Two notes on the early history of the thema of Cherson

Abstract

1. The creation of a thema in Crimea: 841

According to the closely related accounts in De administrando imperio and in Theophanes Continuatus, the creation of a thema in Cherson was instigated by a report submitted to the emperor Theophilos by the spatharokandidatos Petronas Kamateros upon his return from a mission to Sarke1. Thus the dates of Petronas' mission determine the chronology of the creation of the thema.