Krinites or Krenites Arotras (Greek: Κρινίτης or Κρηνίτης Ἀροτρᾶς) was a Byzantine aristocrat and military governor in southern Greece.
[2] Nevertheless, in early 921 or 922 (earlier scholars dated this event to c. 935), when he held the rank of protospatharios, he was appointed as military governor (strategos) of the theme of the Peloponnese and tasked with suppressing the revolt of the Slavic tribes of the Melingoi and Ezeritai.
[3][4][5] The two tribes had rebelled in the past, in 840–42, and after their defeat by Theoktistos Bryennios had been obliged to pay an annual tribute of 60 and 300 gold solidi respectively.
[3] In c. 920, they began to disobey the commands of the strategos John Proteuon, refusing to accept the rulers ("archons") he chose for them and to be conscripted for overseas service in southern Italy against an ongoing Lombard rebellion.
[3][4] According to the account of Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (r. 913–959) in his De administrando imperio, Arotras began his campaign against them in March, burning and plundering their lands around Mount Taygetos until November.