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Anno Domini, 832-January-7
''Matthias, we have reached the city. Take your things and prepare to leave. We have to move quickly'' said one of the sailors while I closed the book I had in my hands.
I had truly suffered during the voyage by ship. Although I had already made a sea crossing to reach Crete, when I accepted the strategos's offer to settle on his lands, that did not make traveling by sea any easier. The movement of the waters at this time of year was enough to turn the stomach of even the calmest man.
Finally, we had arrived at Nicomedia aboard one of the nao-type ships produced in the arsenal of Heraklion, so the journey was a little faster than if we had sailed in a dromon. Even so, the winter winds made the crossing rather miserable, and more than once we had to remain docked in some port when the gusts were too strong.
I quickly arranged my belongings and placed them in the chest. It did not take long before they began lowering it from the ship along with the rest of the luggage.
Like many others from the school, I had come by order of the now magister ton Scholon, who had risen in imperial politics and needed men capable of occupying trusted posts. Having given important administrative positions to those closest to him in regions such as the governorship of the foederati, Aegyptus and Jerusalem, he had been left with fewer educated servants than he needed.
He had few people with the knowledge necessary to administer the many possessions of the empire, especially when the brightest students of the school had been sent to help the foederati organize their new kingdom or to Aegyptus, where it was necessary to almost completely replace the administrative fabric, which had been too influenced by the practices of the sarakenoi.
So, with the recent administrative and military reform, multiple administrators were needed. New posts would be created, others would be suppressed, and many of us who were studying or had already completed our studies were being recruited and transferred to Anatolia.
The same was happening with many of the troops from Crete who trained in the area. Many men were now part of the new urban and rural guards, and they had accompanied us to secure the seizure of power while every trace of the old thema system was removed from local control.
''Everyone who is part of the administrative corps, come with us this way. We have books to review as soon as possible'' said a tall warrior covered in heavy armor.
They placed my belongings on a cart, along with those of many others, and we began moving through the streets of the city. During the journey, I observed the buildings carefully, since it was the first time I had seen Nicomedia. Constantinople had been my entire world until my migration to Crete, so that city felt strange to me, although the hand of the empire could still be seen in its walls and streets.
After walking for some time, following the military forces of the area, we were taken to the themata barracks of Nicomedia. It was well known that the city was the administrative center of the thema of Optimaton, so it was a vital point for imperial logistics. Many supplies had to pass through there if one wished to reach the other themata of central Anatolia.
Once inside the fortress of Nicomedia, they formed all of us in front of one of the administrators of the magister ton Scholon, who began assigning us our new jobs.
Although I was only in my second year of studies and had not yet finished my training, I was already considered fit to serve in the administration. I knew arithmetic, could read and write with ease, and knew the fundamentals of accounting thanks to the new numerical system that had been implemented in the imperial books.
''Your name?'' asked the man who seemed to be the new governor of Nicomedia.
''Matthias'' I replied quickly, straightening myself as much as I could.
''Matthias… Matthias… Matthias… here you are. Good. You did not finish the university, but you had good grades in arithmetic and passed imperial law, so I suppose you will serve as a tax collector. For the moment, you will be in charge of organizing part of the imperial tax collection system. We will no longer depend on collectors sent from the capital to collect what must be delivered to the palace, so you will join the group of collectors and dedicate yourself to collecting the taxes related to the lands. We have a list of debtors that must be dealt with and new laws we can apply'' said the governor, handing me some papers.
''Understood. Whom should I meet with?'' I asked, receiving the document that detailed my functions, my duties and my pay.
''Fourth room on the right. The treasury is there. I have someone preparing the plan to collect a good part of the taxes that the aristocrats of the area must pay'' he said, pointing with his finger toward where I had to go.
Without saying much more, I headed to the indicated room. Upon entering, I found a group of men from the university studying a good part of the documentation kept in the local books.
''Yes… yes… let us not waste time. Look, we have an enormous amount of work. Take these books on the landowners of northern Nicomedia. We have several cases of aristocrats who have not paid their taxes, using the old trick of disappearing from their properties during collection days'' said the man who seemed to be in charge of tax collection for the governorship.
''But what has changed? Imperial law is clear regarding tax collection. If the person is not present, they must be found so the payment of their taxes can be made effective'' I said, taking the books and beginning to write in a notebook, which rested on a chair, the amounts that had to be collected.
''New tax reform. For now, it will only be applied in this area. It is no longer necessary to find the person to demand payment. If they cannot be found, their properties will be expropriated by the State and put up for sale, or used as the governor or the emperor deems most convenient'' said my new superior, before telling me to focus on my work.
I lowered my gaze and focused on the numbers we had to collect and on the people from whom we had to collect. Apparently, my first target was a man who owned numerous vineyards and olive groves in the area, in addition to owing an enormous sum of money to the imperial administration, since he had spent several years avoiding the payment of his taxes.
So I began writing down where each noble lived within the city, since there were new laws meant to prevent that very common way of avoiding tax payment.
I kept working until I had reviewed all the names. The amount of gold owed in the books was incredibly high, so much so that it could easily pay many salaries for years. Some debts had gone decades without being collected, even after the famous purge of the basileus rhomaion Theophilos, which indicated that, even with his celebrated attempts to reduce corruption, they had not been as effective as they were presented.
I prepared my lists throughout the entire day. At sunset, they moved me to the place where I was supposed to live for the coming time. The truth was, I did not feel that this was the improvement they had sold me. Although they had given me a house inside the walls, it was not as well built as the others. It even seemed to have very old parts, with rotten wood that I would have to repair on my own.
Even so, the pay for coming here was generous: almost three gold coins for every month of work. It was much more than what was earned in other trades, so there was no choice but to accept the migration, especially considering that I had not yet finished my studies.
I slept somewhat uncomfortably in the bed that had been prepared for me. I was used to sleeping in cotton sheets, with cotton and wool padding, while here they used wool mixed with some rougher material, which made it quite hard and annoying to rest in.
At first light, they organized us in the barracks of the old thema, where they introduced us to many of the new urban and rural guards. There, the duties of protection inside and outside the city were distributed. Since we were going to collect taxes in the countryside, many of those accompanying us were former themata troops who had accepted a severe salary increase, going from one silver coin to eight a month, and now served as a permanent force under the orders of the security officers of the province.
Once our movement was organized, we began advancing with carts and horses so we could bring back the collected taxes or, otherwise, close the properties and place them under imperial control.
I felt the jolts of the cart as we moved along the road. Finally, we saw our first stop of the day. The rural guards stopped the cart in front of the entrance to an enormous villa, where large stretches of vineyards could be seen, surrounded by a small wall that was barely taller than a person.
With my notebook and quill in hand, I climbed down from the cart and soon knocked on the door to draw attention. After several blows, using the knocker at the entrance, someone finally opened.
''How can I help you?'' asked a man while removing the lock that prevented the door from opening.
''Greetings. By order of the new governor of Nicomedia and of the province of Optimaton, patrikios Nicetas is requested to pay the taxes owed over the last seventeen years, as stipulated by imperial law'' I said in a firm tone, carrying in my hand all the files that proved his failure to fulfill his tax obligations.
''Ah… I fear the owner of these lands is not here at this moment, but when he returns, I will let him know that the payment of his taxes is required'' said the worker, trying to close the door.
I quickly put my foot forward to keep him from closing it.
''By order of the basileus rhomaion, the method of collection has been changed. If the owner cannot be found, his properties in the province will be temporarily taken by the imperial administration until he fulfills his obligations. So, if he is not present, this property will fall under imperial control'' I said, making a signal to the guards.
They did not take long to push the door, move the worker out of the way and enter the villa.
Without saying a word, under the gazes of some guards and workers of the villa, we walked inside. When we reached the main estate, an enormous mansion raised on a small hill that allowed one to perfectly observe the great vineyards, I began nailing to the door the document declaring that the property was passing under State administration.
''Anyone who does not have work related to the care of the harvests will see their contract temporarily ended until all the abuses committed by patrikios Nicetas are corrected. So empty this property if you do not have a necessary trade within it'' I said, opening the door and entering the mansion.
Several guards followed me while they began doing their work, removing the servants from the property and expelling the private guards as well.
I reached a room where aristocrats usually kept their earnings, and this property was no different. Upon entering, I found large quantities of silver and gold coins, even ingots.
Using the presumption that all that wealth belonged to the owner, I began counting what stood before me to check whether it was enough to cover the owed taxes.
I spent a long time doing the accounts, but all of that barely covered a little more than a quarter of what the aristocrat owed. Because of that, the seizure and possible expropriation of his goods remained in force.
''Remove the coins. There are several thousand nomismata. Everything is accounted for, so do not do anything you may regret'' I said to the kentarchos of the rural guard.
The man nodded, and his soldiers soon left carrying chests full of gold and silver coins.
''Good, we must continue. Now we have to go to the owner of that cattle farm. Have someone send the message that, in one month, this property will enter auction or be purchased by the State'' I said, reviewing my itinerary.
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If there are spelling mistakes, please let me know.
Leave a comment; support is always appreciated.
I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see.
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