Lucania (theme)
The Theme of Lucania was a Byzantine province in southern Italy, that was established probably c. 968, under emperor Nikephoros II Phokas, and existed until the Norman conquest of southern Italy at the middle of the 11th century.
History
It was situated between the two older Byzantine provinces of Longobardia in the east and Calabria in the west, and was formed to encompass Lombard-populated areas of the theme of Longobardia where Byzantine Greeks from Calabria had settled in the early 10th century.Tursi was chosen as the theme's capital and also as the seat of a new metropolitan bishopric to encompass the province. The theme of Lucania was probably under the overall authority of the Catepan of Italy at Bari.
The Lucania Theme lasted nearly one hundred years: from 968 to 1050 AD. It was fully conquered by the Normans, with the help of the Longobards of the Principate of Salerno.
The province corresponds roughly to the modern Italian region of Basilicata.