Himerios had managed to score his first…

Himerios had managed to score his first victory over the Arabs on St. Thomas's day (October 6) in 906, , and it was probably then that he was awarded the high state office of logothetēs tou dromou (effectively foreign minister).

Another victory had followed in 909, and in the next year, he leads an expedition on the Syrian coast: Laodicea is sacked, its hinterland plundered, and many prisoners captured, with minimal losses.

At the same time, ...