Khrapunov M. The Administration of Byzantine Cherson (late fourth to the eleventh century)

The thesis analyses administrative bodies and principles in a Byzantine provincial city on the example of Cherson from the late fourth to the eleventh century against the background of a wide range of primary sources and secondary literature. It has been proved that the administration of Cherson depended on Byzantium throughout the whole period investigated, but the degree of this dependence was changing. The centralization became stronger in the sixth century with the establishment of the administration of the doux and from the ninth to eleventh century after the foundation of the military-administrative district, the theme. Cherson permanently preserved some magistracies related with the city community. The government of Cherson was a combination of two principles, central and local. There was the continuity between the early Byzantine administration and that in the ninth and tenth centuries. In spite of there were some original features, the administrative system of Cherson had much in common with other Byzantine cities. The evolution of the administration of Cherson followed the pattern typical to the Byzantine Balkans.