Two sides of the medallion: byzantine Attaleia and Naples during the passage between late antiquity and the Early Middle Ages (from 6th to 10th centuries)

Abstract

This article examines the transformation of the Byzantine cities, Attaleia and Naples, between the 6th and 10th centuries and challenges the prevailing notion of widespread urban decline in the Byzantine world during this transitional period. Naples, the administrative heart of the Byzantine Duchy in the Tyrrhenian Sea, and Attaleia, the capital of the Kybirrhaiotai naval theme and a critical base for imperial maritime power, reveal unique paths of urban adaptation and resilience. By analyzing archaeological evidence, including hagiographies, papal letters, and historical narratives as well as coinage, seals, harbors, and pottery, this study demonstrates that these cities remained well-integrated into the Byzantine cultural and economic network, or Byzantine Koine. These findings emphasize that Attaleia and Naples were not isolated relics but active participants in Byzantine connectivity, providing a nuanced perspective on the dynamics of continuity and change within Byzantine koine.