BYZANTINE PERIOD

During the Byzantine period, when the final fusion of different races took place, the Prefecture of Serres came under the 6th province of the Byzantine State, in other words the province of Illyricos.

Later, when the Byzantine State was divided into issues, the prefecture of Serres was the Strymonas Issue.

Before that, from the 5th century, Serres was mentioned as Episcopasy See, from the 8th century its role in the Greek history becomes leading and it is considered to be the most authentic city between Nestos and Strymon. The Byzantine writers called it "Great and wonderful city", "powerful", "nice", '"wealthy", "greatest "metropolis" etc.

Sometime in 1014 A.C. we find in the Prefecture of Serres the emperor Vasilios II Voulgaroktonos leading the Byzantine expeditionary force, which was heading towards Petritsi, in order to go across the side street of Kledi and invade Bulgaria. The Bulgarian sovereign, however, had managed to fortify the passes, in order to hold the Byzantine army in check. However, Voulgaroktonos managed to discover the Bulgarians' rear after he passed by Beles mountain (29th July). Then the Bulgarian army which started to panic, gave up their positions and withdrew, while the Byzantine army were after them. Tsar Samuel managed to get away by riding his horse towards Stromnitsa.

Among the 15.000 Bulgarian officers and soldiers that were taken prisoners, there was Nicolitsas, Draxan, Drovomiras, Nestoritsis, generals and many other Bulgarian personages. All the prisoners were taken to Serres, where they were severely punished.

According to the historians Krocibacher, Efrem Syros and many others, the people mentioned above were deprived of their sight in Serres. Only one out of a hundred people remained one-eyed in order to take the rest of them to Stromnitsa. The Tsar fainted and later died as soon as he saw the horrible sight.

During the Middle Ages the cities of the region, including Serres, were hard hit. Serres was enslaved several times but finally survived. It was one of the first cities of Macedonia which was conquested by the Franks at the end of 1204.

The great battle between the Byzantines under the leadership of Alex Vranas and the Normans under the leadership of count Valdouin took place in Dimitritsi, a village in the Prefecture of Serres on 7th of November 1185 A.C. As we all know, the Norman Knights suffered a defeat and many of them became prisoners, including their leaders.

During the centuries that followed the Prefecture of Serres became a "match theatre" between the Byzantines, Bulgarians and Serbians. Finally, in 1345 A.C., it threw itself on the Serbians mercy, who after devastating the country, conquested the city of Serres after a long siege.