record hand shows remained byzantine control period possible population emigrated italy siege according chapter emperor constantine vii reign emperor war greek population aid african looted countryside laid siege city held food began growing short inhabitants gave thought surrendering dispatched rider direction seat military governor find coming aid envoy instructed return signal flag carried help way dip flag hold erect rider found coming delayed constantine vii writes arrived days siege ended return city horse slipped flag fell inhabitants interpreted sign aid near forth besieging allegedly led city patron horseback panicked sudden assault fled abandoning siege punishment constantine vii records maintain cost officials envoys passing relieving local burden constantine vii gives precise date attack usually dated city founded according chronicle arab fleet known reached southern greece arab participation result later mixing real slavic revolt subsequent arab raids chronicle hand mention siege city instead records armenian named defeated victory year marked end years slavic rule emperor said rebuilt bringing descendants original inhabitants engaged large scale program peninsula bringing greek colonists italy asia minor program confirmed chronicler puts slightly later scholars tried reconcile conflicting accounts chronicle implying recovery result campaign probably concurrent establishment separate theme slightly earlier according interpretation slavic revolt attack followed reaction years later aftermath exact course events early 9th century failure slavic attack consolidated recently established byzantine control policies led successful peninsula defence secured byzantine_empire main maritime road communication italy west opened shorter route instead longer dangerous route exposed arab attacks according constantine vii rose early defeated south tribes held longer eventually subdued forced pay heavy tribute retained autonomy tribes rose century later quickly subdued time managed remain autonomous retain distinct identity times successful siege intervention marked abrupt rise prominence metropolis raised separate metropolis came enjoy great political financial influence henceforth metropolitan superior control sees
Siege of Patras (805 or 807)