Note 54 — Chapter VII · LEO THE ISAURIAN TO JOANNES ZIMISCES [717-969 A.D.]

[“‘Crete and Sicily’ were conquered by the Saracens without offering the resistance that might have been expected from the wealth and number of their inhabitants. Indeed, we are compelled to infer that the change from the orthodox sway of the emperors of Constantinople to the domination of the Mohammedans was not considered by the majority of the Greeks of Crete and Sicily so severe a calamity as we generally believe.”—Finlay.n]