From Dyrrhachium to Larissa (1082–3)

It was not just the Varangian regiment that was annihilated at Dyrrhachium; the Byzantine nobility also suffered a severe blow, with ‘several fine soldiers killed’ during the battle, such as the porphyrogenitos Constantine Ducas, Nicephorus Palaeologus, General Aspietes, and Nicephorus Synadenus. Alexius and his personal guard avoided arrest by seeking sanctuary at a place called Kake Pleura (Ndroq), just north of Dyrrhachium, and then at the castle of Lake Achrida (Ohrid). After probably spending the months of November and December there, winter months accompanied by severe snowfalls in the mountainous areas of Epirus and western Macedonia, Alexius entrusted the defence of Dyrrhachium's citadel to the Venetians, thus acknowledging their important role in the defence of the city. He also appointed a native Illyrian-Albanian as komeskortes, meaning commander of the forces of the lower city. As for the rest of the castles in the Dyrrhachium region, the Italian sources confirm that most of them capitulated.

We have two different accounts for the surrender of the city of Dyrrhachium. The first version of events provided by Anna shows the citizens of the city – with the role of the Amalfitans and the Venetians in the making of the decisions being highlighted – contemplating the surrender of Dyrrhachium to avoid any possible retaliation, after hearing of Robert Guiscard's intention to resume the siege the following spring. Both Malaterra and William of Apulia give us another version of the events: after four months of negotiations the siege of the city was at a standstill because of the winter period when a certain Domenico, a nobleman of Venetian origin to whom the defence of a principal tower was delegated, reached an agreement with Robert Guiscard to betray the city to them in exchange for the hand of the latter’s niece, the daughter of William I of Principate.