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Kanalē. And Diocleia is named from the kastro in this country, which the emperor Diocletian built, but now it is a deserted kastro, to this day called Diocleia. In the country of Diocleia there are large, inhabited kastra: Gradetai, Nougrade, Lontodokla. 36 Concerning the Pagani, who are also called Arentani, and the country they now inhabit. The country which the Pagani now inhabit was previously held by the Romans, whom the emperor Diocletian removed from Rome and settled in Dalmatia. These same Pagani are descended from the unbaptized Serbs, from that prince who fled to the emperor Heraclius. This country too was taken by the Avars and was deserted, and was resettled again in the time of the emperor Heraclius. They are called Pagani because they did not agree to be baptized at that time when all the Serbs were baptized. For Pagani in the dialect of the Slavs means 'unbaptized', but in the dialect of the Romans their country is called Arenta, whence they themselves are also called Arentani by these same Romans. In Pagania there are inhabited kastra: Mokron, Beroullia, Ostrōk and Slabinetza. And they hold these islands: the large island of Kourkra, or Kiker, in which there is also a kastro; another large island Meleta, or Malozeatai, which Saint Luke mentions in the Acts of the Apostles, calling it Melitē, on which a viper also fastened on the finger of the holy Paul, which the holy Paul also burned in the fire; another large island Pharos; another large island Bratzēs. There are also other islands, which are not held by these same Pagani: the island of Chōara, the island of Iēs, the island of Lastobon. 37 Concerning the nation of the Patzinaks. It is to be known that the Patzinaks originally had their dwelling on the river Atēl, and likewise on the river Geēch, having the Chazars and the so-called Ouzes as their neighbors. But fifty years ago the so-called Ouzes, having made common cause with the Chazars, joined battle with the Patzinaks, and prevailed over them and drove them from their own country, which the so-called Ouzes have occupied till this day. But the Patzinaks fled and wandered about, searching for a place for their settlement, and having reached the land which is now held by them and finding the Tourkoi dwelling in it, they defeated them in battle and expelled and drove them out, and settled in it, and are masters of this country, as has been said, for fifty-five years to this day. It is to be known that all of Patzinakia is divided into eight themes, having also as many great princes. The themes are these: the name of the first theme is Irtim, of the second Tzour, of the third Gyla, of the fourth Koulpei, of the fifth Charaboi, of the sixth Talmat, of the seventh Chopon, of the eighth Tzopon. At the time when the Patzinaks were driven out of their own country, they had princes: in the theme of Irtim, Baitzan; in Tzour, Kouel; in Gyla, Kourkoutai; in Koulpei, Ipaon; in Charaboi, Kaidoum; in the theme of Talmat, Kostan; in Chopon, Giazē; in the theme of Tzopon, Batan. After their death, their cousins succeeded to their offices. For an ancient law and custom has prevailed among them that they do not have the power to transmit the dignities to their children or brothers, but it is sufficient for those who possess them to rule for life only, and after their death, either their cousin or the children of their cousins are appointed, so that the dignity does not pass entirely to one branch of the family, but {for} the collateral relatives also to inherit and succeed to the honor; but no one from another family intrudes and becomes a prince. The eight themes are divided into forty parts, and they also have lesser princes. It is to be known that the four of the

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Καναλή. ∆ιόκλεια δὲ ὀνομάζεται ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐν τῇ τοιαύτῃ χώρᾳ κάστρου, οὗπερ ἔκτισεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ∆ιοκλητιανός, νυνὶ δέ ἐστιν ἐρημόκαστρον μέχρι τοῦ νῦν ὀνομαζόμενον ∆ιόκλεια. Ὅτι ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ ∆ιοκλείας εἰσὶ μεγάλα κάστρα οἰκούμενα· τὸ Γράδεται, τὸ Νουγράδε, τὸ Λοντοδόκλα. 36 Περὶ τῶν Παγανῶν, τῶν καὶ Ἀρεντανῶν καλουμένων, καὶ ἧς νῦν οἰκοῦσι χώρας. Ὅτι ἡ χώρα, εἰς ἣν νῦν οἰκοῦσιν οἱ Παγανοί, καὶ αὐτὴ πρότερον παρὰ τῶν Ῥωμάνων ἐκρατεῖτο, οὓς ἀπὸ Ῥώμης ὁ βασιλεὺς ∆ιοκλητιανὸς μετοικίσας ἐν ∆ελματίᾳ ἐνῴκισεν. Οἱ δὲ αὐτοὶ Παγανοὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀβαπτίστων Σέρβλων κατάγονται ἐξ ἐκείνου τοῦ ἄρχοντος, τοῦ εἰς τὸν βασιλέα Ἡράκλειον προσφυγόντος. Παρὰ δὲ τῶν Ἀβάρων καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ χώρα αἰχμαλωτισθεῖσα ἠρήμωται, καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ Ἡρακλείου τοῦ βασιλέως ἐνῳκίσθη. Παγανοὶ δὲ καλοῦνται διὰ τὸ μὴ καταδέξασθαι αὐτοὺς τῷ τότε καιρῷ βαπτισθῆναι, ὅτε καὶ πάντες οἱ Σέρβλοι ἐβαπτίσθησαν. Καὶ γὰρ Παγανοὶ τῇ τῶν Σκλάβων διαλέκτῳ "ἀβάπτιστοι" ἑρμηνεύονται, τῇ τῶν Ῥωμαίων δὲ διαλέκτῳ ἡ χώρα αὐτῶν Ἄρεντα καλεῖται, ἐξ οὗ κἀκεῖνοι παρὰ τῶν αὐτῶν Ῥωμαίων Ἀρεντανοὶ καλοῦνται. Ὅτι ἐν Παγανίᾳ εἰσὶν κάστρα οἰκούμενα· τὸ Μόκρον, τὸ Βερούλλια, τὸ Ὄστρωκ καὶ ἡ Σλαβίνετζα. Κρατοῦσιν δὲ καὶ ταύτας τὰς νήσους· νῆσος μεγάλη ἡ Κούρκρα, ἤτοι τὸ Κίκερ, ἐν ᾗ ἔστιν καὶ κάστρον· νῆσος ἑτέρα μεγάλη τὰ Μέλετα, ἤτοι τὸ Μαλοζεάται, ἣν ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι τῶν ἀποστόλων ὁ ἅγιος Λουκᾶς μέμνηται Μελίτην ταύτην προσαγορεύων, ἐν ᾗ καὶ ἔχις τὸν ἅγιον Παῦλον ἀπὸ τοῦ δακτύλου προσήψατο, ἣν καὶ τῷ πυρὶ ὁ ἅγιος Παῦλος κατέφλεξεν· νῆσος ἑτέρα μεγάλη τὸ Φάρα· νῆσος ἑτέρα μεγάλη ὁ Βράτζης. Εἰσὶ δὲ καὶ ἕτεραι νῆσοι, αἱ μὴ κρατούμεναι παρὰ τῶν αὐτῶν Παγανῶν· νῆσος τὰ Χώαρα, νῆσος Ἴης, νῆσος τὸ Λάστοβον. 37 Περὶ τοῦ ἔθνους τῶν Πατζινακιτῶν. Ἰστέον, ὅτι οἱ Πατζινακῖται τὸ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν Ἀτὴλ τὴν αὐτῶν εἶχον κατοίκησιν, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν Γεήχ, ἔχοντες τούς τε Χαζάρους συνοροῦντας καὶ τοὺς ἐπονομαζομένους Οὔζους. Πρὸ ἐτῶν δὲ πεντήκοντα οἱ λεγόμενοι Οὖζοι μετὰ τῶν Χαζάρων ὁμονοήσαντες καὶ πόλεμον συμβαλόντες πρὸς τοὺς Πατζινακίτας, ὑπερίσχυσαν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἰδίας χώρας αὐτοὺς ἐξεδίωξαν, καὶ κατέσχον αὐτὴν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον οἱ λεγόμενοι Οὖζοι. Οἱ δὲ Πατζινακῖται φυγόντες περιήρχοντο, ἀναψηλαφῶντες τόπον εἰς τὴν αὐτῶν κατασκήνωσιν, καταλαβόντες δὲ τὴν σήμερον παρ' αὐτῶν διακρατουμένην γῆν καὶ εὑρόντες τοὺς Τούρκους οἰκοῦντας ἐν αὐτῇ, πολέμου τρόπῳ τούτους νικήσαντες καὶ ἐκβαλόντες αὐτοὺς ἐξεδίωξαν, καὶ κατεσκήνωσαν ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ δεσπόζουσιν τὴν τοιαύτην χώραν, ὡς εἴρηται, μέχρι τὴν σήμερον ἔτη πεντήκοντα πέντε. Ἰστέον, ὅτι πᾶσα ἡ Πατζινακία εἰς θέματα ὀκτὼ διαιρεῖται, ἔχουσα καὶ μεγάλους ἄρχοντας τοσούτους. Τὰ δὲ θέματά εἰσιν ταῦτα· ὄνομα τοῦ πρώτου θέματος Ἠρτήμ, τοῦ δευτέρου Τζούρ, τοῦ τρίτου Γύλα, τοῦ τετάρτου Κουλπέη, τοῦ πέμπτου Χαραβόη, τοῦ ἕκτου Ταλμάτ, τοῦ ἑβδόμου Χοπόν, τοῦ ὀγδόου Τζοπόν. Κατὰ δὲ τὸν καιρόν, ὃν ἀπὸ τῆς ἰδίας χώρας οἱ Πατζινακῖται ἐξεδιώχθησαν, εἶχον ἄρχοντας εἰς μὲν τὸ θέμα Ἠρτὴμ τὸν Βάϊτζαν, εἰς δὲ τὸ Τζοὺρ τὸν Κούελ, εἰς δὲ τὸ Γύλα τὸν Κουρκοῦται, εἰς δὲ τὸ Κουλπέη τὸν Ἰπαόν, εἰς δὲ τὸ Χαραβόη τὸν Καϊδούμ, εἰς δὲ τὸ θέμα Ταλμὰτ τὸν Κώσταν, εἰς δὲ τὸ Χοπὸν τὸν Γιαζή, εἰς δὲ τὸ θέμα Τζοπὸν τὸν Βατᾶν. Μετὰ δὲ θάνατον αὐτῶν διεδέξαντο τὰς ἀρχὰς οἱ τούτων ἐξάδελφοι. Νόμος γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ τύπος ἐκράτησεν παλαιὸς μὴ ἔχειν ἐξουσίαν πρὸς παῖδας ἢ ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν μεταπέμπειν τὰ ἀξιώματα, ἀλλ' ἀρκεῖσθαι μόνον τοῖς κεκτημένοις τὸ καὶ μέχρι ζωῆς ἄρχειν αὐτούς, μετὰ δὲ θάνατον προχειρίζεσθαι ἢ ἐξάδελφον αὐτῶν ἢ ἐξαδέλφων παῖδας πρὸς τὸ μὴ καθόλου εἰς ἓν μέρος τῆς γενεᾶς διατρέχειν τὸ ἀξίωμα, ἀλλὰ καὶ {εἰς} τοὺς ἐκ πλαγίου καὶ κληρονομεῖν καὶ ἀπεκδέχεσθαι τὴν τιμήν· ἀπὸ ξένης δὲ γενεᾶς οὐχ ὑπεισέρχεταί τις καὶ γίνεται ἄρχων. Τὰ δὲ ὀκτὼ θέματα διαιροῦνται εἰς τεσσαράκοντα μέρη, καὶ ἔχουσι καὶ ἐλάττονας ἄρχοντας. Ἰστέον, ὅτι αἱ τέσσαρες τῶν