From the ninth century, and perhaps already from the late eighth century
(Bouras 0000:000), Byzantine cities were marked by an economic revival. New cities
and towns are mentioned in the sources. In many cases, this was the result of an
imperial initiative. Civil and ecclesiastical administration and a military presence
created conditions that encouraged the development of cities and towns. The theme
system began slowly to be replaced by the emerging cities as centres of administrative,
economic, and social life (Angold 0000: 0-0; Harvey 0000: 000; Dagron 0000;
Bouras 0000: 000-0). There was a population increase and expansion of the urban
inhabited area on the sites of the ancient agorai. Urban administration was carried
on by the administration of the themata, and when the system declined, local
powerful persons, the archontes, emerged as leaders of urban communities, together
with bishops. In large cities some forms of municipal organizations are attested in
neighbourhoods around churches (geitoniai) and religious confraternities (Angold
0000:00-00).