Aegean Sea (theme)

Theme of the Aegean Sea Αἰγαῖον Πελάγος, θέμα τοῦ Αἰγαίου Πελάγους
Theme of the Byzantine Empire
843–1204
Map of Byzantine Greece c. 900 AD, with the themes and major settlements.
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Established	843
• Fourth Crusade	1204
Preceded by Succeeded by Asia (Roman province) Islands (Roman province) Duchy of the Archipelago
Today part of	Greece Turkey

The Theme of the Aegean Sea (Greek: θέμα τοῦ Αἰγαίου Πελάγους, thema tou Aigaiou Pelagous) was a Byzantine province in the northern Aegean Sea, established in the mid-9th century. As one of the Byzantine Empire's three dedicated naval themes (Greek: θέματα ναυτικᾶ), it served chiefly to provide ships and troops for the Byzantine navy, but also served as a civil administrative circumscription.