VICTORY ACHIEVED WITHOUT FIGHTING, OR THE DOCTRINE OF CONTAINMENT OF THE 'NORTHERN AND SCYTHIAN' PEOPLES IN CONSTANTINE VII PORPHYROGENITUS' DE ADMINISTRANDO IMPERIO.

The problem of an effective policy towards Byzantium's northern neighbours, traditionally known as the 'Scythians', was given much attention by Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus in the De administrando imperio, a work usually attributed to him. One can even speak of an outline of a political doctrine that grew out of the Byzantine experience of the years 932-944, which made the Byzantine elite painfully aware of the need to find allies who were capable of containing threats from the expansionary peoples of the north. Constantine VII convincingly indicates that the Pechenegs could fulfil such a role in the case of attacks by the Hungarians, Danubian Bulgarians and Rusians. By contrast, he finds it more difficult to identify potential allies in the struggle against the Khazar qaganate, then a local power. His proposed 'doctrine of containment of the northern peoples' is defensive in nature and implies only diplomatic action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]