In the 6th century many Slavic tribes populated the wider region around the
Byzantine city of Thessalonica. In ca. 614–616 the Baiounitai are mentioned in the
Miracles of Saint Demetrius as one of them. Their territory was on the western side of Thessalonica. The territory inhabited by the Baiounitai formed a
Sclavinia. In ca. 614–616 the Baiounitai and other neighbouring Slavic tribes united under a leader named
Chatzon and besieged the city. Forces composed of many different Slavic tribes attacked the city with
siege engines trying to break through the city walls, while their small and manoeuvrable
dugouts attacked the city from the sea. Their efforts failed and Chatzon was killed after entering the city to negotiate. After this failure to capture Thessalonica, many members of the defeated Slavic tribes moved further from the city. According to some, the Baiounitai moved from Macedonia to the territory of Epirus, and settled the region north of Ioannina. to the tribe. Two personal seals of
archons of
Vagenetia have been found, that of
spatharios Theodoros dated to the 7th or 8th century, and that of
protospatharios Hilarion dated to the late 9th and early 10th century. The territory around the river
Aoös (or Vjosë, today in southern
Albania) was probably also named after this tribe. ==Annotations==