Универзитет „Евро-Балкан“

ВИЗАНТИЈА И СЛОВЕНИТЕ:
СРЕДНОВЕКОВНИ И МОДЕРНИ
ПЕРЦЕПЦИИ И РЕЦЕПЦИИ

Зборник на трудови од
Петтиот меѓународен симпозиум
„Денови на Јустиниjан I“, Скопје, 17-18.11.2017

Уредник
Митко Б. Панов

Скопје, 2018
Византија и словените:
средновековни и модерни перцепции и рецепции
_________________________________________________
Зборник на трудови од Меѓународниот симпозиум
„Денови на Јустиниан I“ Скопје, 17-18 ноември 2017

Издавач:
Универзитет „Евро-Балкан“, Скопје

Уредник:
Митко Б. Панов

Лекторка:
Јордана Шемко Герогиевска

Ликовна и техничка обработка:

Игор Панев

Печати: Ирис принт Струга

CIP - Каталогизација во публикација

Национална и универзитетска библиотека "Св. Климент Охридски", Скопје

323.1(=16:495.02)"04/14"
27-36-76-051:003.02(=16)(495.02)"04/14"
930.85(495.02)"653"

МЕЃУНАРОДЕН симпозиум "Денови на Јустиниjан I" (5 ; 2017 ; Скопје)

Византија и Словените : средновековни и модерни перцепции и
рецепции : зборник на трудови од Петтиот меѓународен симпозиум "Денови
на Јустиниjан I", Скопје, 17-18.11.2017 / уредник Митко Б. Панов. -
Скопје : Универзитет "Евро-Балкан", 2018. - 198 стр. : илустр. ; 25 см

На стр. 3: Byzantium and the Slavs: medieval and modern perceptions and
receptions : proceedings оf the 5th International Symposium "Days of
Justinian I" Skopje, 17-18 November, 2017 / edited by Mitko B. Panov. -
Трудови на мак. и англ. јазик. - Фусноти кон текстот

ISBN 978-608-4714-99-6

а) Словени - Византија - Среден век б) Мисионерска дејност - Словенска

писменост - Византија - Среден век в) Византија - Културна историја -
Среден век
COBISS.MK-ID 108861706
 "Euro-Balkan" University

BYZANTIUM AND THE SLAVS:

MEDIEVAL AND MODERN
PERCEPTIONS AND RECEPTIONS
Proceedings оf the
5th International Symposium “Days of Justinian I”
Skopje, 17-18 November, 2017

Edited by
Mitko B. Panov

Skopje, 2018
Уредник
Митко Б. Панов

МеЃУнАрОден нАУЧен кОМиТеТ

ФЛоРин кУРта (УнивеРзитет во ФЛоРида)
еЛизаБета диМитРова (УнивеРзитет Св. киРиЛ и Методиј, СкоПје)
ХРвоје ГРаЧанин (УнивеРзитет во заГРеБ)
дРаГи ЃоРЃиев (инСтитУт за национаЛна иСтоРија, СкоПје)
јане коЏаБаШија (УнивеРзитет евРо-БаЛкан, СкоПје)
РУБин зеМон (УнивеРзитет евРо-БаЛкан, СкоПје)
виктоР ЛиЛЧиЌ (УнивеРзитет Св. киРиЛ и Методиј, СкоПје)
ЃУзеПе Маино (УнивеРзитет во БоЛоња)
ГеоРГи никоЛов (УнивеРзитет во СоФија)
Митко Б. Панов (инСтитУт за национаЛна иСтоРија)
каРоЛин С. СнајвЛи (ГетиСБУРГ коЛеЏ)
донатеЛа БијаЃи Маино (УнивеРзитет во БоЛоња)
витоМиР МитевСки (МакедонСка акадеМија за наУки и УМетноСти, СкоПје)
ендРјУ РоУЧ (УнивеРзитет во ГЛазГов)
аЛекСандаР СПаСеновСки (УнивеРзитет Св. киРиЛ и Методиј, СкоПје)
јаСМина ЧиРиЌ (УнивеРзитет во БеЛГРад)

СекреТАри нА редАкЦиЈА
дРаГан ЃаЛевСки (инСтитУт за национаЛна иСтоРија, СкоПје)
иГоР Панев

EditEd by
Mitko B. Panov

iNtERNAtiONAL SCiENtiFiC COMMittEE

FFLoRin CURta (UniveRsity oF FLoRida)
eLiZaBeta diMitRova (UniveRsity ss. CyRiL and MethodiUs, skoPje)
hRvoje GRaČanin (UniveRsity oF ZaGReB)
dRaGi GjoRGjiev (institUte oF nationaL histoRy, skoPje)
jane kodjaBasija (eURo-BaLkan UniveRsity, skoPjе)
RUBIN ZEMON (eURo-BaLkan UniveRsity, skoPjе)
viktoR LiLČiĆ (UniveRsity ss. CyRiL and MethodiUs, skoPje)
GiUsePPe Maino (UniveRsity oF BoLoGna)
donateLLa BiaGi Maino (UniveRsity oF BoLoGna)
vitoMiR Mitevski (MaCedonian aCadeMy oF sCienCe and aRts, skoPje)
GeoRGi nikoLov (soFia UniveRsity)
Mitko B. Panov (institUte oF nationaL histoRy, skoPje)
andReW RoaCh (GLasGoW UniveRsity)
CaRoLyn s. sniveLy (GettysBURG CoLLeGe)
aLeksandaR sPasenovski (UniveRsity ss. CyRiL and MethodiUs, skoPje)
jasMina ČiRiC (UniveRsity oF BeLGRade)

EditORiAL SECREtARiES
dRaGan GjaLevski (institUte oF nationaL histoRy, skoPje)
iGoR Panev
 СОДРЖИНА / CONTENTS

ПРЕДГОВОР / FOREWORD 9

Витомир Митевски
ВИЗАНТИСКИОТ ЕП ДИГЕНИС АКРИТ И НЕГОВАТА
РЕЦЕПЦИЈА НА БАЛКАНОТ 11

Митко Б. Панов
ВИЗАНТИСКАТА КОНЦЕПТУАЛНА ПРЕТСТАВА ЗА
СКЛАВИНИИТЕ (7-9 ВЕК) 16

Łukasz Różycki
EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF TATIMER AND
MILITARY TACTICS OF THE SLAVS IN THE TIMES OF
EMPEROR MAURICE 32

Miguel Pablo Sancho Gómez

“DEALING WITH THE SLAVS, THE ANTAE AND THE LIKE”.
DANUBIAN BYZANTINE WARFARE IN THE MAURICE´S
TREATY STRATEGIKON 49

Драган Ѓалевски
ПРЕТСТАВАТА ЗА СЛОВЕНИТЕ КАКО ВОИНИ ВО
ВИЗАНТИСКИТЕ ИЗВОРИ (VI-X ВЕК) 59

Bojana Radovanović
SEMANTIC FIELD “PAGAN – HERETIC” IN THE PERSPECTIVE
OF THE BYZANTINES AND WESTERNERS WITH REFERENCE
TO THE SLAVS AND THE BALKANS 67

Dick van Niekerk

LUTHER 500 (1517-2017): THE ALLEGED CONTINUITY
BETWEEN BOGOMILISM AND PROTESTANTISM 78

Salvatore Costanza
SICILIANS, BYZANTINES, AND MACEDONIANS IN 11TH AND
12TH CENTURIES 87

Marco Fasolio
DOWN WITH THE EMPEROR, HAIL TO THE DESPOT. EPIROTE
PARTICULARISM AT THE DUSK OF STEPHEN DUŠAN’S EMPIRE 96

5
 Rubin Zemon
THE SLAVIC IDENTITY AND THE NATIONALISMS
IN THE BALKANS 108

Виктор Лилчиќ Адамс и Игор Ширтовски

КОНТРОЛА НА ЗАПАДНИТЕ ВЛЕЗОВИ ВО СКОПСКО
ВО ВРЕМЕТО НА ЈУСТИНИЈАН I 117

Васил Ѓоргиев – Ликин

ПРЕНЕСУВАЊЕТО НА ПЕТНАЕСЕТТЕ ТИВЕРИОПОЛСКИ
СВЕШТЕНОМАЧЕНИЦИ ОД СТРУМИЦА ВО БРЕГАЛНИЦА 126

Robert Mihajlovski and Zoran Rujak

NEWLY DISCOVERED BYZANTINE LEAD SEALS FROM
HE MEDIEVAL FORTRESS “CAREVI KULI” IN STRUMICA 137

Rozmeri Basic
RE-EXAMINING SELECTED EARLY BYZANTINE MONUMENT
IN ZADAR AND SURROUNDS: THE CHURCH OF ST. DONAT 146

Konstantin Voronin and Mariуа Kabanova

THE BYZANTINE TRADITION OF JEWEL DECORATION OF
ICONS IN THE LANDS OF WESTERN RUSSIA IN MIDDLE AGES
(ARCHAEOLOGICAL INFORMATION) 158

Трајче Нацев и Драган Веселинов

ЗАКАНИ И ОПАСНОСТИ ОД ПРИРОДНИ НЕПОГОДИ KAJ
OБЈЕКТИТЕ И МЕСТАТА ПРОГЛАСЕНИ ЗА КУЛТУРНО
НАСЛЕДСТВО НА ТЕРИТОРИЈАТА НА ИСТОЧНИОТ РЕГИОН
НА РЕПУБЛИКА МАКЕДОНИЈА 165

Весна Матијашевиќ - Покупец

РЕФЛЕКСИИ НА ВИЗАНТИСКИОТ И ПОСТВИЗАНТИСКИОТ
ПЕРИОД ВО МАКЕДОНСКОТО ПОЕТСКО И ПРОЗНО
НАРОДНО ТВОРЕШТВО 176

Маќеј Хелбиг
GUSTUS PAVONIS. ЖИВИНАТА ВО АНТИЧКАТА И
ВИЗАНТИСКАТА КУЈНА СПОРЕД ПРИМЕРОТ НА ПАУНОТ 187

Јане Коџабашија
АРАЛАМПИЕ ШАХПАСКИ – АМПО, ПСАЛТ СМОЈМИРСКИ 195

6
Robert Mihajlovski
School of Historical and European Studies
La Trobe University, Melbourne
Zoran Rujak
NI Institute for Protection of the Cultural Monuments and Museum, Strumica

удк: 904:623.446.8(497.742)”653”

NEWLY DISCOVERED BYZANTINE LEAD SEALS FROM THE

MEDIEVAL FORTRESS “CAREVI KULI” IN STRUMICA

Abstract: Historical data about the construction of the fortress Carevi Kuli
are lacking, as well as the correspondence between the central government and
the fortress. In the absence of written historical sources, sphragistics offers some
data that give us information about Byzantine officials. The lead Byzantine seals
from the Carevi Kuli represent an important source in the research of historical
events. Can the seal of John Doukas Caesar, with the monastic name Ignatios,
be connected with the activities surrounding the development of the medieval
fortress above the city of Strumica, or the seal with the figures of St. Theodore
Tyron and St. Theodore Stratelates, with the events around the rebelion of Do-
bromir Chrysos or Strez, are the questions that still remain open. However, these
lead seals represent a starting point in explaining events related to the history of
the medieval fortress Carevi Kuli of Strumica.

Medieval Strumica was an important military-administrative fortification in

the south-eastern parts of the Balkans. There are not many historical sources
on its organization and appearance and we can assume that the town of Stru-
mica did not differ from the other medieval settlements that developed from
the late 11th to the end of the 14th century. The city had an acropolis with the
fortress, “Carevi Kuli” (Tsar’s Towers) on the hilltop, and its suburbia had
concentric terraces where the houses with narrow streets and markets were
located. According to some data, the city of Strumica had, probably, between
2.000 and 5.000 inhabitants during the Middle Ages.1

1 Љ. Максимовић „Град у Византији“, Плато (2003), 40

137
 Map of the South-eastern Balkan with some of the medieval towns and the
city of Strumica

The medieval fortress of “Carevi Kuli” was built on an elongated saddle

peak on the eastern slopes of Mount Elenica. It had a complex fortifica-
tion similar to a number of fortified places in this part of the Balkans. Ac-
cording to the research, backed up with historical data, this fortress played
an important role in securing the strategic junction that connected with the
road from Constantinople, through Serres and further to Prosek,2 Stip and to
Skopje.3 From the south, the main road connected Strumica with the port of
Thessalonike.

2 Роберт Михајловски и Орданче Петров, “Нови наоди од тврдината Просек,

Демир Капија: печатот на Георги Инеот, севаст и паракимомен, околу 1198
година”, Патримониум 15, (2017), in press.
3 Robert Mihajlovski, “A collection of medieval seals from the fortress Kale in
Skopje excavated between 2007 and 2012”, Byzantion 86 (2016), 261-316.
138
 The fortress Carevi Kuli with the city of Strumica at the foothill

The exact time of construction of the medieval fortress Carevi Kuli is

not known, but many data support the opinion that construction of the large
fortification was sometime at the end of the 11th or the beginning of the 12th
century. Probably, due to the danger caused by the invasion of the Pechenegs
and Cumans, the founder of Komnenos dynasty, Alexios I began the re-con-
struction of the fortress, and it intensified after the invasion of the Normans
and the First Crusade.4 It explains the great concentration of the Byzantine
army at the end of the 11th century in this area. This data were recorded in the
monastic archives of the monastery St. Holy Mother the Merciful of Velyusa.
It should be also related with the inspectional visit of Alexios I Komnenos to
these areas at the end of the 11th and the beginning of the 12th century, visiting
the city and the famous monastery in Veljusa.
Recently, the archaeological excavation on the north-western plateau of
the medieval fortress unearthed some new Byzantine lead seals. Four dam-
aged Byzantine seals found at the fortress testify about the correspondence
between the Byzantine court and the Strumica fortress. One of the preserved
seals that complements above mentioned Veljusa monastery’s historical re-
cords about the visit of the emperor Alexios I Komnenos to Strumica be-
longed to John Doukas Caesar, a politician and personal adviser of Alexios
I. 5
4 Zоran Rujak, Carevi Kuli (Tsar’s Towers). The most significant values of the cul-
tural and natural heritage (Skopje: Ministry of Culture of R. Macedonia, Cultural
Heritage Protection Office, 2015).
5 Бранко Панов, “Струмица и Струмичката област во средниот век (VI-
139
 The seal is bilateral, with partially preserved text on the both sides. It is
made of lead with a diameter of 2.2 cm, weight of 5.53 grams (inventory
number ZMS-A-0005239). By the time of its occurrence, this seal belongs to
the last quarter of the 11th century. The text on the both sides is covered with
a circle of dots.
On the obverse, damaged text is stored in four rows:
+ ΘΚΕ|ΒΟΗ/Θ/̣ΕΙ |ΤΩΣΩΔ.|ΛΩ
Θεοτοκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ

The reverse has a damaged text in four lines:

Ιγνα|τίΩμοναχΩ|τΩΚαί|σαρι
᾿Ιγνατίῳ μοναχῷ τῷ Καίσαρι

In translation: + Holy Mother, help your servant John, the monk and Caesar.

Bilateral seal of John Doukas Caesar with the monastic name Ignatius
from the 11th century.

XI)”, Акта Велјуса (1984), 68-69.

140
 Samples from this seal are found in several places; they are processed by
several authors and belong to several collections of Byzantine lead seals.6
John Doukas Caesar had a great influence on the political life of the
Byzantine court during the second half of the 11th century. The Byzantine
chronicle Michael Psellos writes that the Byzantine Emperor Constantine X
Doukas (1054-1067) appointed his brother John Doukas with the title Caesar
in 1073/74. According to the chronicles of Michael Psellos and Anna Kom-
nene, John Doukas Caesar was a significant figure in the Byzantine imperial
policy of the second half of the 11th century.
As a talented general and politician, he suppressed the conspiracy against
the emperor in 1061, and after the death of Emperor Constantine X, he was
an adversary to the new emperor Romanos IV Diogenes (1068-1071) and he
carried out a coup in favour of his grandson Michael VII Doukas, Parapi-
nakes (1071-1078). In 1074, John Caesar was sent out by the logothete Nike-
phoritzes to fight the mercenary Roussel de Bailleul who mutinied against
the emperor Michael VII, but soon they became allies. In 1073, he was pro-
claimed emperor at Amorium by Roussel de Bailleul and marched on Con-
stantinople. Terrified by their military coalition, Byzantine Emperor Michael
sought help from the Seljuks, promising them east Anatolia. John Caesar fell
into Turkish captivity and he was released by ransom. In order to avoid the
punishment for his betrayal he became a monk with the name Ignatios and
in 1076 retreated to a monastery. But even though he was monk, occasion-
ally, he left the monastic walls and returned to political life, forcing Emperor
Michael VII to abdicate.
Ignatios influenced the political marriage between his niece Irene Dou-
kaina and the future Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. Although a monk, Ig-
natios was involved in political life and was active as adviser to Emperor
Alexios I Komnenos from 1081 to 1088. He died on May 12, 1088, and was
buried in the monastery Christos Philanthropos, founded by his niece, Em-
press Irene Doukaina.7
The seal originated from the period between 1081-1088 when John-Igna-
tios was an active adviser to the new Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (1081-
1118), since he used both titles as monk and Caesar. The seal is probably
related to a correspondence addressed to the builders or administrators of the
fortress of Strumica.

6 V. Lauren, Le corpus des sceaux de l’empire Byzantine, V.2 , l’administration cen-

trale (Paris 1981), nr. 1388 ; G. Zacos – A. Veglery, Byzantine lead seals , vol. 3
(Basel, 1972), nr. 2685.
7 E.R.A. Sewter, Fourtheen Byzantine rulers, The Chronographia of Michael
Psellos (Harmondsworth, New York: Ringwood, 1987), 350-366; R. Dalvern, Anna
Comnena (New York, 1972), 62-64.
141
 The second seal is with two figures on the obverse, one of which is St.
Theodore Tyron, and another saint, probably, St. Theodore Stratelates? In
this fine-made, but damaged seal, only the obverse is preserved. The seal is
made of lead with a diameter of 3.2 cm, weight of 19.61 grams (inventory
number ZMS-A-0003584). It is found on the northwestern plateau of the me-
dieval fortress Carevi Kuli. According to the workmanship, the seal probably
belongs to a senior official from the 12th to the 13th century.
On the obverse there are figures of St. Theodore Tyron and possibly St.
Theodor Stratelates, in full growth and in full military equipment. St. Theo-
dore is frontally shown, in a standing position, with an aureole around his
head, wearing a short military tunic. In the right hand he holds a spear, and in
the left shield. On the left and right side of the figure of St. Theodore Tyron
there is a vertical inscription. The other figure, on which may be depicted St.
Theodore Stratelates, although partially preserved, is also dressed in a short
military tunic and has a aureole around his head. In the right hand this saint
probably holds a spear.
Unfortunately, the text of the reverse, where the name of the owner of the
seal should be, is heavily damaged.

142
 Lead seal with the figures of St. Theodore Tyron and St. Theodor
Stratelates? (12th - 13th century)

On the obverse of the seal there are two vertical inscriptions placed on the
left side of the standing figures.

ΑΓΙΟΣ ΘΕ|ΟΔΩΡΟΣ
Ὁ ἅγιος Θεόδωρος

In translation: St.Theodore

According to the other archaeological findings, the fortress Carevi Kuli

was recorded at the time of Konstantinople occupation by the Latins when
the Second Bulgarian Empire ruled these territories. Activities have been
intensified in the time of the independence of Strez and the time of the wars
that occurred after his death in the first half of the 13th century.
Unfortunately, in this stage of research it is not possible to establish to
whom exactly belonged the seal with the figures of St. Theodore. The answer
should certainly be sought in the correspondence of some Byzantine digni-
taries led by one of the aforementioned rulers of Strumica during the 12th and
13th centuries.
During the archaeological excavations on the plateau of the medieval for-
tress, two fragments of lead seals were discovered.
The first one, with inventory number ZMS-A-0003375, has a preserved
diameter of 1.9 cm and a weight of 3.55 grams. It is half of a damaged lead
seal with the text in four rows. The letters are unreadable so that the text
cannot be read. On the other side of the seal, the inscription is completely
damaged.

143
 A fragment of a lead seal with unreadable content

The second seal, with an inventory number ZMS-A-0003582 and a diam-

eter of 2.2 cm, weight of 11.68 grams, has an irregular shape. It is a central
part of a seal that is damaged and unreadable. On the other side of the seal
there is no inscription. There are several decorative signs, so it is difficult to
determine whom it belongs to and what purpose this seal had.

144
 A central part of the seal with unreadable content

Historical data about the construction of the fortress Carevi Kuli are lack-
ing, as well as the correspondence between the central government and the
fortress. In the absence of written historical sources, sphragistics offers some
data that give us information about Byzantine officials. The lead Byzantine
seals from the Carevi Kuli represent an important source in the research of
historical events.
Can the seal of John Doukas Caesar, with the monastic name Ignatios, be
connected with the activities surrounding the development of the medieval
fortress above the city of Strumica, or the seal with the figures of St. Theo-
dore Tyron and St. Theodore Stratelates, with the events around the rebelion
of Dobromir Chrysos or Strez, are the questions that still remain open. How-
ever, these lead seals represent a starting point in explaining events related to
the history of the medieval fortress Carevi Kuli of Strumica.

145