This state, although vassal of the Byzantines, so that even the beginning of the eleventh century boasts the title of imperial Protospatharios, was in fact independent.
According to the Klētorologion of Philotheos, the holders of the dignity were distinguished between eunuchs (ektomiai) and non-eunuchs (barbatoi, "bearded ones").
Some publications refer to a marble plate found in the church and bearing a Medieval Greek inscription with the following text: "by Gregory Kourkouas, protospatharios and duke of Philippopolis, indiction 14, year 6599 (= 1090/1091)".
and in a contemporary eight-book history, written by a protospatharios Michael and now lost save for a short summary in Theophanes Continuatus, he is acclaimed as "a second Trajan or Belisarius".
It was published in September 899 during the reign of Emperor Leo VI the Wise (r. 886–912) by the otherwise unknown prōtospatharios and atriklinēs Philotheos.