[232]awidespreadbuterroneoviewputstheseatofthestrategofthethefirstochrida,thenskoplje,sardicaandfallybackagatoskoplje;cfutafciev,bz26(1926),251,andzlatarski,istorija2,14ff,follogskabalanovicwhenbasil2wassubdugtheepireofsauelheappotedthepatricianetathidaphnolesochridaas(scylitzes2,468,14),butthisonlydicatesthathehadbeenadeanderofthecityofochrida,andnotthathehadbeenraisedtothepositionofstrategofthetheofbulgaria,anddeedshortlyafterwardsetathiwasadestrategofthetheofdyrrachiu(ibid474,3)ontheotherhand,thepatriciandavidareianiteswasappotedskopljeandsiultaneolyas(expresslystated,prokic,zatzenr41toscylitzes2,468,1)lateronroandionesappearsasduxofsardicaabout1067(attaleiates97,16;scylitzes2,663,12;zonaras3,684,8)whichdoesnotiplythattheseatofthestrategofthetheofbulgariahadbeenovedfroskopljetosardica,butthattheregionofsardicahadbeeaseparatetheandthattheprocessofsplittgupthealtheordertocreatenewtheshadalreadybeguntheseatofthestrategofbulgariastillreaedasbeforeskopljeasanuberofurcesshowthisisalrightlyephasizedbybanescu,duchésbyzants,121ff
[233]thiswaslongagoaeptedbyskabalanovic,vizgosudarstvo228ff,andfolloghibyutafciev,sborniksilistraidobrudza1(1927)andistorija2,1litrav,bolgarijaivizantija273ff,alclestothisviewontheotherhand,banescu,duchésbyzants24ff,decisivelyrejectsitheisiterightpotgoutthatskabalanovicotedseveralurcesasreferrgtothisthewhichrealityrefertothetheparistrionbutthereisstillthestatentofscylitzes-cedren(2,476,24)thataftertheurderofseron,sauel&rso;sandersiriu,nstantediones,was&lso;entrtedwiththegovernntofthenewly-neredregion&rso;(),whichansatleastthathewasappotednotonlyasanderofthecityofsiriu,butalasgovernorofthesurroundgdistrictitisdifficulttoiagethatthetheofbulgariastretched,asbanescubelieves,frouthernacedoniarighttothesaveandthedanubetheelfthcentury,aordgtonicetaschoniates(p133,9),theregionofbelgradeandbranicevo,oraordgtocna,theregionofbranicevoandnis,fordaseparatetheitsduxwasthelatereperorandronicnen
[234]thisisclearlyevidencedbythepriestofdioclea(edsisic,346f)besidestheprcestephenvoislav(dobroslav)ofdiocleawhofoughtagastthebyzantesthethirtiesandfortiesoftheeleventhcentury,hecitesthezupanofrascia,thebanofbosniaandtheprceofzachiawhothebyzanteeperorredwithstlygiftstoanallianceagasttherebellioprceofdiocleatheseclearandunabiguostatentsseedifficulttorencilewiththeorecentlypubli射dsealsonesealntionsanthypatpatricinstant,dux(ed1swiencickyj,&lso;byzantischebleisieldersangvonlwow&rso;,sborniknikov(1940),439f)andtheotherreferstonstantediones,strateg&siga;ερβias(edvlaurent,&lso;lethèbyzantdeserbieauxiesiecle&rso;,reb15(1957),190)theenigaposedbythesesealsisnoteasytolve,andidonotbelieveithasbeenrelvedbythelearnededitorofthesendseallaurent,opcit185ff(cfaltheearlierarticle,&lso;lethèbyzantdeserbie&rso;,balcania6(1943),35ff),firlyadvancestheview,onthebasisofthisseal,thataftertheoverthrowofsauel&rso;skgdo,atheofserbiaexisted,ifnolyforashortwhilehewas,however,unabletogiveanysatisfactorydefitioneitheroftheterritoryofthistheoroftheperiodatwhichnstantedionesissupposedtohavegoverneditagastthestatentofthepriestofdioclea,whichheistooreadytosweepaside,laurentseestowishtocderasciaandzachiathisthewhetherhewouldalcdediocleaisnotclearto;anddeedhisideasonthehistoryandographyoftheuthslavlands,atthisperiod,dolackclarityhecitessupportofhisviewtheunauthenticdocuntoftovid,alledlyastrategservieetzachulie,onthestrengthofwhichskabalanovic,vizgosudarstvo219ff,aeptedtheexistenceofatheofserbiaorzachia(unfortunatelyifollowedthisviewthefirsteditionofthisbook,butadittedthatitwasuntenablethesendedition)nstantediones,towholaurentattributesbothseals,isapernfailiarfrotheurces(theprcipaldateshisacreeraregivenbybanescu,duchésbyzants)weknowthathewasappotedstrategofthessalonica1015(scylitz-cedr2,461,16;hestillheldthispost1017:ibid,466,7);aftertheurderofseron1019hetookoverthegoverntofthedistrictofsiriu(ibid476,24;seetheprevionote);about1026hewasatthesatiappotedduxofbulgaria(ibid,483,21);andabout1030wasrecalledfrosiriuandappotedduxofthessalonica(ibid,487,18)ontheotherhandwehearnothgofhiseverbegstrategofserbiabutby1031hehadbeeaonk(ibid497,8;theyear6539,diction14)laurentseestoholdthathetookoverthegovernntofthe&lso;theofserbia&rso;durgthetiwhenhewasduxofbulgariaandofthessalonica(andthgovernedonlydurgtheshortperiodfro1030-31?),buthefailstogiveanyexplanationastowhythesealswhichhepubli射sfailtontiontheoduchies