This thesis is an overview of the functioning of foreign mercenaries in the Eastern Roman Empire during the Komnenian period, along with an outline of the recruitment and financing of such troops, a somewhat overlooked topic. Although mercenaries had been a part of the Roman army since its inception, this period represented the high point of their importance. They can be roughly divided by their origin into western, i.e. European and eastern, i.e. Asian. These two otherwise completely heterogenous groups of peoples in essence formed two rather homogenous types of military units: the western heavy cavalry, and the eastern light cavalry – horse archers. The interplay between these units is of key importance to the understanding of the Komnenian restoration, the last time the Eastern Roman Empire functioned as a great power. The rise of the number and importance of mercenaries is often regarded as detrimental to the Empire as a whole by modern historians, who commonly link it to the degradation of the army. The real cause of this degradation was the defeat of the Byzantine army at Manzikert in 1071, which set down the framework of the army’s further development, including the increased reliance on mercenaries.
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