| Summary: | The life of St. Theodore of Kythera, who was an ascetic monk active in the southern Peloponnese during the early 10th century, is the elaboration of an earlier Life, which no longer exists in its original form. By separating which aspects of this text are the contribution of each author, it is possible to identify the development of two distinct traditions. This article argues that the increased reputation of St. Theodore evident in the second version of the Life was the result of his becoming associated with the reinhabitation of the island of Kythera in the decades following the Roman conquest of Crete in 961. Furthermore, this article suggests that the composition of the Life and the promotion of the saint’s cult were at the behest of individuals from the town of Monemvasia who had developed economic interests on Kythera.
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