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"The Roman emperors in earlier times in every direction of the extremities of their domain stationed a very great number of soldiers as guards over the borders of the Roman empire, and especially in the eastern part, thereby repulsing the attacks of both Persians and Saracens. They used to call them 'border-troops.' These men Justinian treated so triflingly and thoughtlessly that within 4 or 5 years those who defrayed the costs of the soldiers' pay were behind on their payments. But when a peace was declared for both Romans and Persians, these were forced to forgive the treasury if they did not receive the payments that were owed within a stated time."[1]
Note that, for the Romans, a limitatus [sic] field is one abandoned by the enemy.[2]

*limitanai=oi. oi( *(rwmai/wn basilei=s e)n toi=s a)/nw xro/nois pantaxo/se tw=n th=s politei/as e)sxatiw=n pa/mpolu katesth/santo stratiwtw=n plh=qos e)pi\ fulakh=| tw=n o(ri/wn th=s tw=n *(rwmai/wn a)rxh=s kai\ kata\ th\n e(w/|an ma/lista moi=ran, tau/th| ta\s e)fo/dous *persw=n te\ kai\ *sarakhnw=n a)naste/llontes, ou(/sper limitanai/ous e)ka/loun. tou/tois *)ioustiniano\s ou(/tw dh\ pare/rgws kai\ fau/lws e)xrh=to, w(/ste d# h)\ e# au)toi=s e)niautw=n tw=n sunta/cewn tou\s xorhgou\s u(perhme/rous ei)=nai. e)peida\n de\ *(rwmai/ois te kai\ *pe/rsais ei)rh/nh ge/noito, h)nagka/zonto ou(=toi xro/nou r(htou= ta\s o)feilome/nas sunta/ceis mh\ lamba/nontes tw=| dhmosi/w| xari/zesqai. shmei/wsai o(/ti limi/tatos a)gro/s e)sti kata\ *(rwmai/ous o( a)po\ polemi/wn lhfqei/s.

The headword (which occurs in the accusative plural in the quotation given) is a hellenization of the Latin term limitanei (from limes "frontier").
[1] Procopius, Secret History 24.12-13. On Justinian see generally iota 446.
[2] A marginal addition in some of the Suda manuscripts only.

David Whitehead (augmented notes and keywords; tweaks and cosmetics) on 4 June 2009@06:10:15.
David Whitehead (tweak) on 4 June 2009@06:12:11.
David Whitehead on 19 April 2013@05:22:34.

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