fare ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁three ▁centuries . ▁ ▁The ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁Muslim ▁Civil ▁War ▁in ▁ 6 5 6 ▁bought ▁a ▁pre cious ▁breath ing ▁pause ▁for ▁By z ant ium , ▁which ▁Emperor ▁Const ans ▁II ▁( r . ▁ 6 4 1 – 6 6 8 ) ▁used ▁to ▁shore ▁up ▁his ▁def ences , ▁extend ▁and ▁cons olid ate ▁his ▁control ▁over ▁Armen ia ▁and ▁most ▁important ly , ▁initi ate ▁a ▁major ▁army ▁reform ▁with ▁last ing ▁effect : ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁them ata , ▁the ▁large ▁territorial ▁commands ▁into ▁which ▁An atol ia , ▁the ▁major ▁cont igu ous ▁territory ▁remaining ▁to ▁the ▁Empire , ▁was ▁divided . ▁The ▁remains ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁field ▁arm ies ▁were ▁settled ▁in ▁each ▁of ▁them , ▁and ▁soldiers ▁were ▁allocated ▁land ▁there ▁in ▁payment ▁of ▁their ▁service . ▁The ▁them ata ▁would ▁form ▁the ▁back bone ▁of ▁the ▁By z antine ▁def ensive ▁system ▁for ▁centuries ▁to ▁come . ▁ ▁Att acks ▁against ▁By z antine ▁hold ings ▁in ▁Africa , ▁Sic ily ▁and ▁the ▁East ▁ ▁After ▁his ▁victory ▁in ▁the ▁civil ▁war , ▁Mu aw iy ah ▁launched ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁attacks ▁against ▁By z antine ▁hold ings ▁in ▁Africa , ▁Sic ily ▁and ▁the ▁East . ▁By ▁ 6 7 0 , ▁the ▁Muslim ▁fleet ▁had ▁pen etr ated ▁into ▁the ▁Sea ▁of ▁Mar m ara ▁and ▁stayed ▁at ▁Cy z icus ▁during ▁the ▁winter . ▁Four ▁years ▁later , ▁a ▁massive ▁Muslim ▁fleet ▁re