John Skylitzes: A Synopsis of Byzantine History, 811–1057: Translation and Notes - Softcover

Skylitzes, John; Wortley, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1107404746 ISBN 13: 9781107404748

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2012

Synopsis

John Skylitzes' extraordinary Middle Byzantine chronicle covers the reigns of the Byzantine emperors from the death of Nicephorus I in 811 to the deposition of Michael VI in 1057, and provides the only surviving continuous narrative of the late tenth and early eleventh centuries. A high official living in the late eleventh century, Skylitzes used a number of existing Greek histories (some of them no longer extant) to create a digest of the previous three centuries. It is without question the major historical source for the period, cited constantly in modern scholarship, and has never before been available in English. This edition features introductions by Jean-Claude Cheynet and Bernard Flusin, along with extensive notes. It will be an essential and exciting addition to the libraries of all historians of the Byzantine age.

About this title

Book Description

This book was the first complete English translation of John Skylitzes' extraordinary Middle Byzantine chronicle, covering two centuries of Byzantine history, from the death of Nicephorus I in 811 to the deposition of Michael VI in 1057. This edition features introductions by Jean-Claude Cheynet and Bernard Flusin, along with extensive notes.

About the Author

John Wortley is Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Manitoba. He has published widely on the Byzantine era and completed several translations to date, including Les Recits edifiants de Paul, eveque de Monembasie, et d'autres auteurs (1987), The Spiritual Meadow of John Moschos, including the additional tales edited by Nissen and Mioni (1992), The spiritually beneficial tales of Paul, Bishop of Monembasia and of other authors (1996) and John Skylitzes: A Synopsis of Histories (811-1067 AD), a provisional translation published in 2000.
John Skylitzes lived and wrote towards the end of the eleventh century AD. He was a kouropalates (official in charge of running the palace) and a former commander of the elite Vigla regiment. His major work is the Synopsis of Byzantine History. There is also a continuation of this work, known as Skylitzes continuatus, covering 1057-79, which some historians believe was also written by Skylitzes.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1107404746
• ISBN 13: 9781107404748
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 526