Christianization of the Goths and Alanians in the South-Western Crimea in the 4th—6th Centuries

The written accounts and archaeological evidence allow us to speak about the emergence of the Gothic and Alanian Christian communities in the Mountainous Crimea in the second half of the 4th century. It is for these communities that the dipinti εὐλογία amphorae with wine for worship were imported. The Christianization of the limes “barbarians” intensified after Emperor Theodosius I issued edicts in 380 and 381, proclaiming Christianity of the Nicene confession as the only state religion and equating church structures with state institutions. Under Justinian I, the empire built the first prominent temples for the inhabitants of the allied region of Dori. During the reign of Emperor Mauritius (582—602), the Dori region was annexed to the Chersonese ducat and divided into archontia, where, not earlier than 590, fortresses were erected for the Alanians and Goths on the plateau of Mangup (Doros), Eski-Kermen, Bakla and Chufut-Kale. In the second half of the 7th century. archontia were also called climates. In the listed fortresses, besides fortifications, Byzantine engineers built large basilicas. New parishes and those that arose in the 5th—6th centuries belonged to the Сhersonese diocese.