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

"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"--Provided by publisher. Introduction: John Skylitzes, the author, and his family / Jean-Claude Cheynet Re-writing history : John Skylitzes's Synopsis historion / Bernard Flusin Prooimion Michael I, Rangabe, the Kouropalates (811-813) Leo V, the Armenian (813-820) Michael II, the Stammerer (820-829) Theophilos (829-842) Michael III, the son of Theophilos (the Drunkard) (842-867), and his mother Theodora (842-862) Basil I Kephalas, the Macedonian (867-886) Leo VI, the Philosopher (the Wise) (886-912) Alexander (912-913) Constantine VII, Porphyrogennetos (913-959) bis Romanos I, Lekapenos (919-944) Constantine VII (944-959) Romanos II, the Younger (959-963) Basil II and Constantine VIII (976-1025) Nikephoros II, Phokas (963-969) John I, Tzimiskes (969-976) Basil II and Constantine VIII, bis (976-1025) Constantine VIII (1025-1028) Romanos III, Argyros (1028-1034) Michael IV, the Paphlagonian (1034-1041) Michael V, the Caulker / Kalaphates (1041-1042) Constantine IX, Monomachos (1042-1055) Theodora (1055-1056) Michael VI, the Elder / Stratiotikos (1056-1057) Glossary. 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 and is cited constantly in modern scholarship. 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. 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.