WAS LEHREN DIE SIEGEL ÜBER DIE VERWALTUNG VON CHERSON IM MITTELALTER?
What Testify Seals About The Administration Of Kherson In The Middle Ages?

Summary/Abstract: In a new monograph N. Alekseyenko has collected the sigillographic material relevant to the administration of Cherson from the 8th through the 11th century. This volume forms the basis for our reevaluation of the problem of Cherson’s administrative history, especially the matter of a more precise dating of these sources. The 128 seals of Archontes of Cherson come probably from the period ca. 740 to ca. 840. We accept the hypothesis that there was always only one Archon, a kind of mayor in charge of the autonomous town – but in close contact with Byzantium. The small number of seals of Kyroi we prefer to date between ca. 840 to ca. 870, id est in the early years of the new thema Klimata / Cherson; he was subordinate to the Strategos. The 137 seals of the Strategoi of Cherson extend from the middle of the 9th century until nearly the middle of the 11th. Most of them were Protospatharioi. Not long ago the first seal of a Katepano of Cherson and Chazaria (1060/1080) came to light. A single seal type mentions an Ek Prosopou of Cherson (fi rst half of the 10th century). The 74 bullae of Kommerkiarioi stem from the second half of the 9th and 10th centuries. Only two fragments of seals mention Protonotarioi of the Mangana and of Cherson (second to third third of the 10th century). On the other hand there are 3 seals of a Pater Poleos, one type of an Ekdikos and some seals of Proteuontes, all from the 10th century and relating to persons who served as municipal agents.

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