This study combines already published data in order to test the hypothesis that, during his expansion, Tsar Samuel engaged in a church-building programme. To illustrate this point, the analysis first refers to the architecture of the church of St Nicholas for the purpose of dating it, and then to the toponym ‘Armen’, where the church is located. The latter point is subsequently contextualized alongside other toponyms in the western parts of Via Egnatia, with reference to Armenian migrations in the region. The discussion then turns to the relation of Armenians with Paulicianism in the context of St John Vladimir’s struggle against the heresies of Bogomilism and Massalianism. The thesis proposed is that the church of St Nicholas at Armen can be linked with the time of Tsar Samuel’s state and may serve as a starting point for further research into whether Samuel’s church-building activity functioned as a political programme to integrate the newly occupied regions of his realm.
Йоанна Диаманди (Тирана, Албания)
joana.dhiamandi@gmail.com
Константинос Якумис (Тирана Албания)
konstantinos.giakoumis@kulogos.edu.al
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