Hagiographic sources about enemy invasions on Byzantine territory (IX–XI c.)

Abstract

During the considered period, the Byzantine empire was forced to defend its borders on several fronts. The Arabs inflicted numerous invasions on the empire. Arab pirates conquered Crete and the island became a center from which their ships raided the surrounding islands and coastal areas. The North African Arabs invaded southern Italy and conquered almost all of Sicily.
The empire was forced to throw significant military and financial resources to defend its possessions in Asia Minor. Byzantium also suffered heavy defeats from the growing Bulgarian state. The war with the Bulgarians lasted nearly thirty years. Russian attacks on Kherson and the southern coast of the Black Sea also began.
This time of war, insecurity and devastations had negative consequences for the lives of the Byzantines. Many women were left widows because their husbands died in battle, and many cities were looted and destroyed. The population of the affected areas sought refuge in the lands in the center of the empire, many were captured and sold into slavery. These events were reflected in a number of historical sources, such as chronicles, military treatises, legislation.
We find a lot of information about attacks, kidnappings and slavery, as well as about escaping from the conquered lands in the hagiographic works. They are a valuable source, containing facts about wars, invasions and riots, as well as various social ideas, worldviews and aesthetic concepts in the Middle Ages. That is why the analysis of life texts gives us information about various political, social and economic phenomena. In view of the topic of this conference, the emphasis here is on the information about enemy invasions, described in the hagiographical literature of that period.
The the article examines information about enemy invasions, reflected in the lives of St. Ioannicius the Great (IX century), St. Athanasia of Aegina (IX century), St. Theodora of Thessalonike, St. Theoktiste of Lesbos (IX century), St. Gregory the Decapolitan ( IX th century) St. George of Amastris (IXth century), St. Elias of Enna (IX th century), St. Luke of Steiris (X th century), St. Mary the Younger (X th century), St. Neilos of Rossano (X th century), St. Cyril the Phileot (XI th century).