Судан и Большой Ближний Восток

329 Vassilios Christides. The Cycle of the Arab-Byzantine Struggle in Crete... a blue tunic and red mantle. Although the painter, reflecting Skylitzes’ spirit, does not fail to pinpoint Phocas’ deficiencies, he glorifies him for his victory and vividly describes the enthusiastic people rushing to welcome him with trumpets and drums. 1 Conclusion The painter (s) of the manuscript of Skylitzes who illuminated the “Cycle of the Conquest and Occupation of Crete” solely describes the struggle between Byzantium and the Arabs of Crete which terminated with the victory of Nicephorus Phocas whose triumphant entrance into Constantinople is presented in the illumination Fig. 358 (fol. 145r). In general, the painter (s) of the “Cycle” seems to know little about the actual Arab world; for them they are only raiders and fighters while in a number of other of Skylitzes’ illuminations, the Arabs appear as ambassadors, peaceful guests and even entertaining captives. Thus, a depiction of an Arab prisoner demonstrating his dexterity as a horseman is presented in the miniature Fig. 129, fol. 55r, top, with the caption “ο ’Αγαρηνός παίζων σὺν τοῖς δυσὶν δόρασι». 2 Τhis illumination shows the emperor Theophilus in the hippodrome watching the demonstration of an Arab prisoner riding a horse and skillfully holding two spears. A comparison to an Arabic illumination of a horseman of the same period manifests obvious similarities (see Fig. V ). The Arab conquerors are called “Krētes” in the relevant illu­ minations, while none of them reveal any aspect of the ethnic and social changes caused by the Arab invasion of Crete and its occupation. There is no depiction of any palaces and/or mosques of the Andalusian Arabs of Crete. We must retrace our steps to the famous mosque of Cordoba, the place of origin of the Andalusian Arabs, which started being built 1 For the entry of Nicephorus Phocas in Constantinople and his celebra- tion of his triumph, see Alice-Mary Talbot and Dennis F. Sullivan, op. cit., 81 and note 50; see also M. McCormick, Eternal Victory: Triumphal Rulership in Late Antiquity, Byzantium and the Early Medieval West , Cambridge — Paris 1986, 167, n. 141. 2 Thurn, 68, line 27.