Churchmen as Agents of the Eastern Roman Empire in Sixth Century Hispania?

The sixth-century Eastern Roman military occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, particularly the province of Spania, emerged from Emperor Justinian I’s Restauratio Imperii project to restore Roman authority. The Byzantine presence was strategic, based on Mediterranean trade and fortified urban centres, as evidenced by archaeological finds of amphorae, trade goods, and ecclesiastical artefacts. Eastern influence extended beyond commerce, as bishops, monks, and hermits could have acted as imperial agents playing roles in mediating between local people and imperial forces. Notable figures such as Paul of Mérida and Martin of Dumio highlight this religious-political intertwining. Fortified settlements in frontier zones, such as Valencia la Vella and Zorita de los Canes, underscore the military significance of this period.