«Тахиййат»: Сборник статей в честь Н. Н. Дьякова

m 66 n Dimitrios G. Letsios proposed 1 . This first official treaty between the Byzantine Empire and the Caliphate of Damascus marks an important step in their relations. Further, this treaty is usually assessed in the broader context of Byzantine policy of that time and seems to have had global positive impact, even if broken soon after 2 . The Syrian-Arab writers, Agapios and Bar Hebreaus, explicitly support the view that the Mardaites after their subjugation to the Arabs continued their re- bellious activities. It seems that their involvement in casualties was stipulated by the Byzantine side and they were brought into play in order to distract the Arab attacks against the Byzantine territories. The information included in the Chronicle of Michael the Syrian, based probably on the previous writers, goes in the same direction 3 . Syrian-Arab sources and Greek sources related to them report a peace treaty between Caliph ‘Abd al-Malik and Emperor Constantine IV, which sup- posedly should have been concluded at the last year of Constantine’s reign. However, it seems that perhaps only negotiations have been conducted and a treaty between Byzantium and the Caliphate has been concluded during the reign of Constantine’s successor, Justin II 4 . Hostilities and attacks by the Mardaites, simultaneous with a pest obliged ‘Abd al-Malik to ask for reconfirmation of the peace agreement concluded by Mu‘āwiya; civil war and opposition to his authority was an additional motive for his decision 5 . It is quite probable that the difficulties he confronted during this time made for ‘Abd al-Malik a reaffirmation of the treaty of 677/78 AD necessary. Further more it is not quite clear whether ‘Abd al-Malik really con- cluded two treaties with Byzantium, one with Constantine IV, shortly before his death (685 AD) and a second with Justinian II (687/8 AD), as Theophanes suggests 6 . Especially Michael the Syrian and Bar Hebraeus suppressed the in- formation about the two treaties into one that should have been concluded after 1 The terms imposed upon the Arabs according to this treaty, as reflected in the Greek sources, included the payment of a yearly tribute of 3000 gold coins, the freeing of 50 war prisoners and the delivery of 50 noble horses:  πους ε  γενε  ς ; on varying information about the treaty terms, Kaplony (1996), 93. 2 Theophanes 356, 2–8; Nikephoros 34, 21–37. Stratos (1968–1980) IV 49: “…made a deep impression upon the foes of Byzantium…” Cf. Leontsini (2006), 229ff.; Lounghis (1980), 123ff.; Chrysos (1992) 27. 3 Bar Hebraeus 101; Agapius of Menbidj 492f.; Michael the Syrian II 455, 12–13. Cf. Bei- hammer (2000) 328ff. 4 Beihammer (2000), Reg. 293, 343: “Vorvertrag, provisorische Vereinbarung”, with a comprehensive discussion of all relevant sources and literature. 5 Rotter (1982), 162ff. and especially 176ff. discusses the role of the Mardaites for the conclusion of the treaty; Kennedy (1986) 90ff. 6 Theophanes 363, 6–11.