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

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 27 ratings

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.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

'As John Wortley indicates, this translation took many years to come to fruition. But it now has the potential to contribute very substantially to those reassessments of the political and cultural history of Byzantium in the tenth and eleventh centuries which are currently underway in a variety of scholarly contexts across Europe and North America.' Catherine Holmes, Early Medieval Europe

Book Description

The first complete English translation of John Skylitzes' Middle Byzantine chronicle, with introductions and notes.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cambridge University Press; Reprint edition (February 16, 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 526 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1107404746
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1107404748
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.75 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.98 x 1.32 x 8.98 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 27 ratings

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John Scylitzes
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4.7 out of 5 stars
27 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's translation excellent, well-written, and easy to read. They appreciate the solid footnotes and references, making it a great addition to their personal libraries. The historical accuracy is also appreciated, as the book is a scholarly translation of a major Byzantine chronicle.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

7 customers mention "Translation quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the translation quality. They find it well-written and concise, with solid footnotes and references. The book is easy to read, with a good sense of humor that makes readers laugh.

"The author does an outstanding job of translation and comparing other sources to tell what may have happened differently than what Skylitzes reports...." Read more

"Skylitzes (the translator?) has a very easy to read style and a good sense of humor; I was laughing at some of his observations of the emperors...." Read more

"...Well written/translated and concise. Great addition to your personal library." Read more

"Excellent translation of a difficult work. The footnotes, bibliography and introductory material are very good...." Read more

5 customers mention "Bibliography"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's bibliography and references. They find the footnotes and references useful, making it a great addition to their personal library. The history and apparatus make it a useful work for an interesting period.

"...Well written/translated and concise. Great addition to your personal library." Read more

"Excellent translation of a difficult work. The footnotes, bibliography and introductory material are very good...." Read more

"...The introduction and apparatus make it a most useful work for an interesting period of history. Dr. Charles Odahl" Read more

"...The translation is quite readable and well supported by notes and references." Read more

3 customers mention "Historical accuracy"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the historical accuracy of the book. They find it a great historical book and a scholarly translation of a major Byzantine chronicle.

"...and apparatus make it a most useful work for an interesting period of history. Dr. Charles Odahl" Read more

"A solid scholarly translation of a major Byzantine chronicle. The translation is quite readable and well supported by notes and references." Read more

"Great historical book..." Read more

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  • Petre Maierean
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent translation
    Reviewed in Canada on July 12, 2024
    Excellent source for studying the politics in South Eastern Europe during the 11th century
  • Amazon Kunde
    5.0 out of 5 stars Gute Edition eines wichtigen Quellentextes.
    Reviewed in Germany on April 7, 2016
    In seiner "Synopsis Historion" beschreibt der hohe Beamte Johannes Skylitzes anhand über 20 Kaiserviten die mittelbyzantinische Zeit von 811-1057. Dazu benutzte er die unterschiedlichsten (heute zum Teil nicht mehr erhaltenen) Quellen um ein einfach zu lesendes Kompendium byzantinischer Geschichte zu erstellen. Eine Zusammenfassung (Synposis) sozusagen.
    Aus diesem Grund schwankt jedoch auch der thematische Schwerpunkt (Schlachten, Religion) sowie die Qualität der einzelnen Viten.
    Mit der Übersetzung des kanadischen Byzantinisten Wortley liegt diese Hauptquelle endlich in einer gut lesbaren Fassung vor.
    Die erklärenden Fußnoten von Cheynet sind überaus erhellend und erleichtern das Verständnis mancher allzu knapper Darstellungen.
    Einziger Kritikpunkt sind gerade im Literaturverzeichnis die eklatanten Rechtschreibfehler sobald deutsche (und österreichische) Publikationen aufgeführt werden.
  • Kertimmas
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent !!!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 31, 2014
    This is a great book! The basic narrative of Skylitzes is followed by detailed notes made by Cheynet. In this way the book is a combination of a narrative of the "classical" middle period of Byzantium and a detailed encyclopedia of byzantine stydies. Cheynet's notes correct Skylitzes when he's wrong, complete him when he's superficial and provide a detailed prosopographical information about the historical persons mentioned by Skilitzes (origins, career, other known relatives etc).

    The narrative begins with the defeat of emperor Nikephoros I in Bulgaria and ends with Isaac Komnenos' revolt and his rise to the imperial throne. The byzantine "Golden Age" of the three soldier-emperors (Nikephoros Phokas, John Tzimiskes and Basil II) are roughly in the middle of the narrative. This gives the narrative a first phase of ascendancy (811-1025) followed by a second phase of slowly increasing decadence that was the result of Basil's "poisonous legacy": a very large empire difficult to handle, with substantial numbers of traditionally non Byzantine populations who along with the more traditionally Byzantine ones resented the tax reforms imposed on them by Constantinople.

    The narrative describes the wars between the Byzantines and the Arabs/Saracens in both Asia, Crete and Sicily, the long series of wars with "the other Balkan empire", that is the Bulgarian empire, which can be devided in a first phase of Bulgarian ascendancy that culminates with the reign of Tsar Simeon, followed by the byzantine conquest of the eastern half of the Bulgarian empire during the reigns of Nikephoros Phokas and John Tzimiskes and by the definitive subjection of the entire Bulgarian empire during the reign of Basil "the Bulgar-slayer", immediately after the end of the series of civil wars he had in Asia with the rebel general Bardas Skleros.

    Skylitzes also describes the gradual weakening of the Byzantine hold in south Italy and the arrival of new enemies like the Pechenegs in the Danube and the Seljuk Turks in Vaspurakan.