Leo the Deacon, who lived in the second half of the 10th century, came from the Asia Minor city of Kaloe, from where he moved to Constantinople in his youth, where he received a good education. Judging by his name, he chose the spiritual path, being a member of the court clergy, and in this capacity, apparently, he accompanied Emperor Basil II in his Bulgarian campaign in 986, where he was a direct witness to the defeat of the Byzantine troops at Triaditsa and barely escaped captivity himself.

The description of events from the death of Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus in 959 to the end of the reign of John I Tzimiskes in 976. Leo the Deacon devoted his main work - "History", completed c. 992: the author probably wanted to bring the story to his time (apparently, the mention of the Bulgarian campaign of Basil is connected with this), but death may have prevented the realization of this intention. In addition to the "History", Leo the Deacon wrote an encomium in honor of Basil II the Bulgar Slayer, and left several letters. True, the identification of the historian Leo the Deacon with the author of the dithyramb "Deacon Leo" is not unconditional.

The historian's story is built as a narration of an eyewitness or a participant in the events, although, undoubtedly, Leo the Deacon, like other contemporaries, also used the so-called "History of Fok" (a reconstructed, unpreserved monument), and, possibly, documentary materials, was also familiar with the historical works of the past , having been influenced, for example, by Agathias of Myrine.

"History" by Leo the Deacon is the most complete source on the history of Russian-Bulgarian-Byzantine relations in the last third of the 10th century. and, in particular, on the history of the campaigns of the Kyiv prince Svyatoslav in the Danube region. The historian talks about the diplomatic relations between Byzantium and Russia, for example, about the embassy of Patricius Kalokyra "to the Tauro-Scythians, who are usually called dews in the common language." In 969, the "Tauro-Scythians" or "Taurians" and their leader "Sfendoslav", i.e. Prince Svyatoslav, John Tzimiskes manages to send to the Danube to pacify the Bulgarians (“Mises” by Leo the Deacon). Describes in detail the campaign of the "Russian armor" headed by Svyatoslav 969-970. The victories of Svyatoslav at Philippopolis, the rumor about the capture of the city by the dews forced John Tzimiskes to enter into negotiations with the Russian prince, urging him to leave the Byzantine borders and send his army to Taurica and the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov. At the same time, the imperial message recalled the unsuccessful campaign of Prince Igor (“Iggora”) and the agreements he concluded with Byzantium. In response, however, Svyatoslav threatened to besiege Constantinople. By the decisive battle, the Russian army was reinforced by allied formations of the Hungarians and Bulgarians. The bloody battle at Arcadiopol in 970 ended with the victory of Byzantium, but claimed thousands of lives on both sides.

In the spring of 971, John Tzimisces of Adrianople sets out on a new campaign against Svyatoslav. The entire eighth book of Leo the Deacon's work is devoted to the description of this campaign, telling about the battle of Preslav and ending with a story about the battle of Dristra. The entire next book of the History tells about the battle of Dristra (Dorostol) on July 21, 971, victorious for the Byzantines, after which Svyatoslav, having concluded an agreement with Byzantium, went home with the rest of the army, but was killed on the way by a Pecheneg ambush. The portrait of Svyatoslav, presented by Leo the Deacon, is very colorful. In the narrative of Leo the Deacon, the Russian governors "Sfenkel" (Sveneld?), Ikmor are mentioned. The historian also recalls the biblical story about the invasion of "Gog, Magog and the archon Rosh" in connection with Russia.

  Edition: Leonis Diaconi Caloensis historiae libri decern / E rec. C. H. Hasii. Bonnie, 1828.

  Translation: Leo Deacon. History / Per. MM. Kopylenko. Comm, and Art. M.Ya. Syuzyumova and S.A. Ivanova. M., 1988.

  Literature: Syuzyumov 1916, pp. 106-166; Florovsky 1925; Mutafchiev 1931. Vol. 4; Dolger 1932. S. 275-292; Gregoire 1937a. R. 267-276. Vasiliev 1951. R. 160-225; Karyshkovsky 1951, pp. 101-105; Karyshkovsky 1952. S. 53-61; Karyshkovsky 1952a. pp. 127-138; Karyshkovsky 1953. S. 36-71; Karyshkovsky 1955. S. 26-30; Levchenko 1956; Karyshkovsky 1960. S. 39-51; Kazhdan 1961, pp. 106-128; Sevcenko 1965, pp. 709-713; Terras 1965. P. 395^406; Syuzyumov 1971. Vol. 7; Browning 1975: Hunger 1978. Bd. 1. S. 367-371; Ivanov 1981. T. 42; Ivanov 1982. S. 74-80; Sakharov 1982; Moravcsik. BT I. S. 398-400; Ditten 1984. Vol. 45: Bibikov 1998, pp. 104-109.

STORY

Book 5

  ... In the meantime, while the emperor was doing all this in Syria and in Byzantium, the patrician Kalokir, sent to the Tauro-Scythians by his royal order, arrived in Scythia, struck up friendship with the catarchon of the Taurians, seduced him with gifts and enchanted him with flattering speeches - after all, the entire Scythian tribe is unusually mercenary , extremely greedy, greedy for bribery and promises. Kalokir persuaded [him] to gather a strong army and oppose the Misyans, so that after defeating them, to subdue and retain the country for his own stay, and to help him against the Romans in the struggle for mastery of the throne and Roman power. [For this Kalokir] promised him huge, untold riches from the royal treasury.

  2. Having listened to the words of Kalokir, Sfendoslav (that was the name he was called among the Taurians) was unable to restrain his aspirations; Excited by the hope of gaining wealth, seeing himself in a dream as the ruler of the Misyan country, he, being an ardent and daring husband, and besides, brave and active, raised the entire young generation of Taurians to war. Thus, having recruited an army, which, in addition to the wagon train, consisted of sixty thousand healthy men, he, together with the patrician Kalokir, with whom he united by ties of brotherhood, set out against the Misyans.

  Having learned that [Sfendoslav] was already sailing to Istra and preparing to land on the shore, the Misyans gathered and set up a phalanx of thirty thousand armed men against him. But the Taurians swiftly jumped out of the canoes, put forward their shields, drew their swords and began to hit the Misyan right and left. They could not stand the first onslaught, took to flight and shamefully locked themselves in the safe fortress of their Doristol. Then, they say, the leader of the Misyans, Peter, a God-loving and pious man, greatly upset by the unexpected flight of his army, suffered an epileptic seizure, and after a short time he moved to another world.

  But this happened in Misia later. And the autocrat of the Romans Nicephorus, who was generally active, vigilant and prudent throughout his life, never became a slave to pleasures and about whom no one could say that he had seen him at least in his youth indulging in debauchery, having learned about what was happening among the Taurians, he engaged in the same time with many things. He equipped the foot army, armed the detachments, [accustomed] the cavalry to deep formations, dressed the horsemen completely in iron, made throwing weapons and placed them on the towers of the city wall. Then he forged a heavy iron chain and stretched it on huge pillars placed in the Bosphorus, attaching one end to the tower, which was usually called Centinarius, and the other to the Castellius tower, located on the opposite bank. Being the most enterprising and prudent of all people known to us, he considered that it would be unprofitable to start a war against both peoples. It seemed to him that it would be useful to win over one of these peoples to his side. He decided that in this way it would be easy to defeat the other and defeat him faster.

  3. Since Nicephorus no longer hoped to come to an agreement with the Taurians and knew that it would not be easy to subdue to his will the patrician Kalokir, who had completely deviated from the true path, who had gone out of his power and had a great influence on Sfendoslav, he preferred to send an embassy to fellow believers Misians 10 , appointing as ambassadors the patrician Nicephorus, nicknamed Eroticus, and the proeder of the Euchaitian Philotheus 11 . [Nikephoros] reminded the Misyans of their faith (after all, the Misyans profess the Christian religion without any deviations) and asked them for the maidens of the royal family to marry them to the sons of Basileus Romanus 12, strengthening through kinship the inextricable peace and friendship between the Romans and the months.

  The Misyans gladly accepted the embassy, ​​put the girls of royal blood on wagons (Misyan women usually ride wagons) and sent them to Basileus Nicephorus, begging him to come to their aid as soon as possible, turn away the ax of the Taurians hanging over their heads and neutralize it. And if [Nikephoros] went to defend the Misyans, he would have won a victory over the Taurians, as well as over other tribes against whom he opposed with the Roman army ...

Book 6

  …eight. The spirit of Emperor John 13 was disturbed by many anxieties; Three paths lay before him, and he did not know which one to take, lest he deviate from the right direction. The lack of food supplies and the famine that spread everywhere had been devouring the Roman state for the third year; the invasion of the Ross, which did not bode well, threatened 14; the Carthaginians and Arabs intended to attack Syrian Antioch, which had just been conquered by the Romans. As for the irresistible evil of famine, [John] prudently cut off the influence of this calamity by a quick supply of supplies from all harbors. He stopped the invasion of the Agarians with the help of the eastern army under the command of the patrician Nicholas, who, being the court eunuch of the sovereign, gained experience in military affairs through many diligence.

  And with the catarchon of the troops of the Ross, Sfendoslav, he decided to negotiate. And so [John] sent envoys to him demanding that he, having received the reward promised by the emperor Nicephorus for the raid on the Misians, retired to his regions and to the Cimmerian Bosporus, leaving Mysia, which belongs to the Romans 15 and has long been considered part of Macedonia. For they say that the Misyans, having resettled from the northern Kotrags 16 , Khazars and Hunavs 17 , left their native places and, wandering around Europe, captured this [region] during the time of Constantine, who was then ruling the Romans, called Pogonat 18 , and settled in it; By the name of their ancestor Bulgar, the country began to be called Bulgaria.

  9. There is also another story about them, approximately as follows. When Leontius 19 cut off the nose of the emperor of the Romans Justinian 20 and exiled him to Cherson 21, he contrived, fled from there to Meotida 22 and won the Misyan people over to his side, promising them a big reward if they returned power to him. [Misians] followed [Justinian] and, when he again ascended the throne, they received from him a region in that part of Macedonia that flows around Istria. They moved there and, being always warlike, invaded Thrace, inflicted great damage on the Romans and took people into slavery. However, the Romans also opposed them 23, and since the [Misians] could not resist the courage of the [Romans], they hid in forest ambushes and defeated them in places that were inconvenient for battle. Since that time, many battles have taken place in which valiant commanders died, and the ancient emperor Nicephorus 24 was also killed by the Misyans, only Constantine Kopronym 25 defeated the Misyans, and after him - his grandson Konstantin, son of Empress Irina 26, and already in our time the emperor John conquered their cities. History has not preserved any mention of any other of the Romans who defeated the Misyans in their land 27 . But enough [to write] about them.

  10. Sfendoslav was very proud of his victories over the Misyans; he had already firmly taken possession of their country and was completely imbued with barbaric arrogance and arrogance. He killed the terrified and frightened Misyans with innate cruelty: they say that, having taken Philippopolis 28 in battle, he, with his characteristic inhuman ferocity, impaled twenty thousand inhabitants who remained in the city and thereby humbled and [bribed] all resistance and ensured humility. [Sfendoslav] answered the Roman ambassadors arrogantly and boldly: “I will leave this rich country no sooner than I receive a large monetary tribute and a ransom for all the cities I captured during the war and for all the prisoners. If the Romans do not want to pay what I demand, let them immediately leave Europe, to which they have no right, and go to Asia, otherwise let them not hope to conclude peace with the Tauro-Scythians.

  Emperor John, having received such an answer from the Scythian, again sent ambassadors to him, instructing them to convey the following: “We believe that Providence governs the universe, and we profess all Christian laws, therefore we believe that we ourselves should not destroy what we inherited from the fathers undefiled and, thanks to God's help, unshakable peace 29 . That is why we urgently urge and advise you, as friends, to leave immediately, without delay or excuses, a country that by no means belongs to you. Know that if you do not follow this good advice, then not we, but you, will turn out to be violators of the peace concluded in ancient times. Let our answer not seem bold to you, we trust in the immortal God-Christ: if you yourself do not leave the country, then we will expel you from it against your will. I believe that you have not forgotten about the defeat of your father Ingor 30, who, ignoring the oath agreement 31, sailed to our capital with a huge army on 10 thousand ships, and arrived at the Cimmerian Bosporus with barely a dozen boats, himself becoming a herald of his misfortune. I do not mention his [further] miserable fate, when, having gone on a campaign against the Germans, 32 he was taken prisoner by them, tied to tree trunks and torn in two. I think that you will not return to your fatherland if you force the Roman force to oppose you - you will find death here with your entire army, and not a single torch-bearer will arrive in Scythia to announce the terrible fate that has befallen you.

  This message angered Sfendoslav, and he, seized with barbaric fury and madness, had the following answer: “I see no need for the emperor of the Romans to rush to us; let him not exhaust his strength to travel to this country - we ourselves will soon pitch our tents at the gates of Byzantium and erect strong barriers around the city, and if he comes out to us, if he decides to resist such a disaster, we will bravely meet him and show him in deed that we are not some kind of artisans who earn their livelihood by the labor of their hands, but men of blood 33 who defeat the enemy with weapons. In vain, out of his unreasonableness, he takes the Ross for pampered women and tries to intimidate us with such threats, like babies who are frightened with all sorts of scarecrows.

  11. Having received news of these crazy speeches, the emperor decided to immediately prepare for war with all diligence in order to prevent the invasion of [Sfendoslav] and block his access to the capital. He immediately recruited a detachment of brave and courageous men, called them "immortal" and ordered to be with him. Then he [ordered] Master Varda, nicknamed Skliros, the brother of his late wife Mary, an enterprising and unusually brave husband, as well as the patrician Peter, whom the emperor Nicephorus appointed stratopedarch for his inherent courage and glorious military exploits (they say that during the raid Scythians to Thrace, when Peter, despite the fact that he was an eunuch, happened to come out with his detachment against them in battle, in the gap between the rows, the leader of the Scythians rode on a horse, a man of huge growth, reliably protected by a shell, and, shaking a long spear, became to call on someone who wanted to oppose him; then Peter, full of bravery and courage beyond expectations, powerfully turned around and with such force directed a spear into the chest of the Scythian with such force that the tip pierced the body through and out of the back; the chain armor could not protect the giant, and he, without uttering a sound, he prostrated himself on the ground, and the Scythians, struck by an unusual, amazing sight, fled 34), - with this [two] in The emperor ordered the commanders to gather an army and go to the nearby and bordering lands with Misia. They were ordered to spend the winter 35 there, exercising soldiers and going around the country so that it would not suffer any harm from the Scythian raids. It was also ordered to send people dressed in Scythian dress, speaking both languages, to bivouacs and [occupied] by the enemy areas, so that they would learn about the intentions of the enemy and then report them to the emperor. Having received such orders from the sovereign, [military leaders] enter Europe.

  12. Having learned about the campaign [of the Romans], the Tauro-Scythians separated one part from their army, attached to it a large number of Huns 36 and Misians and sent them against the Romans. As soon as Master Varda, who was always a valiant and resolute man, and at that time especially flaming with anger and passionate courage, learned of the attack of the enemies, he gathered around him a detachment of selected warriors and hastily went to battle; calling John Alakas, he sent him to reconnaissance with an order to inspect the [army] of the Scythians, find out their numbers, the place where they settled down, and also what they were doing. All this information [John] had to send to him as soon as possible, so that he could prepare and line up soldiers for battle.

  John with selected riders quickly rode to the [camp] of the Scythians; the next day he sent [a warrior] to the master, urging him to come with the whole army, since the Scythians were not far away, very close. Hearing this news, [Varda] divided the phalanx into three parts and ordered one of them to follow right behind him in the center, and the other two to hide aside, in the forests, and jump out of the ambush as soon as they heard the sound of a trumpet calling for battle . Having given these orders to the lohags, he rushed straight at the Scythians. A heated battle ensued, the enemy army greatly outnumbered [the army of the Romans] - they had more than thirty thousand, and the master, counting together with those who were in ambush, no more than ten thousand. The battle was already going on, and the bravest warriors were dying on both sides, And then, they say, some Scythian, boasting of his strength and might of body, broke forward from the phalanx of horsemen surrounding him, galloped up to Varda and struck him with his sword on the helmet. But the blow was unsuccessful: the blade of the sword, hitting the firmament of the helmet, bent and slid to the side. Then the patrician Constantine, brother of Varda, a young man whose chin was barely visible, but who was of enormous stature and invincible, irresistible strength, drew his sword and attacked the Scythian. He was afraid of the onslaught of Constantine and dodged the blow, leaning back on the horse's croup. The blow fell on the horse's neck, and his head flew off to the side; the Scythian, along with the horse, fell to the ground and was stabbed to death by Constantine.

  13. Since the [success] of the battle was inclined now in favor of one, then in favor of the other army, and the inconstancy of happiness passed endlessly from one side to the other, Varda ordered the trumpet to be blown and the tympanums to be beaten frequently. At this sign, the phalanx hidden in ambush rose and rushed at the Scythians from the rear: seized with fear, they began to tend to flee. across the space between the two armies, began to inspire courage in his comrades-in-arms. Varda Sklir galloped up to him and hit him on the head so hard that the sword penetrated to the waist; the helmet could not protect the skiff, the shell could not withstand the strength of the hand and the smashing action of the sword. He fell to the ground, cut in two, the Romans cheered up and filled the air with joyful cries. The Scythians were horrified by this amazing, supernatural blow; they yelled, broke their formation, and took to flight. Until late in the evening, the Romans pursued them and mercilessly exterminated them. It is said that fifty-five Romans were killed in this battle, many were wounded and more horses fell, and more than twenty thousand Scythians died. This is how this battle between the Scythians and the Romans ended 37 .

  And Emperor John hurried Asian troops to cross the Hellespont to Europe. He ordered them to spend the winter in the regions of Thrace and Macedonia, practicing daily in the possession of weapons, so as not to be incapable of the upcoming battles and not to be defeated by the enemy. [He commanded them] to wait for spring 38 - when the spring dispels the winter storm and the face of the earth finally clears up, he himself will come to them, leading his troops, and with all his strength will fall on the Tauroscythians.

Book 8

  1. As soon as a clear spring gave way to a gloomy winter, the emperor immediately raised the banner of the cross and began to hasten [on a campaign] against the Tauro-Scythians. Right from the palace, he went to pray to God in the revered Cathedral of Christ the Savior, located in Halka. Seeing that the place for worshipers is very narrow, because fifteen people can hardly fit there, and the entrance is winding, uncomfortable and looks like a twisted labyrinth or shelter, [John] immediately ordered the temple to be rebuilt from the very foundation, expanded and made more light. He himself outlined the outlines of the walls; some inspiration inspired this zeal and diligence in him, and the temple reached such beauty and grandeur, which are inherent in it now. [Coming out] from there, he came to the famous holy temple of divine Wisdom and began to pray for the sending down of an angel who would move ahead of the army and lead the campaign, then, while singing hymns, he went to the glorious temple of the Mother of God, located in Blachernae. Having properly offered prayers to God, he went up to the palace 39 located there to look at the fire-bearing triremes. They swayed, arranged in rows, in the Bosphorus, where a convenient and reliable pier for cargo ships extends, gently curving, to the bridge and the river, which flows into the sea beyond the bridge.

  Having admired the skilful sailing of ships in battle formation and the demonstration battle between them (there were more than three hundred of them, along with boats and canoes, which are now popularly called galleys and moneria 40), the emperor rewarded rowers and soldiers with money and sent them to Peter to protect the river route , - so that the Scythians could not sail away to their homeland and to the Cimmerian Bosporus in the event that they were put to flight. It is said that the Ister is one of the rivers flowing from Eden, and that its name is Pishon. Starting in the east, it, according to the inexplicable wisdom of the Creator, hides underground, and then springs up from the Celtic mountains, describes a winding line through Europe and flows, dividing into five mouths, into Pontus, called Euxine. Some say that the Pishon is a river that crosses the Indian land; usually this river is called the Ganges; Smaragd stone is mined near it.

  2. Thus, the ships reached Istra. Meanwhile, the autocrat [John] set out from Byzantium and arrived with the whole army in Adrianople. It is said that Orestes, the son of Agamemnon, founded this city, stopping in his wanderings after the murder of his own mother Clytemnestra, so earlier it was called Orestiada. Subsequently, the emperor Adrian, waging war with the Scythians 41, was delighted with the [beautiful] location of the city; he fortified it with strong walls and named it Adrianople. Arriving there, Emperor John learned from scouts that the impassable, narrow paths leading to Mysia, called klisura, because they are, as it were, locked on all sides, are not guarded by the Scythians. Gathering lohags and taxiarchs, he delivered the following speech: “I thought, comrades-in-arms, that the Scythians, having been waiting for our arrival for a long time, spared no effort to fence off the most dangerous, narrow and difficult places on the paths with fences and ramparts, so that it would not be easy for us to move forward. . But since they were deceived by the approach of Holy Pascha, 42 they did not block the road, did not block our paths, believing that we would not refuse brilliant clothes, solemn processions, feasts and spectacles that mark the days of the great holiday, for the sake of the grave hardships of war. It seems to me that we will do the best if we immediately take advantage of the favorable opportunity, arm ourselves and cross the narrow road as soon as possible, before the Taurus-Scythians learn of our arrival and impose a fight in the mountain passes. If we, ahead of [the Scythians], go through dangerous places and suddenly attack them, then, I think, God help us! - from the very first attack we will take possession of the city of Preslav 43, the capital of the Misyans, and then, moving [forward], we will easily curb the madness of the Ross.

  3. Such was the speech of the emperor. To the strategists and taxiarchs, his words seemed inappropriate and excessively bold, and the proposal to lead the Roman army through gorges and steep gorges into a foreign [country] - frivolous, reckless audacity, reaching madness. They were silent for a long time, and the angry emperor spoke again: “I myself know that carelessness and self-willed audacity in battles usually lead to the greatest danger and irreparable misfortune: after all, I [all my life] from my youth spent in battles, won, like you you know, many victories and achieved great fame. But if our happiness is put on a razor blade 44 and [fate] does not give us the opportunity to act according to our own understanding, we should act decisively and make the best use of the circumstances. I think that you, wise with your long experience of the vicissitudes and fickleness of military success, will agree with me. So, if you believe that I advise the best, then while the Scythians are still inactive and do not know about our arrival, let's take advantage of the opportunity. Victory awaits us after we pass through the mountain passes. But if they discover our intention to cross the gorge, and build their army there against us, the matter will not end well, then a terrible disaster will await us, our situation will become hopeless. Cheer up your spirit, remember that you are Romans, who used to put to flight any enemy with their weapons! Follow me as fast as you can and show your courage!”

  4. Having said this, John, well armed, jumped on a fast noble horse, threw a long spear over his shoulder and set off. In front of him moved a phalanx of warriors, completely covered with shells and called "immortals", and behind him - about fifteen thousand of the best hoplites and thirteen thousand horsemen. The emperor entrusted the care of the rest of the army to proedr Vasily; it moved slowly behind, along with the convoy, carrying siege and other vehicles. When, contrary to all expectations, they passed through dangerous mountainous places, the emperor interrupted the strenuous march, gave rest to all the foot and cavalry troops, placing them on an impregnable hill, on one side of which a river flowed, promising an abundance of water.

  When the dawn of the next day came, he raised the army, lined it up in deep phalanxes, and, having ordered the war cry to be trumpeted incessantly, to knock on cymbals and beat on tympanums, he marched on Preslav. An unimaginable noise arose: the hum of timbrels echoed in the neighboring mountains, weapons rang, horses neighed and people shouted [loudly] cheering each other, as always happens before a battle. Tauroscythians, seeing the approach of a skillfully advancing army, were struck by surprise; they were seized with fear and felt helpless. Nevertheless, they hurriedly grabbed their weapons, covered their shoulders with shields (their shields are strong and reach their legs for greater safety), lined up in a formidable battle formation, stepped onto a level field in front of the city and, roaring like animals, emitting strange, incomprehensible exclamations, rushed to the Romans. The Romans faced them and fought bravely, performing amazing feats: however, neither side could prevail. Then the sovereign orders the "immortals" to swiftly attack the left wing of the Scythians; The “immortals”, putting their spears forward and strongly spurring their horses, rushed at the enemies. The Scythians [always] fight on foot; they are not accustomed to fighting on horseback and do not practice this business 45 . Therefore, they could not withstand the onslaught of the Roman spears, took to flight and locked themselves in the walls of the city. The Romans pursued them and mercilessly killed them. It is said that eight thousand five hundred Scythians died during this offensive [of the Romans].

  5. The survivors hid in the fortress and, fiercely resisting, threw spears and arrows from above from the walls. They say that the patrician Kalokir was also in Preslav, who, as I already reported in my time, moved the army of the Ross to the Misyan. Having learned about the arrival of the emperor (and it was impossible to hide this, since the golden imperial signs shone with a wonderful brilliance), he secretly fled from the city in the dead of night and appeared to Sfendoslav, who with all his army was at Doristol, now called Drystroy: in this way he escaped Kalokir.

  The approaching night forced the Romans to stop the battle. But then the morning of the next day came, called Maundy Thursday 46, because on this day, preparing to go to the torment, our Savior after the Last Supper gave His saving instructions to the disciples. Just at that time, the rest of the army arrived with siege engines, and Emperor John broke camp, placed the phalanxes in an indestructible battle formation and, singing a victory hymn, rushed to the walls, intending to take the city with the first attack. The dews, encouraged by their commander Sfenkel 47, who was among the Scythians the third in dignity after Sfendoslav, their supreme catarchon, defended themselves behind the battlements of the walls and with all their might repulsed the onslaught of the Romans, throwing darts, arrows and stones from above. The Romans, on the other hand, fired from below upwards from stone-throwing guns, threw stones, arrows and darts besieged by clouds, repelled their blows, [pressed], did not allow them to look out from behind the battlements without harm to themselves. Finally, the emperor in a loud voice gave the order to put ladders against the walls, and his exclamation added strength to the besiegers. Everyone on whom the sovereign's gaze fell fought bravely, hoping to receive a worthy reward for their exploits.

  6. When the Romans rushed to the attack and moved the stairs to the walls, some brave young man with a barely breaking reddish fluff on his chin, a native of the Anatolic theme, named Theodosius, and nicknamed Mesonikt, began to climb up one of them. With his right hand he pulled out a sword, in his left he held a shield with which he covered his head from Scythian blows from above. Having reached the crest of the wall, [the young man fell upon] the Scythian, who looked out from behind the battlements and wanted to push him down with a spear; he cut the neck of the enemy, and his head, together with the helmet, rolled on the ground behind the wall. The Romans greeted this extraordinary feat with enthusiastic cries, and many of them, competing in courage with the first to ascend [the wall], rushed up the stairs.

  Meanwhile, Mesonikt, having climbed the wall, took possession of its upper part and, turning in all directions, killed a huge number of the defending Scythians, throwing them off the wall. Soon already many [Romans] climbed up the walls in different places and exterminated the enemies with all their might. Then the Scythians left the fortification and shamefully crowded into the royal palace surrounded by a strong fence, where the treasures of the Misyans were kept; one of the entrances they left open.

  Meanwhile, many Romans, who were on the other side of the walls, tore off the hinges on the gates, knocked down the bolts and penetrated into the city, killing countless Scythians. Then, they say, was captured and brought to the sovereign, along with his wife and two young children, the king of the Misyan Boris 48, whose red beard was barely breaking through. Having received him, the emperor honored him, called him the ruler of the Bulgars and assured him that he had come to avenge the Misyans, who had suffered terrible disasters from the Scythians.

  7. The Romans burst into the city all at once and scattered through the narrow streets, killing the enemies and plundering their property. So they reached the royal palace, in which the best part of the Ros army gathered. But the Scythians, who were in the palace, fiercely resisted the Romans who penetrated through the gate and killed about one and a half hundred of the bravest warriors. Upon learning of this failure, the emperor rode at full speed to the palace and ordered his guards to attack the enemy with all their might, but seeing that nothing good would come of this (after all, the Taurus-Scythians easily defeated many soldiers, meeting them in a narrow passage), he stopped the reckless aspiration of the Romans and ordered from all sides to throw fire into the palace through the walls. When a strong flame flared up, burning everything in its path, the dews, numbering over seven thousand, left the room, lined up in an open place near the palace and prepared to repel the advance [of the Romans].

  The emperor sent Master Barda Skliros against them with a reliable detachment. Surrounding the Scythians with a phalanx of the bravest warriors, Skleros entered the battle. A battle ensued, and the dews resisted desperately, not showing their backs to the enemies; however, the Romans [won] with their courage and military experience and killed them all. In this battle, many Misyans also died, who fought on the side of the enemies against the Romans, the perpetrators of the attack on them by the Scythians. Sfenkel with a few managed to escape. He went to Sfendoslav, but was soon killed, which I will discuss below. So within two days the city of Preslav was conquered and became the possession of the Romans.

  8. Emperor John, according to custom, gave gifts to the army, gave them rest and celebrated the holy Resurrection of the Savior in the same place. Having selected several captured Tauro-Scythians, [John] sent them to Sfendoslav with a message about the capture of the city and the death of his comrades-in-arms. He also instructed them [to convey to Sfendoslav] that he immediately choose one of two things: either lay down his arms, surrender to the victors and, asking for forgiveness for his impudence, immediately leave the Misyan country, or, if he does not want to do this and tends to innate self-will, to defend with all his might from the Roman army going to him. So he ordered to transfer Sfendoslav, he himself spent several days in the city and restored the destruction in the walls, and then, leaving a strong detachment and naming the city after his own name Ioannopolis, went with the whole army to Doristol.

  This city was founded and brought to its present beauty and grandeur by Constantine 49, famous among sovereigns, after he, having seen the sign of the cross in the form of a constellation in the sky, defeated the Scythians who showed enmity and furiously advancing 50 . Along the way, [John] took a city called Pliskuva 51, Diniya 52 and many other cities that rejected the power of the Scythians and went over to the side of the Romans.

  Sfendoslav, having learned about the defeat at Preslav, felt grief and annoyance. He considered this a bad omen for the future, but, obsessed with Scythian madness and boasting of his victories over the Misyans, he hoped to easily defeat the army of the Romans.

  9. Sfendoslav saw that the Misyans were refusing an alliance with him and going over to the side of the emperor. Realizing on mature reflection that. if the Misyans lean towards the Romans, his affairs will end badly, he called together about three hundred of the most well-born and influential of them and dealt with them with inhuman savagery - he beheaded all of them, and put many others in chains and threw them into prison. Then, having gathered the whole army of the Taurus-Scythians - about sixty thousand - he marched against the Romans.

  While the sovereign was slowly advancing towards the army of the Ross, several brave men obsessed with desperate audacity separated from their phalanx, who, having arranged an ambush, made a surprise attack and killed some soldiers from the advance detachment of the Romans. Seeing their corpses scattered along the road, the emperor let go of the reins and stopped the horse. The death of his compatriots led him into indignation, and he ordered to track down those who committed this [crime]. [John's] bodyguards, having carefully searched the surrounding forests and bushes, seized these robbers and brought them bound to the emperor. He immediately ordered them to be killed, and [the bodyguards], without delay drawing their swords, chopped them all to one to pieces.

  Then the troops approached the space lying in front of Doristol. which is also called Dristra. The Taurus-Scythians tightly closed their shields and spears, giving their ranks the appearance of a wall, and awaited the enemy on the battlefield. The emperor lined up the Romans against them, placing the horsemen dressed in armor on the sides, and the archers and slingers behind, and, having ordered them to fire without stopping, he led the phalanx into battle 53.

Trizna of Russian warriors after the battle of Dorostol in 971.
Painting by G. Semiradsky

  10. The warriors met hand to hand, a fierce battle ensued, and in the first fights both sides fought for a long time with equal success. The dews, who among the neighboring peoples gained fame as constant victors in battles, believed that a terrible disaster would befall them if they suffered a shameful defeat from the Romans, and fought with all their might. The Romans, on the other hand, were overcome with shame and anger [at the thought] that they, having defeated all opponents with weapons and courage, would retreat like newcomers inexperienced in battles, and lose their great glory in a short time, having been defeated by the people fighting on foot and not able to ride at all. Motivated by such thoughts, [both] armies fought with consummate courage; the dews, led by their innate brutality and fury, rushed in a furious impulse, roaring like possessed, at the Romans, and the Romans advanced, using their experience and military art.

  Many [warriors] fell on both sides, the battle went on with varying success, and until the evening it was impossible to determine which side the victory was leaning on. But when the luminary began to lean towards the west, the emperor threw on [the Scythians] the entire cavalry at full speed; in a loud voice, he called on the soldiers to show in practice the natural Roman prowess and instilled in them good spirits. They rushed with extraordinary force, the trumpeters blew for battle, and a mighty cry rang out over the Roman ranks. The Scythians, unable to withstand such an onslaught, took to flight and were driven back behind the walls; they lost many of their [warriors] in this battle. And the Romans sang victorious hymns and glorified the emperor. He gave them rewards and arranged feasts, increasing their zeal in battle.

Book 9

  1. As soon as dawn broke, the emperor began to fortify the camp with a powerful shaft, acting like this. Not far from Doristol rises a small hill in the middle of the plain. Having deployed the army on this hill, [John] 54 ordered a ditch to be dug around it, and the earth to be carried out to the side adjacent to the camp, so that a high embankment was obtained. Then [he ordered] to stick spears on top [of the embankment] and hang shields connected to each other on them. Thus, the camp was fenced with a moat and a rampart, and the enemies could not get inside in any way - rushing to the moat, they would stop. This is how the Romans usually break their camp in an enemy country.

  Having thus strengthened the camp, [John] lined up an army the next day and moved it to the [city] wall. Showing themselves from behind the towers, the Scythians threw arrows, stones and everything that could be fired from throwing weapons at the Roman phalanx. [The Romans] defended themselves from the Scythians, shooting from below with bows and slings. The battle did not go beyond this skirmish, and the Romans withdrew to the camp to eat, and the Scythians left the city by the end of the day on horseback - they first appeared then on horseback. They always used to go into battle on foot, but they did not know how to ride and fight enemies [on horseback]. The Romans immediately armed themselves, mounted their horses, grabbed spears (they use very long spears in battles) and swiftly, with a formidable avalanche, rushed at the enemies. Roman spears hit [Scythians] who did not know how to control horses with reins. They took to flight and took cover behind the walls.

  2. In the meantime, fire-bearing triremes and food ships of the Romans appeared floating along the Istra. At the sight of them, the Romans were incredibly happy, and the Scythians were terrified, because they were afraid that liquid fire would be turned against them. After all, they had already heard from the old people of their people that with this very “Median fire” 55 the Romans reduced to ashes on the Euxinus [sea] the huge fleet of Ingor, the father of Sfendoslav. Therefore, they quickly gathered their canoes and brought them to the city wall in the place where the flowing Istres goes around one of the sides of Doristol. But the fiery ships lay in wait for the Scythians from all sides, so that they could not slip away on the boats to their own land.

  The next day, the Tauro-Scythians left the city and lined up on the plain, protected by chain mail and shields that reached to their very feet. The Romans also left the camp, also securely covered with armor. Both sides fought bravely, alternately pushing each other, and it was not clear who would win. But then one [of the soldiers], breaking out of the phalanx of the Romans, struck down Sfenkel, (who was revered by the Tauro-Scythians as the third after Sfendoslav), a valiant, huge man who bravely fought in this battle. Struck by his death, the Tauro-Scythians began to retreat step by step from the plain, rushing towards the city. Then Theodore, nicknamed Lalacon, an invincible man, frightening with courage and bodily strength, killed many enemies with an iron mace. The strength of his hand was so great that the impact of the mace flattened not only the helmet, but also the helmeted head. Thus, the Scythians, showing their backs, [again] took refuge in the city. The emperor ordered the assembly to sound, called the Romans to the camp and, entertaining them with gifts and feasts, urged them to fight bravely in the [upcoming] battles.

  3. The fighting thus continued, and the outcome of events remained uncertain.

  …5. As for the Ross (for the story returns again [to the place] from which it deviated), they lined up and went out onto the plain, trying with all their might to set fire to the military vehicles of the Romans 56 . They could not withstand the action of the shells that whistled over them: every day many Scythians died from the blows of stones thrown [by cars]. These cars were guarded by a relative of the sovereign, master John Kurkuas. Noticing the daring sortie of the enemies, [Kurkuas], despite the fact that he had a severe headache and that he was sleepy from wine (it was after breakfast), jumped on his horse and, accompanied by the chosen soldiers, rushed to meet them. [On the run] the horse stumbled into a pit and threw off the master. The Scythians saw magnificent weapons, beautifully trimmed badges on horse harness and other decorations - they were covered with a considerable layer of gold - and thought that this was the emperor himself. Closely surrounding [the master], they brutally hacked him together with armor with their swords and axes, put his head on a spear, hoisted it on a tower and began to make fun of the Romans [shouting] that they slaughtered their emperor like a sacrificial animal. Magister John became the prey of barbarian fury and thus suffered punishment for the [crimes] committed by him against the holy temples, because they say that he plundered many [churches] in Mysia and turned their utensils and sacred vessels into his private property.

  6. Encouraged by such a victory, the dews left the city the next day and lined up for battle in an open place. The Romans also lined up in a deep phalanx and moved towards them.

  Among the Scythians was Ikmor, a brave man of gigantic stature, [the first] after Sfendoslav the leader of the army, whom [the Scythians] revered worthily the second among them. Surrounded by a detachment of warriors close to him, he fiercely rushed against the Romans and struck down many of them. Seeing this, one of the emperor’s bodyguards, the son of the archig of the Cretans Anemas 57, was inflamed with the valor of the spirit, pulled out the sword hanging on his side, galloped on his horse in different directions and, spurring him, rushed at Ikmor, overtook him and struck [with the sword] in the neck - the head of the Scythian, cut off along with the right hand, rolled to the ground. As soon as [Ikmor] died, the Scythians raised a cry mixed with a groan, and the Romans rushed at them. The Scythians could not withstand the onslaught of the enemy, greatly dejected by the death of their leader, they threw their shields behind their backs and began to retreat to the city, while the Romans pursued them and killed 63 lying near Lake Meotida. Exiled by the Scythians for his wild, cruel and insolent disposition, he subsequently settled in Thessaly. Clear evidence [of the Scythian origin of Achilles] is the cut of his cape, fastened with a clasp, the habit of fighting on foot, blond hair, light blue eyes, extravagant irritability and cruelty, which Agamemnon mocked, censuring him with the following words: “United strife, scolding and killing you just pleasant." The Tauro-Scythians still have the habit of settling disputes by murder and bloodshed. The fact that this people is reckless, brave, warlike and powerful, [that] they attack all neighboring tribes, many say; the divine Ezekiel also speaks of this in such words: “Here I am bringing Gog and Magog, the prince of Ros” on you. But enough about the sacrifices of the Taurians.

Leo the Deacon

1. If there is any of the benefits that are useful in life, then in any case, not less, but most of all, it renders us services, history is necessary and useful. It reveals the diverse and varied acts that arise naturally, under the influence of time and circumstances, and especially by the arbitrary decision of persons involved in state affairs, and teaches people to approve and set themselves as a model for one thing, and to shun and avoid the other, so that no one was left in obscurity and everything useful and valuable was put into practice and that no one made attempts to plunge himself into terrible and harmful undertakings.

Thus, history seems to resurrect or breathe new life into the dead, not allowing it to sink and disappear into the abyss of oblivion, and is recognized as the most important among all things useful to people. In my time many extraordinary and miraculous events have taken place: terrifying visions have appeared in the sky, terrible earthquakes have occurred, storms have broken out, violent rains have fallen, wars have raged, armed hordes have roamed all over the universe, cities and countries have left their places, so that it seemed to many as if a change of life is coming and the expected second coming of God the Savior is approaching the threshold. I decided not to keep silent about the events full of horror and worthy of surprise, but to tell about them as an edification to posterity, if providence does not please already now to lead the ferry of life to the pier of death and change the image of this world.

Undertaking work that exceeds my strength, I want to not fail in my zeal, I want to get closer to the greatness of everything that happened and tell about it in a proper way. I will try to tell my story as detailed as possible. I, its compiler, Leo, the son of Basil, my homeland is Kaloe, the most beautiful village of Asia, located near the hills of Tmola near the sources of the Kaistra River, which, flowing past the Kelvian, brings delight to the eye with its appearance and, overflowing, flows into the gulf of the famous and glorious Ephesus . But let us proceed to the story of public affairs, trying to keep as close as possible to the truth, for truthfulness is most befitting of history. People versed in science say that rhetoric has the power of expression, poetry - myth-making, history - the truth.

I believe that I should not touch on the events that occurred in the reign of Vasileus Constantine, nicknamed Porphyrogenitus, the son of Leo, before whose birth and death, they say, a comet was visible in the sky, foreshadowing his birth and death - enough has been written about these events other . I will present in my essay what happened after his reign, and describe what I myself witnessed (after all, according to Herodotus, one should trust more than ears), and what I heard from eyewitnesses.

2. When in November 3rd Indict 6467 the mentioned Vasileus Konstantin left life and found rest in another world, his son Roman, who had already left his youthful years and was approaching adulthood, assumed autocratic power. He was a man with a fine face, pleasant in communication, affable, full of all sorts of virtues, kind and favorable to all his subjects, and generally valiant in all respects. But he indulged excessively in youthful passions and amusements, and everyone who encouraged him to such [pastime] invited him to the royal table, which he should not have done. It occurred to this basileus Roman to overthrow, with God's help, the power of the Cretan Arabs, who were excessively proud and plotted to destroy the Romans. Rejoicing at the misfortune that had recently happened to the Roman state, they often ruined its coastal regions. I will tell briefly about the disaster that befell the Romans.

Vasilevs Constantine, no longer able to endure the audacity of the Cretans and their sudden raids, gathered a combat-ready army, equipped a large number of fire-bearing triremes and sent them to Crete, hoping to take possession of the island with one blow. But because of the cowardice and inexperience of the commander, a miserable loafer from the Paphlagonians, who was a eunuch at court, although adorned with the glorious dignity of a patrician (his name was Konstantin, and his nickname was Gongila), all the assembled army was, with the exception of a few people, defeated and destroyed barbarians.

3. Wishing to compensate for the damage caused by this defeat, Vasilevs Roman appointed an autocratic strategist to wage war against Crete Nicephorus Fokus, the most worthy of the masters, who then commanded the troops of the East (the Romans call this position domestic schol), as a man of indestructible strength, enterprising, active and experienced in the military. This Nicephorus, by order of the basileus, gathered the troops of Asia, put them on ships, set sail and arrived at Crete with a large number of high-speed fire-bearing ships (the Romans call them dromons). When the time came for the landing, he actually showed his experience in waging war. He brought with him a gangway on the ships, along which, having lowered them to the shore, he transferred armed horsemen from the sea to the land. Struck by a new and surprising sight for them, the barbarians stood still in squads, observing an inseparable formation, waiting for the approach of the Romans. Having divided the phalanx into three parts, the strategist of the Romans Nicephorus ordered the soldiers to close their shields and put up their spears, ordered the banner with the image of the cross to be brought forward and, having announced the battle cry, moved straight to the barbarians. A terrible battle ensued, arrows raining down; the barbarians could not resist the onslaught of the Roman spears, their ranks were upset, and they, turning to flight, rushed with all their might to their fortification. The Romans, pursuing them, killed a myriad. Thus successfully ended for the Romans their first attack and battle. When the barbarians shut themselves up, as was said, in their fortress, the stratigus summoned troops and pitched a camp in front of the city of the Cretans; he ordered the triremes and other fortids to be all together in a safe harbor, to guard the approaches from the sea and to pursue, burning with liquid fire, any barbarian ship that was seen that tried to sail. Having carefully foreseen and prepared everything, he entrusted a detachment of selected soldiers to the strategist Nicephorus, nicknamed Pastila, a courageous man who participated in many wars; many times he was captured by the Hagarites and as many times he escaped from captivity; on his face and chest there were many scars from wounds received on the battlefield. He, who at that time was the strategos [theme] of the Thracians, was instructed to go around the island at the head of the detachment and examine it. Nicephorus Foka ordered him to stay awake and sober, not to indulge in inactivity and idleness, so as not to incur troubles from the enemies; having gone around the country and having accomplished some glorious [feat], Pastila [should] return to the camp as soon as possible.

And Russia (the Balkan wars of Prince Svyatoslav).

Biography

Leo the Deacon was born in the countryside, at Caloe on the Caistre River in the Thracian Theme. His parents did not occupy a prominent position, but they were wealthy enough to provide their son with studies in Constantinople. After leaving school, Leo no longer mentions his homeland in the "History". At school, Leo studied rhetoric, his exercises, encomiums, essays, speeches and panegyrics, which later became part of the History, have been preserved. After training, he chose the path of religious service, for some time he was under the patriarch as a patriarchal deacon. K - became the imperial court deacon. He accompanied Emperor Basil II on his campaigns and almost died in battle with the Bulgarians. Around 996, Leo the Deacon delivers a speech ( encomium), glorifying the emperor, the text of which has survived to this day. After this, the reliable biography of Leo the Deacon, based on an analysis of his writings, ends.

There are three hypotheses regarding the further fate of the Byzantine historian.

• According to the first, he died, which prevented him from supplementing his main work "History" with the reign of Vasily II.
• According to the second, Leo the Deacon stood out among the courtiers with his speech, and it is he who is known by correspondence with Vasily II Leo, whom the emperor sent on a diplomatic mission to Italy in -. Later, he may have become the bishop of Sinada, but this version is quite controversial. It is supported by such scientists as K. Krumbacher, G. Wartenberg, A. Gregoire and P. Orgels.
• According to the third hypothesis, Leo the Deacon became the Metropolitan of Caria, but it also carries a number of difficulties.

"Story"

The “History” of Leo the Deacon in 10 books describes events - but contains a number of excursions into the past and facts from times before - when, most likely, it was compiled. Leo was the first to write since the 7th century, imitating the "History" of Thucydides, and using the classical language. He also drew on later classical historians of antiquity, especially Agathias. Unlike earlier historians and a number of contemporaries, Leo the Deacon was not a simple chronicler and compiler, but tried to give his own assessment of events and determine their causes and consequences, which was facilitated by the genre of historical narrative he chose. Leo the Deacon contrasted the glorious days of Nicephorus Phocas and John Tzimiskes with the unsuccessful beginning of the reign of Basil II. Therefore, probably, during his reign, the manuscript was never published, and its continuation after the author himself considered it premature, expecting the imminent fall of Basil as a result of rebellions, which did not happen.

History was translated into Russian twice: in (D. Popov) and in (translated by M. M. Kopylenko, comments by M. Ya. Syuzyumov).

Sources

P. O. Karyshkovsky and A. P. Kazhdan argue that in addition to describing the events he personally saw, Lev could also rely on any official documents. An argument in favor of this thesis can be considered the entry into the "Book of Ceremonies" of an unusually official version of the accession to the throne of Nicephorus Foki. Also, analogies are drawn between data and messages complementing each other in Skylitsa and Leo the Deacon. The historian's high awareness of hagiography speaks of Leo's use of hagiographic literature.

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Literature

• Leo Deacon./ MM. Kopylenko (translated from ancient Greek). - M .: Nauka, 1988.
• Leo Deacon. Story. Science, M. 1988, in a series of monuments of historical thought
• Biography of Leo the Deacon. Leo Deacon. Story. Science, M. 1988
• M. Ya. Syuzyumov. Worldview of Leo the Deacon. Leo Deacon. Story. Science, M. 1988

Links

• . Eastern Literature. Retrieved March 22, 2011. .
• (ed. Migne)

An excerpt characterizing Leo the Deacon

What do you want, Colonel? I am at your service.
“Now, Count, I’m completely settled in a new apartment,” Berg said, obviously knowing that hearing this could not but be pleasant; - and therefore wanted to do so, a small evening for my and my wife's acquaintances. (He smiled even more pleasantly.) I wanted to ask the countess and you to do me the honor of visiting us for a cup of tea and ... for dinner.
- Only Countess Elena Vasilyevna, considering the company of some Bergs humiliating for herself, could have the cruelty to refuse such an invitation. - Berg explained so clearly why he wants to gather a small and good society, and why it will be pleasant for him, and why he spares money for cards and for something bad, but for a good society he is ready to incur expenses that Pierre could not refuse and promised to be.
- Only it's not too late, count, if I dare to ask, so without 10 minutes at eight, I dare to ask. We will form a party, our general will be. He is very kind to me. Let's have dinner, Count. So do me a favor.
Contrary to his habit of being late, Pierre that day, instead of eight minutes to 10 minutes, arrived at the Bergs at eight o'clock at a quarter.
Bergi, having stocked up what was needed for the evening, were already ready to receive guests.
Berg and his wife sat in the new, clean, bright study, decorated with busts and pictures and new furniture. Berg, in a brand new, buttoned-up uniform, was sitting next to his wife, explaining to her that it is always possible and necessary to have acquaintances of people who are taller than themselves, because then only there is pleasantness from acquaintances. “If you take something, you can ask for something. Look how I lived from the first ranks (Berg considered his life not for years, but for the highest awards). My comrades are now nothing, and I am in the vacancy of a regimental commander, I have the good fortune to be your husband (he got up and kissed Vera's hand, but on the way to her he turned back the corner of the rolled-up carpet). And how did I get all this? The main thing is the ability to choose your acquaintances. It goes without saying that one must be virtuous and orderly.”
Berg smiled with the consciousness of his superiority over a weak woman and fell silent, thinking that all the same this dear wife of his is a weak woman who cannot comprehend all that constitutes the dignity of a man - ein Mann zu sein [to be a man]. Vera at the same time also smiled with the consciousness of her superiority over a virtuous, good husband, but who still erroneously, like all men, according to Vera's concept, understood life. Berg, judging by his wife, considered all women weak and stupid. Vera, judging by one of her husbands and spreading this remark, believed that all men ascribe reason only to themselves, and at the same time they do not understand anything, they are proud and selfish.
Berg got up and, embracing his wife carefully so as not to wrinkle the lace cape, for which he paid dearly, kissed her in the middle of her lips.
“The only thing is that we shouldn’t have children so soon,” he said from the unconscious filiation of ideas.
“Yes,” Vera answered, “I don’t want that at all. We must live for society.
“That’s exactly what Princess Yusupova wore,” said Berg, with a happy and kind smile, pointing to the cape.
At this time, the arrival of Count Bezukhy was reported. Both spouses looked at each other with a self-satisfied smile, each attributing the honor of this visit to himself.
"That's what it means to be able to make acquaintances, thought Berg, that's what it means to be able to behave!"
“Just please, when I am entertaining guests,” Vera said, “you don’t interrupt me, because I know what to do with everyone, and in what society what to say.
Berg smiled too.
“It’s impossible: sometimes a man’s conversation should be with men,” he said.
Pierre was received in a brand new living room, in which it was impossible to sit down anywhere without violating symmetry, cleanliness and order, and therefore it was very understandable and not strange that Berg generously offered to destroy the symmetry of an armchair or sofa for a dear guest, and apparently being himself in in this regard, in painful indecision, offered a solution to this issue to the choice of the guest. Pierre upset the symmetry by pulling out a chair for himself, and immediately Berg and Vera began the evening, interrupting one another and entertaining the guest.
Vera, deciding in her mind that Pierre should be occupied with a conversation about the French embassy, ​​immediately began this conversation. Berg, deciding that a man's conversation was also necessary, interrupted his wife's speech, touching on the question of the war with Austria and involuntarily jumped from the general conversation to personal considerations about the proposals that were made to him to participate in the Austrian campaign, and about the reasons why he did not accept them. Despite the fact that the conversation was very awkward, and that Vera was angry at the intervention of the male element, both spouses felt with pleasure that, despite the fact that there was only one guest, the evening had started very well, and that the evening was like two drops of water are like any other evening with conversations, tea and candles lit.
Leo the Deacon, who lived in the second half of the 10th century, came from the Asia Minor city of Kaloe, from where, in his youth, he moved to Constantinople, where he received a good education. Judging by his name, he chose the spiritual path, being a member of the court clergy, and in this capacity, apparently, he accompanied Emperor Basil II in his Bulgarian campaign in 986, where he was a direct witness to the defeat of the Byzantine troops at Triaditsa and barely escaped captivity himself.
The description of events from the death of Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus in 959 to the end of the reign of John I Tzimiskes in 976. Leo the Deacon devoted his main work - "History", completed c. 992: the author probably wanted to bring the story to his time (apparently, the mention of the Bulgarian campaign of Basil is connected with this), but death may have prevented the realization of this intention. In addition to the "History", Leo the Deacon wrote an encomium in honor of Basil II the Bulgar Slayer, and left several letters. True, the identification of the historian Leo the Deacon with the author of the dithyramb "Deacon Leo" is not unconditional.
The historian's story is built as a narration of an eyewitness or a participant in the events, although, undoubtedly, Leo the Deacon, like other contemporaries, also used the so-called "History of Fok" (a reconstructed, unpreserved monument), and, possibly, documentary materials, was also familiar with the historical works of the past , having been influenced, for example, by Agathias of Myrine.
The "History" of Leo the Deacon is the most complete source on the history of Russian-Bulgarian-Byzantine relations in the last third of the 10th century.
and. in particular, on the history of the campaigns of the Kievan prince Svyatoslav in the Polonavie. The historian talks about the diplomatic relations between Byzantium and Russia, for example, about the embassy of the patrician Kalokyra "to the Tauro-Scythians, who are usually called Ross in the common language." In 969, John Tzimiskes succeeded in sending the “Tauro-Scythians” or “Taurians” and their leader “Sfendoslav”, that is, Prince Svyatoslav, to the Danube region to pacify the Bulgarians (“Mises” by Leo the Deacon). Describes in detail the campaign of the "Russian armor" headed by Svyatoslav 969-970. The victories of Svyatoslav at Philippopolis, the rumor about the capture of the city by the dews forced John Tzimisces to enter into negotiations with the river; ssky prince, urging him to leave the Byzantine borders and send his army to Taurica and the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov. At the same time, the imperial eulogy reminded of the unsuccessful campaign of Prince Igor (“Iggora”) and the agreements he concluded with Byzantium. In response, however, Svyatoslav
threatened to lay siege to Constantinople. By the decisive battle, the Russian army was reinforced by allied formations of the Hungarians and Bulgarians. The bloody battle at Arcadiopol in 970 ended with the victory of Byzantium. claimed thousands of lives on both sides.
In the spring of 971, John Tzimiskes from Adrianople set out on a new campaign against Svyatoslav. The description of this campaign is devoted to the entire eighth book of the work of Leo the Deacon, which tells about the battle of Preslav and ends with a story about the battle of Dristra. The entire next book of the “History” tells about the battle of Dristra (Dorostol) on July 21, 971, victorious for the Byzantines, after which Svyatoslav, having concluded an agreement with Byzantium, went home with the rest of the army) but was killed on the way by a Pecheneg ambush. A very colorful portrait * of Svyatoslav, presented by Leo the Deacon. In the narrative of Leo the Deacon, "¦Russian governors" Sfenkel "(Sveneld?), Ikmor are mentioned. The historian also recalls the biblical story about the invasion of" Gog, Mato * and the archon Rosh "in connection with Russia.
Edition: Leonis Diaconi Caloensis historiae libri decern / E rec. C. H. Hasii. Bonnie, 1828.
Translation: Leo the Deacon. History / Per. M. M. Kopylenko. Comm, and Art. M. Ya. Syuzyumova and S. A. Ivanova. M., 1988.
Literature: Syuzyumov 1916. S. 106-166; Florovsky 1925; Mutafchiev 1931, vol. 4; Dolger 1932. S. 275-292; Gregoire 1937a. R. 267-276. Vasiliev 1951. R. 160-225; Karyshkovsky 1951, pp. 101-105; Karyshkovsky 1952, pp. 53-61; Karyshkovsky 1952a. pp. 127-138; Karyshkovsky 1953. S. 36-71; Karyshkovsky 1955. S. 26-30; Levchenko 1956; Karyshkovsky 1960. S. 39-51; Kazhdan 1961, pp. 106-128; Sevcenko 1965, pp. 709-713; Terras 1965, pp. 395-406; Syuzyumov 1971. Vol. 7; Browning 1975: Hunger 1978. Bd. 1. S. 367-371; Ivanov 1981. T. 42; Ivanov 1982, pp. 74-80; Sakharov 1982; Moravcsik. BT I. S. 398-400; Ditten 1984. Vol. 45: Bibikov 1998, pp. 104-109.
HISTORY Book 5
... In the meantime, while the emperor was doing all this in Sirish and in Byzantium, the patrician Kalokir, sent to the Tauroscythians by his royal order, arrived in Scythia, struck up friendship with the catarchon of the Taurians, seduced him with gifts and charmed him with flattering speeches - after all, the entire Scythian tribe is unusually greedy, extremely greedy, greedy for bribery and promises. Kalokir persuaded [him] to gather a strong army and oppose the Misyans, so that after defeating them, to subdue and retain the country for his own stay, and to help him against the Romans in the struggle for mastery of the throne and Roman power. [For this Kalokir] promised him huge, untold riches from the royal treasury.
Having listened to the words of Kalokir, Sfendoslav (that was the name he was called among the Taurians) was unable to restrain his aspirations; Excited by the hope of gaining wealth, seeing himself in a dream as the ruler of the Misyan country, he, being an ardent and impudent husband, and besides, brave and active, raised the entire young generation of Taurians to war. Thus, having recruited an army, which, in addition to the wagon train, consisted of sixty thousand men blooming with health, he, together with the patrician Kalokir, with whom he joined the bonds of brotherhood, opposed the Misyans.
Having learned that [Sfendoslav] was already sailing to Istra and preparing to land on the shore, the Misyans gathered and set up a phalanx of thirty thousand armed men against him. But the Taurians swiftly jumped out of the canoes, put forward their shields, drew their swords and began to hit the Misyan right and left. They could not stand the first onslaught, turned to flight and shamefully locked themselves in the safe fortress of their Doristol. Then, they say, the leader of the Misyans, Peter, a God-loving and pious man, greatly upset by the unexpected flight of his army, suffered an epileptic seizure, and after a short time he moved to another world.
But this happened in Misia later. And the autocrat of the Romans Nikigora, who was generally active, vigilant and prudent throughout his life, never became a slave to pleasures and about whom no one could say that he had seen him at least in his youth indulging in debauchery, having learned about what was happening among the Taurians, engaged in many things at the same time. He equipped the foot army, armed the detachments, [accustomed] the cavalry to deep formations, dressed the riders completely in iron, made throwing weapons and placed them on the towers of the city wall. Then he forged a heavy - lacrimal chain and stretched it on huge pillars placed in the Bosphorus, attaching one end to the tower, which was usually called
Centinarius, and others to the tower of Castelli, located on the *¦ opposite bank. Being the most enterprising and prudent of all the people known to us, he considered that it would be impossible to start a war against both peoples. It seemed to him useful to persuade one of these peoples to his side. He rivers that in this way it will be easy to defeat the other and bys:: defeat him.
Since Nikephoros no longer hoped to come to an agreement with the Taurians, and since it would not be easy to subdue to his will the patrician Kalokir, who had finally deviated from the true path, who had come out from under his power and had a great influence on Sfendoslav, he preferred to wipe away the embassy to the Misians of his fellow believers, appointing the patrician as ambassadors Ni" for, nicknamed the Erotic, and the proeder of the Euchaitic Philotheus. [Nifor] reminded the Misyans of their faith (after all, the Misyans profess the Christian religion without any rejection) and asked them for the girls of the royal family:: kind, to marry them to the sons of Vasilev Roman, ukre. through kinship, inseparable peace and friendship between the Romans and the Xiang.
The Misyans gladly accepted the embassy, ​​put the girls of royal blood on wagons (Misyan women usually ride wagons "and sent them to Vasilevs Nicephorus, begging him to come to their aid as soon as possible, turn away the sekig hanging over their heads, Tauris and neutralize it And if [Nikephoros] went to defend his mission, he would have won a victory over the Taurians, as well as over other tribes, against whom he opposed with the Roman army ...
Book 6
...eight. Many worries agitated the spirit of Emperor John; Three paths lay before him, and he did not know which one to take, so as not to deviate from the right direction. The lack of food supplies and the famine spreading everywhere had been devouring the Roman state for the third year; the invasion of the Ross, which did not bode well, threatened; the Carthaginians and Arabs intended to attack Syrian Antioch, which had just been conquered by the Romans. As for the irresistible evil of famine, [John] prudently cut off the influence of this calamity by a quick supply of supplies from all harbors. He stopped the invasion of the Agarians with the help of the eastern army under the command of the patrician Nicholas, who, being the court eunuch of the sovereign, gained experience in military affairs through many diligence.
And with the catarchon of the troops of the Ross, Sfendoslav, he decided to negotiate. And so [John] sent envoys to him demanding that he, having received the reward promised by the emperor Nicephorus for the raid on the Misians, retired to his own regions and to the Cimmerian Bospodus, leaving Mysia, which belongs to the Romans and has long been considered part of Macedonia. For they say that the Misyans, having settled out from the northern Kotrags, Khazars and Hunavs, left their native places and, wandering around Europe, captured this [region] during the time of Constantine, who was then ruling the Romans, called Pogonat, and settled in it; By the name of their ancestor Bulgar, the country began to be called Bulgaria.
There is also another story about them, approximately the following content. When Leontius cut off the nose of the emperor of the Romans Justinian and exiled him to Cherson, he contrived, fled from there to Meotida and won the Misyan people over to his side, promising them a big reward, if they would return power to him. [Misyan] followed [Justinian]
and. when he again ascended the throne, they received from him a region in that part of Macedonia, which flows around Istria. They moved there and, being always warlike, invaded Thrace, inflicted great damage on the Romans and took people into slavery. However, the Romans also opposed them, and since the [Misians] could not resist the courage [of the Romans], they hid in forest ambushes and defeated them in places inconvenient for battle. Since that time, many battles have taken place in which valiant commanders died, and the ancient emperor Nicephorus was also killed by the Misyans, only Constantine Kopronym defeated the Misyans, and after him his grandson Konstantin, son of Empress Irina, and already in our time Emperor John conquered them cities. History has not preserved any mention of any other of the Romans who defeated the Misyans in their land. But enough [to write] about them.
Sfendoslav was very proud of his victories over the Misyans; o.- had already firmly taken possession of their country and was completely imbued with barbaric arrogance and arrogance. He killed the terrified and frightened Misyans with innate cruelty: they say that, having taken Philippopolis in battle, he, with his characteristic inhuman ferocity, impaled the twenty thousand inhabitants who remained in the city and thereby humbled and [bribed] all resistance and ensured humility. [Sfendoslav] answered the Roman ambassadors arrogantly and boldly: “I will leave this rich country not earlier, I will receive a large monetary tribute and a ransom for the weight of the cities I captured during the war and for all the prisoners. If -: the Romans do not want to pay what I demand, let me immediately leave Europe, to which they do not have the right, and go to Asia, but ina. let them not hope for a peace treaty with the Tauroscythians.”
Emperor John, having received such an answer from the Scythian, again sent ambassadors to him, instructing them to convey the following: “We believe that Providence governs the universe, and we confess all Christian law,” therefore we believe that we ourselves should not destroy what we got on * from the fathers undefiled, and thanks to the help of God, unshakable peace. That is why we urgently convince and advise in ?. "- as friends, immediately, without delay and excuses, leave the stratum, which does not belong to you at all. Know that if you do not follow this good advice, then not we, but you you will turn out to be violators of the peace closed in ancient times. Let our answer not seem bold to you, we trust in the immortal God-Christ: if you yourself do not leave the country, then we will expel you from it against your will. I believe that tz "did not forget about the defeat of his father your Ingor, who, despising oaths: -: the contract, sailed to our capital with a huge army of 10 thousand ships, and arrived at the Cimmerian Bosporus with barely a dozen boats l himself becoming a herald of his misfortune. miserable fate when, having gone on a campaign against the Germans, he was captured by them, tied to tree trunks and torn in two. I think that you will not return to your fatherland if you force the Romans

The battle of the Ross with the Bulgarians. Thumbnail of a copy of the Slavonic translation by Constantine Manassi

strength to oppose you - you will find death here with all your army, and not a single torchbearer will arrive in Scythia to announce the terrible fate that has befallen you.
This message angered Sfendoslav, and he, seized with barbaric fury and madness, sent the following answer: “I see no need for the emperor of the Romans to rush to us; let him not exhaust his strength on a journey to this country - we ourselves will smash
soon we will build our tents at the gates of Byzantium and erect strong barriers around the city, and if he comes out to us, if he decides to resist such a disaster, we will bravely meet him and show him in practice that some artisans who earn a living from the labor of their hands , but men of blood who defeat the enemy with weapons. In vain, due to its unreasonableness, the OE takes the Ross for pampered women and tries to intimidate us with such threats, like babies who are frightened with all sorts of scarecrows.
Having received news of these insane speeches, the emperor decided to immediately prepare with all diligence for war in order to prevent the invasion of [Sfendoslav] and block his access to the capital. He immediately recruited a detachment of brave and courageous men, called them "immortal" and ordered to be with him. Then he [commanded] Master Varda, nicknamed Skliros, the brother of his late wife Marijus, enterprising and unusually brave, as well as the patriarch Peter, whom Emperor Nicephorus appointed stratopedarch for his inherent courage and glorious military exploits (they say that during the Scythian raid on Thrace, when Peter, despite the fact that he was an eunuch, happened to come out with his detachment against them - a battle, in the gap between the rows, the leader of the Scythians rode on a horse, mu - of enormous growth, reliably protected by a shell, and, shaking the length with a spear , began to call out those who wanted to oppose him; then Peter, full of bravery and courage beyond expectations, powerfully turned around and with such force directed the spear into the Scythian’s chest with such force that the tip pierced the body through and out of the back; the chain armor could not protect the giant, and he, without uttering a sound, prostrated himself on the ground, and the Scythians, struck by an unusual, amazing sight, fled), - this is what [two] commander the emperor s and ordered to gather an army and go to the nearby and bordering lands with Mysia. They were ordered to spend the winter there, exercising soldiers and going around the country so that it would not suffer any harm from the Scythian raids. It was also prescribed to send people disguised in Scythian dress, speaking both languages, to bivouacs [occupied] by enemies, so that they would learn about the intentions of the enemy. and then reported them to the emperor. Having received such orders from the sovereign, [military leaders] enter Europe.
Having learned about the campaign [of the Romans], the Tauro-Scythians separated from their troops - one part, attached to it a large number of Huns and Misyans.
sent them against the Romans. As soon as Master Varda, who was always a valiant and resolute man, and at that time especially flaming with anger and passionate courage, learned of the attack of the enemies, he gathered around him a detachment of selected warriors and hastily went to battle; calling John Alakas, he sent him to reconnaissance with an order to inspect the [army] of the Scythians, find out their numbers, the place where they settled down, and also what they were doing. All this information [John] had to send to him as soon as possible, so that he could prepare and line up soldiers for battle.
John with selected riders quickly rode to the [camp] of the Scythians; the next day he sent [a warrior] to the master, urging him to come with the whole army, since the Scythians were not far away, very close. Hearing this news, [Varda] divided the phalanx into three parts and ordered one of them to follow right behind him in the center, and the other two to hide aside, in the forests, and jump out of the ambush as soon as they heard the sound of a trumpet calling for battle . Having given these orders to the lohags, he rushed straight at the Scythians. A heated battle ensued, the enemy army greatly outnumbered [the army of the Romans] - they had more than thirty thousand, and the master, counting together with those who were in ambush, no more than ten thousand. The battle was already going on, and the bravest warriors were dying on both sides, And then, they say, some Scythian, boasting of his strength and might of body, broke forward from the phalanx of horsemen surrounding him, galloped up to Varda and struck him with his sword on the helmet. But the blow was unsuccessful: the blade of the sword, hitting the firmament of the helmet, bent and slid to the side. Then the patrician Constantine, brother of Varda, a young man whose chin was barely visible, but who was of enormous stature and invincible, irresistible strength, drew his sword and attacked the Scythian. He was afraid of the onslaught of Constantine and dodged the blow, leaning back on the horse's croup. The blow fell on the horse's neck, and his head flew off to the side; the Scythian, along with the horse, fell to the ground and was stabbed to death by Constantine.
Since the [success] of the battle was leaning now in favor of one, then in favor of the other army, and the inconstancy of happiness passed endlessly from one side to the other, Varda ordered the military muster to be blown and the tympanums to be beaten frequently. At this sign, the phalanx hidden in ambush rose and rushed at the Scythians from the rear: seized with fear, they began to lean towards flight. However, at a time when the retreat had just begun, some noble Scythian, who surpassed the other warriors in his great stature and the brilliance of armor, moving through the space between the two troops, began to arouse courage in his comrades-in-arms. Varda Sklir galloped up to him and hit him on the head so hard that the sword penetrated to the waist; the helmet could not protect the skiff, the shell could not withstand the strength of the hand and the smashing action of the sword. He fell to the ground, cut in two, the Romans cheered up and filled the air with joyful cries. The Scythians were horrified by this amazing, supernatural blow; they yelled, broke their formation, and took to flight. Until late in the evening, the Romans pursued them and mercilessly exterminated them. It is said that fifty-five Romans were killed in this battle, many were wounded and more horses fell, and more than twenty thousand Scythians died. How did this battle between the Scythians and the Romans end?
And Emperor John hurried the Asian troops to cross the Hellespont to Europe. He ordered them to spend the winter in the regions of Thrace and Macedonia, daily exercising in the possession of weapons, so as not to be incapable of the upcoming battles and not to be defeated - "and
enemy. [He commanded them] to wait for spring, when
but spring will dispel the winter storm and finally clarify the face of the earth - he himself will come to them, leading his troops, and with all his strength will fall on the Taurus-Scythians.
Book 8
As soon as a clear spring gave way to a gloomy winter, the emperor immediately raised the banner of the cross and began to hasten [on a campaign] against the Tauro-Scythians. Right from the palace, he went to pray to God in Bcev, the revered Cathedral of Christ the Savior, located in Halka. Seeing that the place for worshipers is very narrow, because fifteen people can hardly fit there, and the entrance is winding, uncomfortable and looks like a vito labyrinth or shelter, [John] immediately ordered to rebuild the temple from the very foundation, expand it and make it brighter. He himself outlined the outlines of the walls; some inspiration inspired him with this diligence and diligence, and the temple reached such beauty and grandeur that:; belong to him now. [Coming out] from there, he came to the famous holy temple of divine Wisdom and began to pray for the sending of an angel who would move ahead of the troops and lead the campaign, then, while singing hymns, he went to the glorious temple of Our Lady located in Blachernae. Having duly offered prayers to God, he went up to the palace located there to look at the fire-bearing triremes. They swayed, arranged in rows, in the bay. Bosporus, where a convenient and reliable harbor for cargo ships extends, gently curving, to a bridge and a river that flows into the sea behind mine.
Having admired the skilful sailing of ships in battle formation and the demonstration battle between them (there were more than three hundred of them, along with boats and canoes, which are now popularly called galleys and moneria), the emperor rewarded rowers and warriors with money and sent them to Istres to protect the river way, - so that the Scythians could not sail away to their homeland and to the Cimmerian Bosporus in the event that they were put to flight. It is said that the Ister is one of the rivers flowing from Eden, and that its name is Pishon. Starting in the east, it, according to the inexplicable wisdom of the Creator, hides underground, and then springs up from the Celtic mountains, describes a winding line through Europe and flows, dividing into five mouths, into Pontus, called Euxine. Some say that the Pishon is a river that crosses the Indian land; usually this river is called the Ganges; Smaragd stone is mined near it.
Thus, the ships reached Istra. Meanwhile, the autocrat [John] set out from Byzantium and arrived with the whole army in Adrianople. It is said that Orestes, the son of Agamemnon, founded this city, stopping in his wanderings after the murder of his own mother Clytemnestra, so earlier it was called Orestiada. Subsequently, the emperor Hadrian, waging war with the Scythians, was delighted with the [beautiful] location of the city; he fortified it with strong walls and named it Adrianople. Arriving there, Emperor John learned from scouts that the impassable, narrow paths leading to Mysia, called klisura, because they are, as it were, locked on all sides, are not guarded by the Scythians. Gathering lohags and taxiarchs, he made the following speech: “I thought, comrades-in-arms, that the Scythians, having been waiting for our arrival for a long time, spared no effort to fence off the most dangerous, narrow and difficult places on the trails with fences and ramparts, so that it would not be easy for us to pass through. move forward. But since they were deceived by the approach of Holy Pascha, they did not block the road, did not block our paths, believing that we would not refuse brilliant clothes, solemn processions, feasts and spectacles that mark the days of the great holiday, for the sake of the grave hardships of war. It seems to me that we will do the best if we immediately take advantage of the favorable opportunity, arm ourselves and cross the narrow road as soon as possible, before the Taurus-Scythians learn of our arrival and impose a fight in the mountain passes. If we, ahead of [the Scythians], go through dangerous places and suddenly attack them, then, I think, God help us! - from the first attack
we will take possession of the city of Preslava, the capital of the Misyans, and then, moving. [forward], we will easily curb the madness of the dews.”
This was the emperor's speech. To the strategists and taxiarchs, his words seemed inappropriate and excessively bold, and the proposal to lead the Roman army through the gorges and steep gorges into a foreign [country] - frivolous, reckless audacity, reaching madness. Oh - - they were silent for a long time, and the angry emperor spoke again. “I myself know that imprudence and self-willed insolence are slain? usually lead to the greatest danger and irreparable misfortune: after all, * [all his life] from his youth he spent in battles, won, as you know, many victories and achieved great glory. But if our happiness is put on a razor's edge and [fate] does not give us the opportunity to act according to our understanding, we should act decisively and make the best use of the circumstances. I think that you, wiser: with a great experience of the vicissitudes and inconstancy of military success, agree with me. So, if you believe that I advise the best, then while the Scythians are still inactive and do not know about our arrival, let's take advantage of the opportunity. Victory awaits us ..: how we pass through the mountain passes. But if they discover our intention to cross the gorge, and build their army there against us, the matter will not end well, then a terrible disaster will await us, our situation will become hopeless. Cheer up your spirit, remember that you are the Romans, who with their weapons first turned the flight of any enemy! Follow me as fast as you can and show; actually your courage!”
Having said this, John, well armed, jumped on a fast noble horse, threw a long spear over his shoulder and set off. In front of him moved a phalanx of warriors, completely covered with shells and called "immortals", and behind him - about fifteen thousand of the best hoplites and thirteen thousand horsemen. The emperor entrusted the care of the rest of the army to Proedr Vasily; it slowly moved behind along with the convoy, carrying siege and other vehicles. When, contrary to all expectations, they passed dangerous mountainous places, the emperor interrupted the intense march, gave rest to the entire foot and stagnant army, placing it on an impregnable hill, on one side, which the river flowed that promised abundance of water.
When the dawn of the next day came, he raised the army, lined it up in deep phalanxes and, ordering the war cry to be constantly trumpeted, cymbals to be beaten and tympanums to be beaten, marched on Preslav. An unimaginable noise was raised: the rumble of tympanums echoed in the neighboring mountains, weapons rang, horses neighed and [loudly] shouted people, cheering each other, as always happens before a battle. Tauroscythians, seeing the approach of a skillfully advancing army, were struck by surprise; they were seized with fear and felt helpless. Nevertheless, they hurriedly grabbed their weapons, covered their shoulders with shields (their shields are strong and reach their legs for greater safety), lined up in a formidable battle formation, stepped onto a level field in front of the city and, roaring like animals, emitting strange, incomprehensible exclamations, rushed to the Romans. The Romans faced them and fought bravely, performing amazing feats: however, neither side could prevail. Then the sovereign orders the "immortals" to swiftly attack the left wing of the Scythians; The “immortals”, putting their spears forward and strongly spurring their horses, rushed at the enemies. The Scythians [always] fight on foot; they are not accustomed to fighting on horseback and do not practice this business. Therefore, they could not withstand the onslaught of the Roman spears, took to flight and locked themselves in the walls of the city. The Romans pursued them and mercilessly killed them. It is said that eight thousand five hundred Scythians died during this offensive [of the Romans].
The survivors hid in the fortress and, fiercely resisting, threw spears and arrows from above from the walls. They say that the patrician Kalokir was also in Preslav, who, as I already reported in my time, moved the army of the Ross to the Misyan. Having learned about the arrival of the emperor (and it was impossible to hide this, since the golden imperial signs shone with a wonderful brilliance), he secretly fled from the city in the dead of night and appeared to Sfendoslav, who with all his army was at Doristol, now called Drystroy: in this way he escaped Kalokir.
The approaching night forced the Romans to stop the battle. But then the morning of the next day came, called Maundy Thursday, because on this day, preparing to go to the torments, our Savior after the Last Supper gave His saving instructions to the disciples. Just at that time, the rest of the army arrived with siege engines, and Emperor John broke camp, placed the phalanxes in an indestructible battle formation and, singing a victory hymn, rushed to the walls, intending to take the city with the first attack. The dews, encouraged by their commander Sfenkel, who was among the Scythians the third in dignity after Sfendoslav, their supreme catarchon, defended behind the battlements of the walls and with all their might repulsed the onslaught of the Romans, throwing darts, arrows and stones from above. The Romans, on the other hand, fired from below upwards from stone-throwing tools, threw stones, arrows and darts besieged by clouds, repelled their blows, [pressed], did not allow them to look out from the battlements without harm to themselves. Finally, the emperor in a loud voice gave the order to put ladders against the walls, and add his exclamation. the forces of the besiegers. Everyone on whom the sovereign's gaze fell fought bravely. hoping to receive a worthy reward for their exploits.
When the Romans rushed to the attack and moved the stairs to the walls, some brave young man began to climb up one of them with a barely visible reddish fluff on his chin, a native of the family. Anatolics, named Theodosius, and nicknamed Mesonikt. With his right hand, he pulled out a sword, in his left he held a shield with which he covered his head from Scythian blows from above. Having reached the crest of the wall, [the young man fell upon] the Scythian, who looked out from behind the battlements and wanted to push him down with a spear; he cut the neck of the enemy, and his head, together with the helmet, rolled on the ground behind the wall. The Romans greeted this extraordinary feat with enthusiastic cries, and many of them, competing in courage with the first to ascend [the wall], rushed up the stairs.
Meanwhile, Mesonikt, climbing the wall, took possession of its upper part and, turning in all directions, killed a huge number of the defending Scythians, throwing them off the wall. Soon already many [Romans] climbed up the walls in different places and exterminated the enemies with all their might. Then the Scythians left the fortification and shamefully crowded into the royal palace surrounded by a strong fence, where the treasures of the Misyans were kept; one of the entrances they left open.
Meanwhile, many Romans, who were on the other side of the walls, tore off the hinges on the gates, knocked down the bolts and penetrated into the city, killing countless Scythians. Then, they say, was captured and brought to the sovereign, along with his wife and two young children, the king of Misyan Boris, whose red beard was barely breaking through. Having received him, the emperor honored him, called him the ruler of the Bulgars and assured him that he had come to avenge the Misyans, who had suffered terrible disasters from the Scythians.
The Romans all at once burst into the city and scattered through the narrow streets, killing enemies and robbing their property. So they reached the royal palace, in which the best part of the Ros army gathered. But the Scythians, who were in the palace, fiercely resisted the Romans who penetrated through the gate and killed about one and a half hundred of the bravest warriors. Upon learning of this failure, the emperor rode at full speed to the palace and ordered his guards to attack the enemy with all their might, but seeing that nothing good would come of this (after all, the Taurus-Scythians easily defeated many soldiers, meeting them in a narrow passage), he stopped the reckless aspiration of the Romans and ordered fire from all sides to be thrown into the palace through the walls. When a strong flame flared up, burning everything in its path, the dews, numbering over seven thousand, left the room, lined up in an open place near the palace and prepared to repel the advance [of the Romans].
The emperor sent master Varda Skliros against them with a reliable detachment. Surrounding the Scythians with a phalanx of the bravest warriors, Skleros entered the battle. A battle ensued, and the dews resisted desperately, not showing their backs to the enemies; however, the Romans [won] with their courage and military experience and killed them all. In this battle, many Misyans also died, who fought on the side of the enemies against the Romans, the perpetrators of the attack on them by the Scythians. Sfenkel with a few managed to escape. He went to Sfendoslav, but was soon killed, which I will discuss below. So within two days the city of Preslav was conquered and became the possession of the Romans.
Emperor John, according to custom, gave gifts to the army, gave them rest and celebrated the holy Resurrection of the Savior at the same place. Having selected several captured Tauro-Scythians, [John] sent them to Sfendoslav with a message about the capture of the city and the death of his comrades-in-arms. He also instructed them [to convey to Sfendoslav] that he immediately choose one of two things: either lay down his arms, surrender to the victors and, asking for forgiveness for his impudence, immediately leave the Misyan country, or, if he does not want to do this and tends to innate self-will, to defend with all his might from the Roman army going to him. So he ordered to transfer Sfendoslav, he himself spent several days in the city and restored the destruction in the walls, and then, leaving a strong detachment and naming the city after his own name Ioannopolis, went with the whole army to Doristol.
This city was founded and brought to its present beauty and grandeur by Constantine, glorified among sovereigns, after he, having seen the sign of the cross in the form of a constellation in the sky, defeated the Scythians who showed hostility to him and fiercely attacked. Along the way, [John] took the city called Pliskuva, Diniya and many other cities that rejected the power of the Scythians and went over to the side of the Romans.
Sfendoslav, having learned about the defeat at Preslav, felt grief and annoyance. He considered this a bad omen for the future, but. obsessed with Scythian madness and boasting of his victories over the Misians, he hoped to easily defeat the army of the Romans.
Sfendoslav saw that the Misyans were refusing an alliance with him and were going over to the side of the emperor. Realizing on mature reflection that. if the Misyans lean towards the Romans, his affairs will end badly, he called together about three hundred of the most well-born and influential of them and dealt with them with inhuman savagery - he beheaded all of them, and put many others in chains and threw them into prison. Then, having gathered the whole army of the Taurus-Scythians - about sixty thousand - he marched against the Romans. 9
While the sovereign was slowly advancing towards the army of the Ross, several brave men obsessed with desperate audacity separated from their phalanx, who, having arranged an ambush, made a surprise attack and killed some soldiers from the advance detachment of the Romans. Seeing their corpses scattered along the road, the emperor let go of the reins and stopped the horse. The death of his compatriots led him into indignation, and he ordered to track down those who committed this [crime]. [John's] bodyguards, having carefully searched the surrounding forests and bushes, seized these robbers and brought them bound to the emperor. He immediately ordered them to be killed, and [the bodyguards], without delay drawing their swords, chopped them all to one to pieces.
Then the troops approached the space lying in front of Doristol. which is also called Dristra. The Taurus-Scythians tightly closed their shields and spears, giving their ranks the appearance of a wall, and awaited the enemy on the battlefield. The emperor lined up the Romans against them, placing the horsemen dressed in armor on the sides, and the archers and slingers behind, and, having ordered them to shoot without stopping, he led the phalanx into battle.
The warriors met hand to hand, a fierce battle ensued, and in the first battles, both sides fought for a long time with equal success. The dews, who among the neighboring peoples gained fame as constant victors in battles, believed that a terrible disaster would befall them if they suffered a shameful defeat from the Romans, and fought with all their might. The Romans, on the other hand, were overcome with shame and anger [at the thought] that they, having defeated all opponents with weapons and courage, would retreat like newcomers inexperienced in battles, and lose their great glory in a short time, having been defeated by the people fighting on foot and not able to ride at all. Motivated by such thoughts, [both] armies fought with consummate courage; the dews, which were guided by their innate brutality and rage, rushed in a furious impulse,

Capture of Dristra (Dorostol). Thumbnail of a copy of the Slavonic translation by Constantine Manassi

roaring like possessed, at the Romans, and the Romans advanced, using their experience and military art.
Many [warriors] fell on both sides, the battle went on with varying success, and until the evening it was impossible to determine which side the victory was leaning on. But when the luminary began to lean towards the west, the emperor threw on [the Scythians] the entire cavalry at full speed; he called with a loud voice
warriors to show in practice the natural Roman prowess and instilled good spirits in them. They rushed with extraordinary force, the trumpeter blew for battle, and a mighty cry rang out over the Roman ranks. The Scythians, unable to withstand such an onslaught, fled and were driven back behind the walls; they lost many of their [soldiers] in this battle. And the Romans sang victorious hymns and glorified the emperor. He gave them rewards and arranged feasts, increasing their zeal in battle.
Book 9
As soon as dawn broke, the emperor began to strengthen the camp with a rampart, acting in this way. Not far from Doristol rises a small hill in the middle of the plain. Having deployed the army on this hill, [John ordered a ditch to be dug around it, and the earth to be taken out to the side adjacent to the camp, so that a high embankment was obtained. Then [he ordered to stick spears on top of the [mound] and hang shields connected to each other on them. Thus, the camp was surrounded by a moat and a rampart, and the enemies could not get inside in any way - if they rushed along the moat, they would stop. This is how the Romans usually break their camp in an enemy country.
Having thus strengthened the camp, [John] lined up an army the next day and moved it to the [city] wall. Showing themselves from behind the towers, the Scythians threw arrows, stones and everything that could be fired from throwing weapons at the Roman phalanx. [The Romans] defended themselves from the Scythians, shooting from below with bows and slings. The battle did not go beyond this skirmish, and the Romans withdrew to the camp to eat, and the Scythians left the city by the end of the day on horseback - they first appeared then on horseback. They always used to go into battle on foot, but they did not know how to ride and fight enemies [on horseback]. The Romans immediately armed themselves, jumped on horses, grabbed spears (they use very long spears in battles) and swiftly, with a formidable avalanche, rushed at the enemies. Roman spears hit [Scythians] who did not know how to control horses with reins. They took to flight and took cover behind the walls.
In the meantime, fire-bearing triremes and food ships of the Romans appeared floating along the Istra. At the sight of them, the Romans rejoiced beyond words, and the Scythians were terrified, because they were afraid that liquid fire would be turned against them. After all, they had already heard from the old people from their people that with this very “Indian fire” the Romans turned into ashes on the Euxine [sea] the huge fleet of Ingor, father
Sfendoslav. Therefore, they quickly gathered their canoes and brought them to the city wall in the place where the flowing Istres goes around one of the sides of Doristol. But the fiery ships lay in wait for the Scythians from all sides, so that they could not slip away on the boats to their own land.
The next day, the Tauro-Scythians left the city and lined up on the plain, protected by chain mail and shields that reached to their very feet. The Romans also left the camp, also securely covered with armor. Both sides fought bravely, alternately pushing each other, and it was not clear who would win. But then one [of the soldiers], breaking out of the phalanx of the Romans, struck down Sfenkel, (who was revered by the Tauro-Scythians as the third after Sfendoslav), a valiant, huge man who bravely fought in this battle. Struck by his death, the Tauro-Scythians began to retreat step by step from the plain, rushing towards the city. Then Theodore, nicknamed Lalacon, an invincible man, frightening with courage and bodily strength, killed many enemies with an iron mace. The strength of his hand was so great that the impact of the mace flattened not only the helmet, but also the helmeted head. Thus, the Scythians, showing their backs, [again] took refuge in the city. The emperor ordered the assembly to sound, called the Romans to the camp and, entertaining them with gifts and feasts, urged them to fight bravely in the [upcoming] battles.
Thus, the fighting continued, and the outcome of events remained uncertain.
...5. As for the Ross (for the story returns again [to the place] from which it deviated), they lined up and went out onto the plain, trying with all their might to set fire to the military vehicles of the Romans. They could not withstand the action of the shells that whistled over them: every day many Scythians died from the blows of stones thrown [by cars]. These cars were guarded by a relative of the sovereign, master John Kurkuas. Noticing the daring sortie of the enemies, [Kurkuas], despite the fact that he had a severe headache and that he was sleepy from wine (it was after breakfast), jumped on his horse and, accompanied by the chosen soldiers, rushed to meet them. [On the run] the horse stumbled into a pit and threw off the master. The Scythians saw magnificent weapons, beautifully finished badges on horse harness and other decorations - they were covered with a considerable layer of gold - and thought that this was the emperor himself. Closely surrounding [the master], they brutally hacked him together with armor with their swords and axes, put his head on a spear, hoisted it on a tower and began to make fun of the Romans [shouting] that they slaughtered their emperor like a sacrificial animal. Magister John became the prey of a barbaric frenzy and thus suffered punishment for the [crimes] committed by him against the holy temples, because they say that he plundered many [churches] in Mysia and turned their utensils and sacred goods into his private property. veins.
Encouraged by such a victory, the dews left the city the next day and lined up for battle in an open place. The Romans also lined up in a deep phalanx and moved towards them.
Among the Scythians was Ikmor, a brave man of gigantic stature, [the first / after Sfendoslav the leader of the army, whom [the Scythians] revered worthily the second among them. Surrounded by a detachment of warriors close to him, he fiercely rushed against the Romans and struck down many of them. Seeing this,4 one of the emperor’s bodyguards, the son of Anemas, the archigus of the Cretans, was inflamed with the valor of the spirit, pulled out a sword hanging > on his side, galloped on a horse in different directions and, spurring him, rushed at Ikmor, overtook him and struck [with the sword] in the neck - the head of the Scythian, cut off along with the right hand, rolled to the ground. As soon as [Ikmor] died, the Scythians raised a cry mixed with a groan, and the Romans rushed at them. The Scythians could not withstand the onslaught of the enemy, greatly dejected by the death of their leader, they threw their shields behind their backs and began to retreat to the city, while the Romans pursued them and killed them. And so, when night fell and the full circle of the moon shone, the Scythians went out onto the plain and began to pick up their dead. They piled them up in front of the wall, made many fires and burned them, slaughtering many captives, men and women, according to the custom of their ancestors. Having made this bloody sacrifice, they strangled [several] infants and roosters, drowning them in the waters of Istra. They say that the Scythians honor the mysteries of the Hellenes, make sacrifices according to the pagan rite and make libations for the dead, having learned this either from their philosophers Anacharsis and Zamolxis, or from Achilles' associates. After all, Arrian writes in his Description of the Sea Shore that Achilles, the son of Peleus, was a Scythian and came from a town called Myrmikion, which lies near the Meotid lake. Exiled by the Scythians for his wild, cruel and insolent disposition, he subsequently settled in Thessaly. Clear evidence [of the Scythian origin of Achilles] is the cut of his cape, fastened with a clasp, the habit of fighting on foot, blond hair, light blue eyes, extravagant irritability and cruelty, which Agamemnon mocked, censuring him with the following words: “United strife, scolding and killing you just pleasant." The Tauro-Scythians still have the habit of settling disputes by murder and bloodshed. The fact that this people is reckless, brave, warlike and powerful, [that] they attack all neighboring tribes, many say; the divine Ezekiel also speaks of this in such words: “Here I am bringing Gog and Magog, Prince Ros” on you. But enough about the sacrifices of the Taurians.
The next day, at dawn, Sfendoslav convened a council of the nobility, which in their language is called "koment". When they gathered around him, Sfendoslav asked them what to do. Some expressed the opinion that one should embark on ships late at night and try to sneak away secretly, because it is impossible to fight horsemen covered with iron armor, losing the best fighters who were the backbone of the army and strengthened the courage of the soldiers. Others objected, arguing that it was necessary to make peace with the Romans, taking an oath from them, and in this way save the remaining army. [They said that] it would not be easy to hide the flight, because the fire-bearing ships guarding the passages off the coast of Istra on both sides would immediately burn all [their ships] as soon as they tried to appear on the river.
Then Sfendoslav sighed deeply and exclaimed bitterly: “The glory that followed the army of the Ross, who easily defeated neighboring peoples and enslaved entire countries without bloodshed, has perished, if we now shamefully retreat before the Romans. So, let us be imbued with the courage [which our ancestors bequeathed] to us, remember that the power of the Ross has so far been invincible, and we will fight fiercely for our lives. It does not befit us to return to our homeland, fleeing; [we must] either win and stay alive, or die with glory, having accomplished feats [worthy] of valiant men!” Here is the opinion expressed by Sfendoslav.
It is also said about the Tauro-Scythians that up to the present time they never surrender to enemies, even defeated ones - when there is no longer any hope of salvation, they pierce their insides with swords and thus kill themselves. They do so, based on the following conviction: those killed in battle by the enemy, they believe, become after death and excommunication of the soul from the body his slaves in the underworld. Fearing such service, abhorring to serve their murderers, they cause their own death. This is the conviction that holds them.
And then, having listened to the speech of their master, [the dews] gladly agreed to enter into a dangerous struggle for their salvation and [decided] to courageously resist the power of the Romans. The next day (it was the sixth day of the week, the twenty-fourth of the month of July) by sunset, the entire army of the Tauro-Scythians left the city; they decided to fight with all their might, lined up in a powerful phalanx and put forward their spears. The emperor, for his part, lined up the Romans and led them out of the fortification. The battle had already begun, and the Scythians attacked the Romans with force, pierced them with spears, wounded the horses with arrows and threw the horsemen to the ground. Seeing with what furious fury Sfendoslav rushed at the Romans and inspired his ranks to fight, Anemas, who became famous the day before for the murder of Ikmor, pulled ahead on his horse (it became his custom to do this, and in this way he had already struck many Scythians ), lowering the reins, rushed at [the leader of the Ross] and, hitting him with a sword on the collarbone, threw him head down to the ground, but did not kill him. [Sfendoslav] was saved by a chain mail shirt and a shield, with which he armed himself, fearing Roman spears. Anemas was surrounded by rows of Scythians, his horse fell, struck down by a cloud of spears; he killed many of them, but he himself died - a husband whom none of his peers could surpass in military exploits.
The death of Anemas inspired the Ross, and with wild, piercing cries, they began to push the Romans. They began to hastily turn back, dodging the monstrous onslaught of the Scythians. Then the emperor, who saw that the phalanx of the Romans was retreating, was afraid that they, frightened by the unprecedented attack of the Scythians, would not fall into extreme trouble: he called the soldiers close to him, squeezed his spear with all his might and rushed to the enemies himself. The tympanums sounded and the military call of the trumpet began to play; ashamed that the sovereign himself was going into battle, the Romans turned their horses and rushed with force at the Scythians. But suddenly a hurricane broke out interspersed with rain: rushing from the sky, it blocked the enemies: besides, dust arose that clogged their eyes. And they say that a rider on a white horse appeared before the Romans; becoming at the head of the army and prompting him to attack the Scythians, he miraculously cut and upset their ranks. No one saw him, as they say, in the disposition of the army either before the battle or after it, although the emperor was looking for him in order to adequately bestow and thank him for what he had done. But the search was unsuccessful. Subsequently, a firm belief spread that it was the Great Martyr Theodore, whom the sovereign prayed for himself and for the entire army to be a comrade-in-arms, patron and savior in battles. They say that on the eve of the battle in the evening the following happened. In Byzantium, the Mother of God appeared in a dream to a girl who had dedicated herself to God, accompanied by fiery warriors. She told them: "Call Me the martyr Theodore," - immediately a brave and courageous armed man was brought up to Her. The Mother of God turned to him with the words: “Your John in Doristol, O venerable Theodore, is fighting the Scythians and is in extreme difficulty; hurry to rescue him - if you delay, he will not escape danger. He replied that he was ready to obey the Mother of his Lord and God, and, having said this, he immediately left. Immediately, the dream fled from the eyes of the girl. This is how the girl's dream came true.
Following the holy man, the Romans entered into battle with the enemies. A hot battle ensued, and the Scythians could not withstand the onslaught of the cavalry phalanx. Surrounded by the master Bardas, nicknamed Skleros, who with many [warriors] went around them from the rear, they took to flight. [The Romans] pursued them to the very wall, and they perished ingloriously. Sfendoslav himself, wounded by arrows, having lost a lot of blood, was almost taken prisoner; only the onset of night saved him. They say that fifteen thousand five hundred Scythians were killed in this battle, [on the battlefield] they picked up twenty thousand shields and a lot of swords. Among the Romans killed were three hundred and fifty, but there were many wounded. This is the victory the Romans won in this battle.
Sfendoslav spent the whole night in anger and sadness, regretting the death of his army. But seeing that nothing could be done against the indestructible armor [of the Romans], he considered it the duty of a reasonable commander not to lose heart under the weight of adverse circumstances and to make every effort to save his soldiers. Therefore, at dawn, he sent ambassadors to Emperor John and began to ask for peace on the following terms. The Taurus-Scythians will yield to the Romans Doristol, free the captives, leave Mysia and return to their homeland, and the Romans will give them the opportunity to sail away, they will not attack them along the road with fire-bearing ships (they were very afraid of the “Medes fire”, which could even turn stones into ashes) , and in addition, they will supply them with food and will consider as their friends those who will be sent on commercial business to Byzantium, as was established before.
The emperor revered peace much more than war, because he knew that peace preserves peoples, while war, on the contrary, destroys them. Therefore, he gladly accepted these conditions [of the Ross], concluded an alliance and an agreement with them, and gave them bread - two medimnas1 for each. They say that from the sixty-thousandth army of the Ross. only twenty-two thousand people who escaped death received bread, and the remaining thirty-eight

Negotiations between John Tzimisces and Svyatoslav. Miniature of the Madrid List of the Chronicle of John Skipitsa

thousands died from the weapons of the Romans. After the approval of the peace treaty, Sfendoslav asked the emperor for permission to meet with him for a conversation. The sovereign did not evade and, covered with gilded armor, rode on horseback to the banks of the Istra, leading a large detachment of armed horsemen sparkling with gold. Sfendoslav also appeared, sailing along the river on a Scythian boat; he sat at the oars and rowed along with his entourage, no different from them. This was his appearance: of moderate height, neither too tall nor too short, with shaggy eyebrows and light blue eyes, snub-nosed, beardless, with thick, excessively long hair above his upper lip. His head was completely naked, but a tuft of hair hung from one side of it - a sign of the nobility of the family; a strong nape, a broad chest and all other parts of the body are quite proportionate, but he looked sullen and wild. He had a gold earring in one ear; it was adorned with a carbuncle framed by two pearls. His attire was white and differed from the clothes of his associates only in cleanliness. Sitting in a boat on a bench for rowers, he talked a little with the sovereign about the conditions of peace and left. Thus ended the war between the Romans and the Scythians.
Sfendoslav left Doristol, returned the prisoners according to the agreement and sailed with the remaining associates, directing his way to his homeland. On the way, they were ambushed by the Patsinaks, a large nomadic tribe that devours lice, carries dwellings with them and spends most of its life in wagons. They killed almost all [the Ross], killed Sfendoslav along with others, so that only a few of the huge army of the Ross returned unharmed to their native places.
Thus, Emperor John, as is clear from the previous story, defeated the hordes of the Ross in just four months and returned Misia to the Romans. He renamed Doristol to Theodoropolis in honor of Stratilates the martyr Theodore and, leaving a reliable guard there, returned with large trophies to Byzantium. Having met the emperor in front of the walls, the townspeople presented him with crowns and scepters trimmed with gold and precious stones. They also brought with them a chariot adorned with gold and drawn by white horses; they asked [John] to go up on it to celebrate the triumph that is due on such occasions. John accepted the crowns and sceptres, gave rich gifts to the townspeople for them, but did not want to get on the chariot. Having covered the golden seat of the chariot with purple Mysian robes and wreaths, he placed on it the image of the Mother of God taken from Mysia, enclosing the Divine-human Logos in Her arms. He himself followed on a frisky horse behind, crowning his head with a diadem, with wreaths and sceptres in his hands.
Thus John rode, making his triumph in the midst of the city, adorned everywhere with purple robes, overshadowed like a bridal chamber with branches of laurel and golden veils. He entered the great temple of divine Wisdom and, having given thanks

Triumphal procession of John Tzimiskes. Miniature of the Madrid List of the Chronicle of John Skylitzes

prayers, dedicated to God the first share of the booty - a magnificent Missian crown, and then followed to the imperial palace, brought the king of the Misyans Boris there and ordered him to lay down the signs of royal dignity. They consisted of a tiara trimmed with purple, embroidered with gold and pearls, as well as purple and red ankle boots. Then he elevated Boris to the rank of master. This is how Emperor John, in a very short time, beyond all expectations, won such a great victory, broke and defeated the arrogant bragging of the Ross with his military experience, wise valor and courage, and subordinated the Romans
Mission. Returning to Byzantium, he spent the winter there, rewarding his subjects with gifts according to custom and entertaining them with plentiful treats.
Book 10
And other grave misfortunes were indicated by the rising of the star that then appeared, as well as the pillars of fire that frightened everyone, which then appeared late at night in the northern part of the sky; after all, they marked the capture of Cherson by the Tauroscythians and the conquest of Verria by the Misyans.
(Translated by M. M. Kopylenko. S. 43-45, 55-59, 68-83, 90-91)

Byzantine writer, historian, belonged to court circles. His good knowledge of court life and politics of that time makes Leo Deacon a valuable source on the history of Byzantium, Bulgaria and Russia (the Balkan wars of Prince Svyatoslav).
The deacon was born in the countryside, at Caloe on the river Caistre in the Thracian Theme. His parents did not occupy a prominent position, but they were wealthy enough to provide their son with studies in Constantinople. After leaving school, Leo no longer mentions his homeland in the "History". At school, Leo studied rhetoric, his exercises, encomiums, essays, speeches and panegyrics, which later became part of the History, have been preserved. After training, he chose the path of religious service, for some time he was under the patriarch as a patriarchal deacon. By 975-980 he became the imperial court deacon. He accompanied Emperor Basil II in his campaigns, in 986 he almost died in battle with the Bulgarians. Around 996, Leo the Deacon delivers a speech (encomium) glorifying the emperor, the text of which has survived to this day. After this, the reliable biography of Leo the Deacon, based on an analysis of his writings, ends.
There are three hypotheses regarding the further fate of the Byzantine historian.
According to the first, he died, which prevented him from supplementing his main work "History" with the reign of Vasily II.
According to the second, Leo the Deacon stood out among the courtiers with his speech, and it is he who is known by correspondence with Basil II Leo, whom the emperor sent on a diplomatic mission to Italy in 996-998. Later, he may have become the bishop of Sinada, but this version is quite controversial. It is supported by such scientists as K. Krumbacher, G. Wartenberg, A. Gregoire and P. Orgels.
According to the third hypothesis, Leo the Deacon became the Metropolitan of Caria, but it also carries a number of difficulties.
The "History" of Leo the Deacon in 10 books describes the events of 959-976, but contains a number of excursions into the past and facts from times before 989-992, when, most likely, it was compiled. Leo was the first to write since the 7th century, imitating the "History" of Thucydides, and using the classical language. He also drew on later classical historians of antiquity, especially Agathias. Unlike earlier historians and a number of contemporaries, Leo the Deacon was not a simple chronicler and compiler, but tried to give his own assessment of events and determine their causes and consequences, which was facilitated by the genre of historical narrative he chose. Leo the Deacon contrasted the glorious days of Nicephorus Phocas and John Tzimiskes with the unsuccessful beginning of the reign of Basil II. Therefore, probably, during his reign, the manuscript was never published, and its continuation after 976, the author himself considered premature, expecting the imminent fall of Basil as a result of rebellions, which did not happen.