This list covers the Byzantine army from the loss of the East beyond Asia Minor to the Arabs until the 10th century Byzantine shift to the offensive. It is the period of the “Taktika” of the Byzantine emperor Leo VI. Most of the army was decentralised with each corps serving part time in its own theme or province. Although a few invasions of enemy territory did take place, strategy was essentially defensive, relying on “dog and pounce” to counter raids; and helped by a central professional reserve “the tagmata” and neighbouring themes against larger Arab invasions. Most battles were amid border hills. Except in rear line thematic units, kavallarioi archers were sent out to skirmish as cursores. Skoutatoi now had 14’ spears and big shields and were used to block defiles, supported by archers on the side slopes. References: Armies of the Dark Ages 1. Heath, The Taktika of Leo VI G.T. Dennis (trans), (On Skirmishing in) Three Byzantine Military Treatises G.T. Dennis, The Byzantine Wars J. Haldon.
— Thematic Byzantine Army 650 AD - 963 AD
III/14 — EARLY BULGAR 558 AD - 1018 AD
III/1 — EARLY SLAV 476 AD - 1218 AD
III/21 — ITALIAN LOMBARD 584 AD - 1076 AD
III/25 — ARAB CONQUEST 622 AD - 660 AD & KHAWARIJ 658 AD - 873 AD
III/27 — RSHTUNI ARMENIAN 639 AD - 717 AD
III/29 — THEMATIC BYZANTINE 650 AD - 963 AD
III/31 — UMAYYAD ARAB 661 AD - 750 AD
III/33 — EARLY MUSLIM NORTH AFRICA & SICILY 696 AD - 1160 AD
III/37 — ABBASID ARAB 747 AD - 945 AD
III/47 — PECHENEG 850 AD - 1122 AD
III/48 — RUS 860 AD - 1054 AD
III/51 — BAGRATID ARMENIAN 885 AD - 1045 AD
III/53 — EAST FRANKISH 888 AD - 1106 AD
III/14 — EARLY BULGAR 558 AD - 1018 AD
III/1 — EARLY SLAV 476 AD - 1218 AD