Jan Tzimiskes i heretyccy osadnicy w okolicach Filipopola. Zarys problemu
John Tzimiskes and heretical settlers in the vicinity of Philippopolis. Outline of the problem

Summary/Abstract: Anna Komnene, John Skyliztes and Joannes Zonaras mention the resettle- ment of heretics from the East, most likely the Paulicians, to the vicinity of Philippopolis during the reign of John I Tzimiskes. They were entrusted with military service there. These resettlements were related to the campaigns of Em- peror Tzimiskes, and then Basil II in the territories of Syria and Armenia. The heretics (Paulicians) referred to in the sources became permanently connected with Philippopolis and the surrounding lands, retaining their mili- tary skills. In the 11th century and in the first decades of the 12th century, they were most probably used in fighting nomads from outside the Danube region (Pechenegs, Cumans-Polovtsians).It is also possible that during the reign of John Tzimiskes, the heretical reset- tled migrants had the task of protecting the Byzantine lands against the threat from the west, from the Bulgarian territories, where the centre of Samuel’s new, powerful state was slowly forming.

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