Zavads'ka I. The Christianity in Early Byzantine Chersonesos (on the basis of cultic sites)

The process of Chersonesian population's conversion to Christianity through the Late Ancient and Early Medieval Periods was investigated in the dissertation by studying sites of Early Christian architecture, and other groups of sources. According to the data of written sources, Chersonesian epаrchy was formed on the last quarter of the 4th century. Since then Christian temples began to be built in the town, but theirs architectural remains had not survived. The group of preserved Early Byzantine churches has to be tentatively considered among the second stage of Christian building, which, according to the results of archaeological investigations, began most probably under Justinian I and lasted till the first half of the 7th century. The process of Chersonesians' conversion to Christianity came to its upper point by this period. It seems most likely, that on the second half of the 6th - beginning of the 7th century the Christians formed the majority of the town's population. The supremacy of metropo litan school in making Early Medieval sites of Chersonesian church architecture is shown in the dissertation by comparing local temples' architectural forms with the Byzantine ones.