SUMMARY:

V. Dolgov’s article explores perceptions of Byzantine imperial ideologies and symbols in ancient Rus in the 10th to 13th centuries. Dolgov analyzes interpretations of the policies of Rus’ princes as either demonstrative rejection or acceptance of Byzantine ideologies. The author opts for the hypothesis according to which the Rus’ princes’ use of Byzantine symbols and ideas signifies their attempt to follow their own state-building strategies and to seek prestige for their realm. Correspondingly, the Rus’ princes appropriated “imperial” forms from Byzantium and used them to enhance their realm’s symbolic status without reflecting upon the essence of these notions. The fact that educated bookmen in Kievan Rus’ did not pay much attention to the essence of the imperial notion reinforces such a conception. By the 11th century the Byzantine imperial legacy in Kievan Rus’ was partly processed by the “barbarians” and partly forgotten.
To further understand Byzantine legacies in Kievan Rus’, the author suggests analyzing the problem of the crown as a symbol of princely authority. Despite the scarcity of written sources, the author reviews contemporary iconography and imagery and comes to the conclusion that in the semiotics of princely power, the round hat with fur coating signified princely authority without functioning as a crown. On later coins, princes are depicted in Byzantine style crowns or in traditional princely hats with fur coating. The ceremony of crowning is conspicuously absent from the sources.
The author concludes that although initially the princes of Rus’ attempted to copy Byzantine symbols, the relative insignificance of Rus for Byzantium prevented full acceptance of Byzantine imperial regalia and symbols.