ABSTRACT
Concerning the first “Christian” century of the Rus’ and its relations to the Byzantine Empire in this time, the literary sources are not helpful enough, leading to quite problematic interpretations. Byzantium had its own experience with the peoples of Eastern Europe since the first Rus’ian governments in the ninth century and had learned to highly esteem especially the military strength of Scandinavian soldiers active there. In 988, the army from the Rus’ won a victory over Kalokyros Delphinas, a deputy commander of Phokas, after a surprising attack near the capital, and on 13 April 989, Bardas Phokas was beaten by a stroke, even before the decisive battle had started. Scholars who believe in a cordial alliance between Vladimir and the emperors that started in 987 wonder about the sudden attack by Vladimir on the Crimea, conquering the Byzantine center of Cherson in 989.
