In 761 Selichos 1 crushed the revolt of the Kasiotai against the Arabs, gathering his troops and taking them by surprise; then, at Easter 761, he arrested and imprisoned the metropolitan bishop Anastasios 4 during the course of the Easter liturgy; he was only prevented from taking further violent action by the soothing intervention of Anastasios 4 himself: Theoph. AM 6253. The circumstances and location of these events are obscure. There was a district in Syria south of Antioch called Kasiotis and the presence of a metropolitan bishop suggests that the revolt was in a formerly Christian area now under Arab rule. The explanation of Kasiotai in two MSS of Theophanes connects the word with the Arabic name Qays and suggests that they were the descendants of Qays (Κασιῶται καθ' ὅ φησιν Ἄραβες καλοῦσιν υἱὸν τοῦ Καής ὡς γενεαλογοῦνται; see p. 432, footnote to line 2). If correct, this might indicate Jazira (Mesopotamia) as the area involved (for the settlement of tribesmen from Qaysite clans in Jazira, see Shaban, Islamic History, I, pp. 82-83). The commander of Syria at this time was Sulayman 3 (whose name is given by Theophanes as Salim); the name Selichos is taken from the translation of Theophanes by Anastasios Bibliothecarius. The Greek MSS give various forms, viz. Ἔλιχος, Σαλήμ, Σαλί. The name of Sulayman can therefore not be ruled out and this would support the identification with Kasiotis in Syria.

(Publishable link for this person: )