- Harvard Department of the Classics
204 Boylston Hall
Cambridge, MA 02138
USA
Alexander Riehle
Harvard University, Classics, Faculty Member
- Byzantine Literature, Textual Criticism, Byzantine epistolography, Epistolography, Feminist Literary Theory and Gender Studies, Medieval Literature, and 23 moreRhetoric, Renaissance Humanism, Autobiography, Narrative and Identity, Collecting and Collections, Patronage (History), Late Byzantine history, Autobiographical Self-Representation, Digital Humanities, Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, Greek Literature, Byzantine Studies, Byzantine Hagiography, Byzantine historiography, Late Antique Literature, Performance Studies, Performativity, Ritual Theory, Crete during the Venetian Rule, Greek Palaeography, Greek manuscripts, Greek Manuscripts (Palaeography, Codicology, Text Transmission), and The empire of Trebizondedit
The letter collections that the high-ranking court official Nikephoros Choumnos (c.1260–1327) compiled on the basis of his correspondence with the emperor, fellow intellectuals, clergymen and relatives, are an important testimony to the... more
The letter collections that the high-ranking court official Nikephoros Choumnos (c.1260–1327) compiled on the basis of his correspondence with the emperor, fellow intellectuals, clergymen and relatives, are an important testimony to the social and intellectual history of late Byzantium. They show how during this period of cultural revival and political crisis writers used letters not only as a medium for communication and networking within a small educated elite based primarily in Constantinople but also as a vehicle for self-representation through the publication of carefully curated manuscript collections.
The present book aims to make these different, yet closely intertwined layers of the 180 surviving letters of Nikephoros Choumnos accessible through a new critical edition with facing German translation. One of its main objectives is to present the individual collections the author commissioned as autonomous works of literary autobiography and to foreground textual fluidity on both the macrostructural level of the collections and the microstructural level of each letter. In addition to a short biography of the author, the introduction provides fundamental analyses of various aspects of the collections and of the individual letters preserved in them (transmission, formation and composition of the collections, prosopography, summaries with commentary, linguistic and literary elements), offers a detailed discussion of the orthography of the authorial manuscripts and explains the principles and methods applied in the edition and translation.
The present book aims to make these different, yet closely intertwined layers of the 180 surviving letters of Nikephoros Choumnos accessible through a new critical edition with facing German translation. One of its main objectives is to present the individual collections the author commissioned as autonomous works of literary autobiography and to foreground textual fluidity on both the macrostructural level of the collections and the microstructural level of each letter. In addition to a short biography of the author, the introduction provides fundamental analyses of various aspects of the collections and of the individual letters preserved in them (transmission, formation and composition of the collections, prosopography, summaries with commentary, linguistic and literary elements), offers a detailed discussion of the orthography of the authorial manuscripts and explains the principles and methods applied in the edition and translation.
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With over 50 contributions on written sources and archaeological finds, this volume offers new editions and interpretations that expand our knowledge of Byzantium through the centuries from different perspectives. Special emphasis is... more
With over 50 contributions on written sources and archaeological finds, this volume offers new editions and interpretations that expand our knowledge of Byzantium through the centuries from different perspectives. Special emphasis is placed on topography, hagiography, textual criticism, and art history, which reflect Albrecht Berger's various fields of research; this volume is dedicated to him.
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Letters were an important medium of everyday communication in the ancient Mediterranean. Soon after its emergence, the epistolary form was adopted by educated elites and transformed into a literary genre, which developed distinctive... more
Letters were an important medium of everyday communication in the ancient Mediterranean. Soon after its emergence, the epistolary form was adopted by educated elites and transformed into a literary genre, which developed distinctive markers and was used, for instance, to give political advice, to convey philosophical ideas, or to establish and foster ties with peers. A particular type of this genre is the letter cast in verse, or epistolary poem, which merges the form and function of the letter with stylistic elements of poetry. In Greek literature, epistolary poetry is first safely attested in the fourth century AD and would enjoy a lasting presence throughout the Byzantine and early modern periods.
The present volume introduces the reader to this hitherto unexplored chapter of post-classical Greek literature through an anthology of exemplary epistolary poems in the original Greek with facing English translation. This collection, which covers a broad chronological range from late antique epigrams of the Greek Anthology to the poetry of western humanists, is accompanied by exegetical commentaries on the anthologized texts and by critical essays discussing questions of genre, literary composition, and historical and social contexts of selected epistolary poems.
The present volume introduces the reader to this hitherto unexplored chapter of post-classical Greek literature through an anthology of exemplary epistolary poems in the original Greek with facing English translation. This collection, which covers a broad chronological range from late antique epigrams of the Greek Anthology to the poetry of western humanists, is accompanied by exegetical commentaries on the anthologized texts and by critical essays discussing questions of genre, literary composition, and historical and social contexts of selected epistolary poems.
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A Companion to Byzantine Epistolography introduces and contextualizes the culture of Byzantine letter-writing from a various socio-historical, material and literary angles. While this culture was long regarded as an ivory-tower pastime of... more
A Companion to Byzantine Epistolography introduces and contextualizes the culture of Byzantine letter-writing from a various socio-historical, material and literary angles. While this culture was long regarded as an ivory-tower pastime of intellectual elites, the eighteen essays in this volume, authored by leading experts in the field, show that epistolography had a vital presence in many areas of Byzantine society, literature and art. The chapters offer discussions of different types of letters and intersections with non-epistolary genres, their social functions as media of communication and performance, their representations in visual and narrative genres, and their uses in modern scholarship. The volume thus contributes to a more nuanced understanding of letter-writing in the Byzantine Empire and beyond.
Contributors are: Thomas Johann Bauer, Alexander Beihammer, Floris Bernard, Emmanuel C. Bourbouhakis, Carolina Cupane, Niels Gaul, Cecily J. Hilsdale, Sofia Kotzabassi, Florin Leonte, Divna Manolova, Stratis Papaioannou, Johannes Preiser-Kapeller, Alexander Riehle, Jack Tannous, Lena Wahlgren-Smith.
Contributors are: Thomas Johann Bauer, Alexander Beihammer, Floris Bernard, Emmanuel C. Bourbouhakis, Carolina Cupane, Niels Gaul, Cecily J. Hilsdale, Sofia Kotzabassi, Florin Leonte, Divna Manolova, Stratis Papaioannou, Johannes Preiser-Kapeller, Alexander Riehle, Jack Tannous, Lena Wahlgren-Smith.
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The present essay offers a critical response to Ihor Ševčenko’s assessment of the controversy between Theodore Metochites and Nikephoros Choumnos which has had a lasting impact on scholarship on these two important political and... more
The present essay offers a critical response to Ihor Ševčenko’s assessment of the controversy between Theodore Metochites and Nikephoros Choumnos which has had a lasting impact on scholarship on these two important political and intellectual figures in the reign of Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos. While Ševčenko contended that the feud was an outgrowth of a personal rivalry originating with Metochites’ replacement of Choumnos as the right-hand man of the emperor, this essay argues that it should instead be understood as a conflict of diametrically opposed ideas about the role of literature and philosophy in civic life and society. To that end, first the evidence about the date and background of Metochites’ assumption of the office of mesazōn is reevaluated. This is followed by a fresh look at the “dossier polémique” comprising four successive treatises by Choumnos and Metochites, which, as is shown, bears striking affinities to their previous, “friendly” correspondence. The final part of the essay focuses on the first text of the “dossier” which triggered the quarrel: Choumnos’ Discourse 27, On literary criticism and composition. An earlier version of this text which was unknown to Ševčenko supports the view that it was not intended as an attack on Metochites but rather continued their prior letter exchange. In an appendix, Discourse 27 is for the first time critically edited based on both the earlier and later redactions and rendered into English.
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Essentially all Greek letters from the Middle Ages have come down to us not as originals but as manuscript copies, most often as part of collections. This specific form of transmission involves interpretive issues that for Byzantine... more
Essentially all Greek letters from the Middle Ages have come down to us not as originals but as manuscript copies, most often as part of collections. This specific form of transmission involves interpretive issues that for Byzantine epistolography have hardly been addressed. Scholarship on letter-writing commonly treats the individual letters transmitted in collections as documents of written communication while ignoring the issue that these collections provide a selective and most often deliberately manipulated image of original correspondence. This essay proposes that we turn our attention to the realities of epistolary manuscripts and that we take the historical collections seriously as coherent works of literature. The “New Philology”, it is argued, can serve as a useful guide for such an endeavor. While this philological movement, which emerged from currents of postmodern theory in the late 1980s, lacks a coherent conceptual framework or consistent methodology, its focus on the phenomenon of textual fluidity in medieval manuscript cultures and on concomitant problems of presentation in critical editions are highly relevant to the suggested reconsideration of Byzantine letter-collections.
Research Interests: Philology, Greek Literature, Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, Byzantine Literature, Scholarly Editing, and 11 moreTextual Criticism, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Manuscript Studies, Byzantine Studies, Late Antiquity, Epistolography, Editorial theory, Texts and transmission, Textual Criticism and Editing, Greek manuscripts, and Byzantine epistolography
This introductory essay raises general questions about the nature of Byzantine letters and provides some preliminary definitions for the purpose of the present volume. The second part sketches recent trends in scholarship on Byzantine... more
This introductory essay raises general questions about the nature of Byzantine letters and provides some preliminary definitions for the purpose of the present volume. The second part sketches recent trends in scholarship on Byzantine epistolography and formulates suggestions for future research.
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Research Interests: Greek Literature, Performance Studies, Byzantine Literature, Orality-Literacy Studies, Medieval Rhetoric, and 11 moreManuscript Studies, Classical rhetoric, Oratory, Ancient Greek Rhetoric, Orality, Greek Oratory, Greek manuscripts, Greek Rhetoric, Byzantine rhetoric, Theodore Metochites, and Ancient Rhetoric and Poetics
This chapter surveys key aspects of rhetorical practice in Byzantium, with a focus on the middle and late periods. The first part maps out the generic landscape of Byzantine rhetoric, which, in addition to oratory in the narrow sense, can... more
This chapter surveys key aspects of rhetorical practice in Byzantium, with a focus on the middle and late periods. The first part maps out the generic landscape of Byzantine rhetoric, which, in addition to oratory in the narrow sense, can be argued to comprise virtually all of (highbrow) literature, including poetry. While it is true that Byzantine rhetoric is particularly rich in texts of the demonstrative type such as encomia, the essay asserts against claims to the contrary, that forms of deliberative and judicial rhetoric continued to exist in Byzantium and appear in fact ubiquitously once we broaden the scope beyond secular oratory. After a brief sketch of the place of rhetoric in higher education, the chapter proceeds to discuss the various steps involved in composing and performing a rhetorical text. In this, it follows ancient and medieval precepts for the so-called "tasks of the rhetorician"—invention, arrangement, style, memory and delivery—and shows their relevance for the practice of writing and reciting texts belonging to various rhetorical genres. Throughout, this chapter argues that scholarship on Byzantine rhetoric has focused too narrowly on panegyric and here on matters of style, and that we should turn our attention to long-neglected aspects of argumentative technique that were at the heart of Byzantine rhetorical theory and education and that can be found in a wide array of textual genres, particularly in religious literature.
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Codex Plut. 59.35 of the early fourteenth century transmits a letter which so far has remained unpublished and therefore almost completely escaped scholarly attention. In this letter, addressed to Andronikos Zarides, the mathematician... more
Codex Plut. 59.35 of the early fourteenth century transmits a letter which so far has remained unpublished and therefore almost completely escaped scholarly attention. In this letter, addressed to Andronikos Zarides, the mathematician Nikolaos (Artabasdos) Rhabdas predicts a solar and a lunar eclipse, which can be dated to the year 1321. The present article provides the first edition, with German translation, of this text and explores its implications for the biographies of its little-known author and addressee as well as their place within the scholarly circles of the early Palaiologan period.
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This is part of a series of studies dealing with unpublished materials in codex Laur. Plut. 59.35 of the 14th century. This manuscript transmits a hitherto overlooked letter by Theodore Xanthopoulos, a well-known intellectual within the... more
This is part of a series of studies dealing with unpublished materials in codex Laur. Plut. 59.35 of the 14th century. This manuscript transmits a hitherto overlooked letter by Theodore Xanthopoulos, a well-known intellectual within the educated elites of early Palaiologan Constantinople, whose writings were believed to be completely lost. The present article presents a detailed examination of this missive with regard to its dating, background and the identity of its recipient (most likely Theodore Metochites). Moreover, it is argued that four letters preserved in codex Vat. gr. 112, which have been attributed to Theodore Xanthopoulos’ brother, the church historian Nikephoros, belong in fact to Theodore, as can been deduced from certain similarities between them and the newly discovered letter. In an appendix the editio princeps of the Florentine letter as well as a new edition of the second letter of the Vatican dossier is provided along with translations.
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The present chapter examines the role that letter-writing played within educated elites of the late Byzantine period. It argues that epistolography was an essential medium of social exchange which enabled literati to communicate among... more
The present chapter examines the role that letter-writing played within educated elites of the late Byzantine period. It argues that epistolography was an essential medium of social exchange which enabled literati to communicate among another and to reaffirm themselves as a distinctive group based on the principles of friendship and shared intellectual ideals. While the general “conservatism” of Byzantine literary culture fostered the stabilization of social and linguistic codes within this framework, this essay shows that the transformation that Byzantine society underwent due to the severe crisis it witnessed in this period, also challenged traditional values and deeply affected the constitution of networks and behavior of educated elites.
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ISBN: 9781108483056 Series: Sources for Byzantine Art History 3 In this book the beauty and meaning of Byzantine art and its aesthetics are for the first time made accessible through the original sources. More than 150 medieval texts... more
ISBN: 9781108483056
Series: Sources for Byzantine Art History 3
In this book the beauty and meaning of Byzantine art and its aesthetics are for the first time made accessible through the original sources. More than 150 medieval texts are translated from nine medieval languages into English, with commentaries from over seventy leading scholars. These include theories of art, discussions of patronage and understandings of iconography, practical recipes for artistic supplies, expressions of devotion, and descriptions of cities. The volume reveals the cultural plurality and the interconnectivity of medieval Europe and the Mediterranean from the late eleventh to the early fourteenth centuries. The first part uncovers salient aspects of Byzantine artistic production and its aesthetic reception, while the second puts a spotlight on particular ways of expressing admiration and of interpreting of the visual.
Series: Sources for Byzantine Art History 3
In this book the beauty and meaning of Byzantine art and its aesthetics are for the first time made accessible through the original sources. More than 150 medieval texts are translated from nine medieval languages into English, with commentaries from over seventy leading scholars. These include theories of art, discussions of patronage and understandings of iconography, practical recipes for artistic supplies, expressions of devotion, and descriptions of cities. The volume reveals the cultural plurality and the interconnectivity of medieval Europe and the Mediterranean from the late eleventh to the early fourteenth centuries. The first part uncovers salient aspects of Byzantine artistic production and its aesthetic reception, while the second puts a spotlight on particular ways of expressing admiration and of interpreting of the visual.
Research Interests: Art History, Late Antique and Byzantine History, Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, Medieval Literature, Medieval History, and 23 moreMedieval Studies, Byzantine Literature, Medieval Archaeology, Byzantine Studies, Medieval Europe, Byzantine History, Byzantine Architecture, Byzantine Iconography, Byzantine Archaeology, Late Byzantine history, Medieval Art, Byzantine Aesthetics, Byzantium, Byzantine historiography, Constantinople, Medieval Art History, Daily Life in Byzantium, Byzantine art, Medieval aesthetics, Donors in Byzantium, Byzantine history and archaeology, Byzantine and Comparative Literature, and BYZANTIUM AND THE WEST
According to most scholars, the astonishing paucity of preserved texts authored by Byzantine women is an insuperable impediment to any comprehensive, coherent narrative about female writing in the Byzantine millennium. This article, which... more
According to most scholars, the astonishing paucity of preserved texts authored by Byzantine women is an insuperable impediment to any comprehensive, coherent narrative about female writing in the Byzantine millennium. This article, which is part of a larger project on women’s writing in Byzantium, presents a first attempt at a gendered reading of a small set of diverse texts written by women of the middle Byzantine period. It demonstrates that the texts surviving from the 9th and 12th centuries respectively do not only attest to changing roles and perceptions of women within this period, but reveal in various ways the creation of gendered identities through authorial practices. Authorship, it is argued, enabled women of different strata to form and perform their subjective identities, in which gender played a significant part, yet was inextricably entwined with other facets of identity, for instance, monastic or aristocratic. What is more, the examined texts give evidence to women’s continuous negotiation of normative concepts and symbols associated with womanhood in Byzantium.
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This article stresses the importance of epistolography (exchange, performance, compilation and publication of letters) within the aristocracy that re-established itself in Constantinople after the re-conquest of the city in 1261 as a... more
This article stresses the importance of epistolography (exchange, performance, compilation and publication of letters) within the aristocracy that re-established itself in Constantinople after the re-conquest of the city in 1261 as a means of reinforcing shared values and codes of behavior, and of defending its status against outsiders. The ability to participate in this highly elaborate discourse enhanced chances for individuals (erudite laymen, low-ranking officials and monks) to connect with the close-knit group of aristocrats and to benefit as protégés from their power and wealth. As it is argued, vital to understanding these dynamics are the closely tied notions of ritualized communication, epistolary rhetoric and self-representation.
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This case study on the noblewoman Theodora Raoulaina (d. 1300) argues that for the early Palaiologan aristocracy patronage and founding activities were a vital means of bolstering their status which, within the highly fragile fabric of... more
This case study on the noblewoman Theodora Raoulaina (d. 1300) argues that for the early Palaiologan aristocracy patronage and founding activities were a vital means of bolstering their status which, within the highly fragile fabric of Byzantine society, was permanently imperiled by the vicissitudes of politics, imperial despotism and social newcomers. Women, who traditionally were denied active involvement in public discourse, developed a remarkable self-confidence in this period, as can been seen in the case of Raoulaina, who acted as a patron for the most distinguished intellectuals of her time, commissioned the renovation of monasteries (presumably with lavish decoration) and used many different channels to propagate her nobleness, philanthropy and learning. This essay provides a detailed analysis of all available sources (epigrams, letters, narrative texts) on her life and activities, and concludes that it was mainly Raoulaina’s status as a widow of noble background, combined with her exceptional learning, that enabled her to enter and act in domains which according to the predominant ideology were reserved for men.
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This article highlights challenges involved in understanding and interpreting Byzantine epistolary literature, and suggests that we pay closer attention to the transmission of letters and its hermeneutic ramifications. The letters penned... more
This article highlights challenges involved in understanding and interpreting Byzantine epistolary literature, and suggests that we pay closer attention to the transmission of letters and its hermeneutic ramifications. The letters penned by the late Byzantine court official Nikephoros Choumnos are a case in point. The author assembled, revised and arranged his letters, which were originally composed and dispatched mostly for pragmatic purposes. By embedding these missives into the framework of a collection, he created an autobiographical narrative that was to promote his multi-faceted persona.
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Composed around 1473, Michael Apostoles’ Admonitory oration puts forward arguments for the reformation of the study of Greek in contemporary schools in Italy. This article provides a new, significantly improved edition and German... more
Composed around 1473, Michael Apostoles’ Admonitory oration puts forward arguments for the reformation of the study of Greek in contemporary schools in Italy. This article provides a new, significantly improved edition and German translation of the text.
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Around the year 1473, the Greek emigre Michael Apostoles composed a short treatise on the teaching of Greek that stands out for its innovative approach to didactics and pedagogy. In this treatise, Michael introduced a model that was... more
Around the year 1473, the Greek emigre Michael Apostoles composed a short treatise on the teaching of Greek that stands out for its innovative approach to didactics and pedagogy. In this treatise, Michael introduced a model that was mainly derived from the Byzantine educational system, but which also included didactic innovations not seen again until the 20th century. Criticizing the methods of contemporary teachers in Italy in general and the use of Latin as an intermediary language in particular, Michael not only emphasized the importance of a thorough grammatical training, but he also promoted an "immersive" method according to which students should learn Greek in schools exclusively dedidcated to its study. At the same time, he insisted on abandoning the lecture format in favor of an education based on communication and conversation.
This article provides the first comprehensive examination of the treatise in the context of both Byzantine educational traditions and didactic theory and practice in Renaissance Italy.
This article provides the first comprehensive examination of the treatise in the context of both Byzantine educational traditions and didactic theory and practice in Renaissance Italy.
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"When in the early seventh century the Persians during one of their raids on the Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus set the monastery of St. Thomas in Brochthoi on fire, the abbess of the convent of St. Olympias, Sergia, rushed to the... more
"When in the early seventh century the Persians during one of their raids on the Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus set the monastery of St. Thomas in Brochthoi on fire, the abbess of the convent of St. Olympias, Sergia, rushed to the monastery to save single-handedly the relics of the foundress of her convent, which rested at St. Thomas. After Olympias had appeared in a dream vision to a nun of this convent saying that “after so many years I have come to dwell among you and I will not ever leave you”, Sergia approached the patriarch of Constantinople Sergios I asking “to have her precious remains deposited in the monastery of her servants”.
These are the abbess’ own words in her account of the translation of the relics (BHG 1376) which is a rather exceptional piece of monastic literature. Although Sergia claims to write an edifying hagiographical account (διήγησις)—and previous scholarship has all too quickly accepted this classification—, the hagiographical repertoire and narrative structure are permeated by a set of genre markers and authorial strategies that belong to different literary traditions. This paper proposes that, in terms of both form and function, the Narration is a generic hybrid.
One of the most striking stylistic features of the text are the formulaic elements—most notably the repetitious use of the phrase “I, the sinner Sergia”—at the beginning of each narrative unit. As it is argued, Sergia employs such formulae in order to impose herself as a mediator between Olympias and the (past and future) superiors of the convent: she is the one who prompted the translation of the saint’s relics to the monastery and who passes on (παραδοῦναι) the oral tradition about her miracles to the next generations of abbesses (“my successors in the administration of the monastery”). These future superiors as well as the present nuns of the convent are the intended audience of this text as becomes evident from the direct addresses as well as from another set of formulae (e.g., “as you all know”) that establish a connection between the saint and her servants through the intervention of Sergia. Moreover, Sergia employs various narrative strategies that aim to lend credibility and authority to her account and, hence, to her initiative to have the relics transferred to her monastery. For instance, the aforementioned dream vision and the narration of the miracles performed by the relics during the translation clearly serve the purpose of sanctioning the translation by the very saint. Finally, the account concludes with extensive admonitions to her audience, framed in pleas to pray for Sergia’s soul after her death.
These observations point to the conclusion that the account is not merely a diēgēsis aiming to provide believers with an edifying reading, but served as Sergia’s testament that was to testify to and perpetuate her effort to reinforce the monastic continuity of Olympia’s convent."
These are the abbess’ own words in her account of the translation of the relics (BHG 1376) which is a rather exceptional piece of monastic literature. Although Sergia claims to write an edifying hagiographical account (διήγησις)—and previous scholarship has all too quickly accepted this classification—, the hagiographical repertoire and narrative structure are permeated by a set of genre markers and authorial strategies that belong to different literary traditions. This paper proposes that, in terms of both form and function, the Narration is a generic hybrid.
One of the most striking stylistic features of the text are the formulaic elements—most notably the repetitious use of the phrase “I, the sinner Sergia”—at the beginning of each narrative unit. As it is argued, Sergia employs such formulae in order to impose herself as a mediator between Olympias and the (past and future) superiors of the convent: she is the one who prompted the translation of the saint’s relics to the monastery and who passes on (παραδοῦναι) the oral tradition about her miracles to the next generations of abbesses (“my successors in the administration of the monastery”). These future superiors as well as the present nuns of the convent are the intended audience of this text as becomes evident from the direct addresses as well as from another set of formulae (e.g., “as you all know”) that establish a connection between the saint and her servants through the intervention of Sergia. Moreover, Sergia employs various narrative strategies that aim to lend credibility and authority to her account and, hence, to her initiative to have the relics transferred to her monastery. For instance, the aforementioned dream vision and the narration of the miracles performed by the relics during the translation clearly serve the purpose of sanctioning the translation by the very saint. Finally, the account concludes with extensive admonitions to her audience, framed in pleas to pray for Sergia’s soul after her death.
These observations point to the conclusion that the account is not merely a diēgēsis aiming to provide believers with an edifying reading, but served as Sergia’s testament that was to testify to and perpetuate her effort to reinforce the monastic continuity of Olympia’s convent."
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With the rise of feminism, studies on women’s writing in Western Medieval and modern literatures have increased dramatically. For Byzantium, similar scholarship is remarkably limited. Books and articles on Anna Komnene’s Alexiad abound,... more
With the rise of feminism, studies on women’s writing in Western Medieval and modern literatures have increased dramatically. For Byzantium, similar scholarship is remarkably limited. Books and articles on Anna Komnene’s Alexiad abound, and Kassia’s liturgical poetry has attracted much scholarly attention as well. Texts penned by lesser known women, however, have been neglected or blatantly ignored. What is more, although (or perhaps, because) relatively few texts written by women survive, no comprehensive approach to women’s writing has been attempted.
In examining premises, forms and functions of ʻfemale’ authorial practices, this paper aims to provide preliminary thoughts for a new book project that shall fill this gap. After providing a general overview of women’s literary production in Byzantium, I will focus on those women authors of the middle Byzantine period whose writings are still extant (Kassia, Thekla, Theodosia, Anna Komnene, Eirene Dukaina Komnene) and address the following questions: What were the premises that allowed them to find their voice in spite of the restrictions that the prevailing, androcentric ideology imposed on women’s utterance? Is this voice a female one, distinguishable from male voice? Are their writings particularly autobiographical, as has been repeatedly observed for women’s writing in other Eastern and Western cultures (autobiographics being understood, according to Paul de Man, not as a genre with distinctive formal features but in the broadest sense as inscription and representation of the self into and through a narrative, as “écriture du moi”)? And, if so, how are their lives (experiences, struggles, etc., in particular as women) inscribed into their writings? In sum, can we use texts written by women in order to establish the parameters of female identity?
In examining premises, forms and functions of ʻfemale’ authorial practices, this paper aims to provide preliminary thoughts for a new book project that shall fill this gap. After providing a general overview of women’s literary production in Byzantium, I will focus on those women authors of the middle Byzantine period whose writings are still extant (Kassia, Thekla, Theodosia, Anna Komnene, Eirene Dukaina Komnene) and address the following questions: What were the premises that allowed them to find their voice in spite of the restrictions that the prevailing, androcentric ideology imposed on women’s utterance? Is this voice a female one, distinguishable from male voice? Are their writings particularly autobiographical, as has been repeatedly observed for women’s writing in other Eastern and Western cultures (autobiographics being understood, according to Paul de Man, not as a genre with distinctive formal features but in the broadest sense as inscription and representation of the self into and through a narrative, as “écriture du moi”)? And, if so, how are their lives (experiences, struggles, etc., in particular as women) inscribed into their writings? In sum, can we use texts written by women in order to establish the parameters of female identity?
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In his 1990 article La cultura della συλλογή, Paolo Odorico argued that the term encyclopedia, which in previous scholarship had been used to designate Byzantine compilations of any kind (anthologies, gnomologia, lexicographical works,... more
In his 1990 article La cultura della συλλογή, Paolo Odorico argued that the term encyclopedia, which in previous scholarship had been used to designate Byzantine compilations of any kind (anthologies, gnomologia, lexicographical works, digests, etc.), should not be applied to such works, because it wrongly conveys the idea of innovation in ways of accumulating and transmitting knowledge (as was the aim of 18th c. encyclopedism) and fails to explain the specific purpose and function of a compilatory work. Instead he suggests that we speak of a “collection culture” that may reflect a homogenous mentality, but in its specific manifestations reveals a variety of purposes.
This paper follows up on Odorico’s remarks by discussing one kind of συλλογή which itself could take on manifold forms and functions—namely collections of letters. Such letter-collections were not merely assemblages of single missives that were preserved for antiquarian reasons primarily, but in most cases can be read as self-contained works that fulfilled particular (often pragmatic) purposes and needs and were composed (arranged and revised) accordingly. In combining an author and reader centered approach, I will discuss letter-collections from the entire Byzantine millennium, from the Church Fathers to Demetrios Kydones—including collections of individual authors and in miscellaneous manuscripts—and classify them according to their function. The paper will conclude with remarks on the ramifications for the practice of editing letters.
This paper follows up on Odorico’s remarks by discussing one kind of συλλογή which itself could take on manifold forms and functions—namely collections of letters. Such letter-collections were not merely assemblages of single missives that were preserved for antiquarian reasons primarily, but in most cases can be read as self-contained works that fulfilled particular (often pragmatic) purposes and needs and were composed (arranged and revised) accordingly. In combining an author and reader centered approach, I will discuss letter-collections from the entire Byzantine millennium, from the Church Fathers to Demetrios Kydones—including collections of individual authors and in miscellaneous manuscripts—and classify them according to their function. The paper will conclude with remarks on the ramifications for the practice of editing letters.
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Mit Beginn der venezianischen Herrschaft (1204) ist die Insel Kreta durch ein Mit- und Nebeneinander zweier Kulturen geprägt. Zu der einheimischen griechisch-orthodoxen Bevölkerung gesellten sich die systematisch angesiedelten nobili,... more
Mit Beginn der venezianischen Herrschaft (1204) ist die Insel Kreta durch ein Mit- und Nebeneinander zweier Kulturen geprägt. Zu der einheimischen griechisch-orthodoxen Bevölkerung gesellten sich die systematisch angesiedelten nobili, cittadini und contadini venezianischer Herkunft. Diesen melting pot/salad bowl charakterisieren gegenläufige Strömungen von Integration und Abgrenzung ethnischer, religiöser und kultureller Elemente: Mischehen, Konversionen und gegenseitige Anleihen in Sprache, Kunst und Alltagskultur waren ebenso an der Tagesordnung wie Aufstände der Einheimischen gegen die Fremdherrschaft und Versuche Venedigs, den griechisch-orthodoxen Glauben durch den Katholizismus zu ersetzen.
In diesem Spannungsfeld spielen die Aktivitäten Bessarions um die Mitte des 15. Jahrhunderts eine tragende Rolle. Bessarion half nicht nur der Serenissima und dem Heiligen Stuhl in ihrem Bestreben, die Bestimmungen des Konzils von Ferrara und Florenz (1438/39) beim griechischen Klerus und Volk durch die Unterstützung von unierten Priestern auf Kreta durchzusetzen, sondern förderte mit Michaelos Apostoles auch einen Gelehrten, der in Candia als Lehrer für griechische und venezianische Kinder sowie als Handschriftensammler und Kopist tätig sein sollte. Michaelos (ca. 1430–1478), der sich nach dem Fall seiner Heimatstadt Konstantinopel auf Kreta niederließ, baute mit Bessarions Hilfe ein Netzwerk von Freunden, Schülern und Kollegen auf, in dem die verschiedenen, zwischen Divergenz und Konvergenz schwankenden kulturellen und politischen Tendenzen Kretas diskursiv verhandelt wurden. Der Beitrag zielt darauf ab, die Zusammensetzung und Funktion dieses Netzwerks zu beleuchten sowie die Rolle des Briefverkehrs in diesem Kontext zu verorten.
In diesem Spannungsfeld spielen die Aktivitäten Bessarions um die Mitte des 15. Jahrhunderts eine tragende Rolle. Bessarion half nicht nur der Serenissima und dem Heiligen Stuhl in ihrem Bestreben, die Bestimmungen des Konzils von Ferrara und Florenz (1438/39) beim griechischen Klerus und Volk durch die Unterstützung von unierten Priestern auf Kreta durchzusetzen, sondern förderte mit Michaelos Apostoles auch einen Gelehrten, der in Candia als Lehrer für griechische und venezianische Kinder sowie als Handschriftensammler und Kopist tätig sein sollte. Michaelos (ca. 1430–1478), der sich nach dem Fall seiner Heimatstadt Konstantinopel auf Kreta niederließ, baute mit Bessarions Hilfe ein Netzwerk von Freunden, Schülern und Kollegen auf, in dem die verschiedenen, zwischen Divergenz und Konvergenz schwankenden kulturellen und politischen Tendenzen Kretas diskursiv verhandelt wurden. Der Beitrag zielt darauf ab, die Zusammensetzung und Funktion dieses Netzwerks zu beleuchten sowie die Rolle des Briefverkehrs in diesem Kontext zu verorten.
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Der Beitrag versteht sich als Plädoyer für eine hermeneutisch fundierte Editionsphilologie gemäß Horst Fuhrmanns Leitsatz „Das Verstehen ist Ursache und Wirkung einer Edition, nicht eine fixierte Methode“. Der kritischen Edition kommt... more
Der Beitrag versteht sich als Plädoyer für eine hermeneutisch fundierte Editionsphilologie gemäß Horst Fuhrmanns Leitsatz „Das Verstehen ist Ursache und Wirkung einer Edition, nicht eine fixierte Methode“.
Der kritischen Edition kommt eine Vermittlerrolle zwischen dem zugrundeliegenden überlieferten Material und ihrem Benutzer zu: Sie ermöglicht und steuert das Verstehen eines Textes für den Leser durch die Auswertung und Präsentation des Materials. Unterschiedliche Voraussetzungen im Bereich der Überlieferung, der Entstehungszeit, des Genres und anderer variabler Faktoren erfordern unterschiedliche editorische Herangehensweisen und Verfahren. Ignoriert der Editor diese Faktoren und bedient sich eines starren Editionsmodells, läuft er Gefahr, das Sinnentfaltunspotential des edierten Textes erheblich einzuschränken.
In der byzantinistischen Editionswissenschaft und -praxis hat eine zunehmend kritische Haltung gegenüber den überkommenen Editionsverfahren klassisch-philologischer Prägung v.a. in der Respektierung und Wiedergabe der historischen Orthographie, Akzentuation und vermehrt auch Interpunktion bei der Edition insbesondere autograph überlieferter Texte Niederschlag gefunden. Ein wichtiger Bereich ist bislang jedoch recht stiefmütterlich behandelt worden: die Textgenese. Gerade aus der Palaiologenzeit sind für zahlreiche Texte in den Handschriften Entstehungsvarianten (autographe/autorisierte Änderungen, Korrekturen, Zusätze usw.) bezeugt, in denen der dynamische Charakter von Texten zum Ausdruck kommt. Hier soll der Vorschlag gemacht werden, Theorie und Praxis moderner Philologien, die sich mit Texten ähnlicher Überlieferungsform beschäftigen und es sich zur Hauptaufgabe gemacht haben, deren Genese zu erforschen und möglichst adäquat in der Edition wiederzugeben, in die Diskussion und Gestaltung der Edition byzantinischer Texte mit einzubeziehen. Dabei sollen drei mögliche Apparattypen (der lemmatisierte Einzelstellen-, der Einblendungs- und der synoptische Apparat) zur Darstellung von Textgenese vorgestellt sowie deren Anwendung und jeweiligen Vorteile anhand von Beispieltexten veranschaulicht werden.
Der kritischen Edition kommt eine Vermittlerrolle zwischen dem zugrundeliegenden überlieferten Material und ihrem Benutzer zu: Sie ermöglicht und steuert das Verstehen eines Textes für den Leser durch die Auswertung und Präsentation des Materials. Unterschiedliche Voraussetzungen im Bereich der Überlieferung, der Entstehungszeit, des Genres und anderer variabler Faktoren erfordern unterschiedliche editorische Herangehensweisen und Verfahren. Ignoriert der Editor diese Faktoren und bedient sich eines starren Editionsmodells, läuft er Gefahr, das Sinnentfaltunspotential des edierten Textes erheblich einzuschränken.
In der byzantinistischen Editionswissenschaft und -praxis hat eine zunehmend kritische Haltung gegenüber den überkommenen Editionsverfahren klassisch-philologischer Prägung v.a. in der Respektierung und Wiedergabe der historischen Orthographie, Akzentuation und vermehrt auch Interpunktion bei der Edition insbesondere autograph überlieferter Texte Niederschlag gefunden. Ein wichtiger Bereich ist bislang jedoch recht stiefmütterlich behandelt worden: die Textgenese. Gerade aus der Palaiologenzeit sind für zahlreiche Texte in den Handschriften Entstehungsvarianten (autographe/autorisierte Änderungen, Korrekturen, Zusätze usw.) bezeugt, in denen der dynamische Charakter von Texten zum Ausdruck kommt. Hier soll der Vorschlag gemacht werden, Theorie und Praxis moderner Philologien, die sich mit Texten ähnlicher Überlieferungsform beschäftigen und es sich zur Hauptaufgabe gemacht haben, deren Genese zu erforschen und möglichst adäquat in der Edition wiederzugeben, in die Diskussion und Gestaltung der Edition byzantinischer Texte mit einzubeziehen. Dabei sollen drei mögliche Apparattypen (der lemmatisierte Einzelstellen-, der Einblendungs- und der synoptische Apparat) zur Darstellung von Textgenese vorgestellt sowie deren Anwendung und jeweiligen Vorteile anhand von Beispieltexten veranschaulicht werden.
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For the last forty years, Ihor Ševčenko’s seminal monograph, Études sur la polémique entre Théodore Métochites et Nicéphore Choumnos (Brussels 1962), has provided the definitive understanding of the controversy on literary and... more
For the last forty years, Ihor Ševčenko’s seminal monograph, Études sur la polémique entre Théodore Métochites et Nicéphore Choumnos (Brussels 1962), has provided the definitive understanding of the controversy on literary and philosophical issues between the two high-ranking officials in Andronikos’ II court, Nikephoros Chumnos and Theodore Metochites. New historical data, however, allows us to reassess the evidence of the available sources related to this subject. Recent research on the letter-collections of Nikephoros raises questions about the nature of this controversy, in particular its relationship, both in terms of chronology and of content, to the letters exchanged between Nikephoros and Theodore before the outbreak of their enmity. The fact that their correspondence abounds in the traditional vocabulary and imagery of friendship, whereas the orations of the “polemic dossier” are written in harsh and aggressive tones, belies the strong thematic conjunction between the two groups of texts. The controversy was ignited by Nikephoros’ Oration on literary criticism and composition, which Theodore interpreted as an invective against the obscurity of his own writings. The essence of their respective arguments can already be detected in their earlier correspondence, however: in one of his letters, Nikephoros stated that the paramount stylistic virtue was clarity, essential to making ideas comprehensible and accessible; Theodore, in contrast, advocated the principle of deinotes (“rhetorical force”), which through deliberate obfuscation led to an exclusiveness of ideas. These two opposing concepts are not only frequently expressed in their other writings, but also shaped their actual writing style: while Nikephoros employed a moderately elevated style, Theodore’s exceedingly elaborate language often renders his works almost unintelligible. These observations lead to conclusions reaching beyond the field of literary analysis: as it is argued, it was Nikephoros’ intention to communicate through literature that demanded a language comprehensible to a broader educated public. Theodore, on the other hand, used his writings primarily as a means of social distinction by employing a language accessible only to a small group of adepts.
The controversy was thus neither a harmless intellectual skirmish nor a mere side-effect of a personal rivalry motivated by the replacement of Nikephoros as the emperor’s “prime minister” (mesazon), as has long been thought, but rather a serious socio-political debate between the two antipodal poles of Byzantine society expressed therein: on the one hand, the general hierarchical mobility and openness of the aristocracy to newcomers, and on the other, the social and cultural elitism through which those in power sought to compensate for the fragility of their status regulating and constraining social mobility.
This reassessment not only provides fresh insights into the biographies of two important court officials in late Byzantium, but is also relevant to a broader history of ideas. Shedding light on differing social conceptions in Byzantium, it indicates that the relatively small Constantinopolitan court elite was not necessarily an organ of a coherent imperial ideology. Rather, a complex, multi-layered network of views existed about social, political and literary issues which could trigger severe conflicts among its representatives.
The controversy was thus neither a harmless intellectual skirmish nor a mere side-effect of a personal rivalry motivated by the replacement of Nikephoros as the emperor’s “prime minister” (mesazon), as has long been thought, but rather a serious socio-political debate between the two antipodal poles of Byzantine society expressed therein: on the one hand, the general hierarchical mobility and openness of the aristocracy to newcomers, and on the other, the social and cultural elitism through which those in power sought to compensate for the fragility of their status regulating and constraining social mobility.
This reassessment not only provides fresh insights into the biographies of two important court officials in late Byzantium, but is also relevant to a broader history of ideas. Shedding light on differing social conceptions in Byzantium, it indicates that the relatively small Constantinopolitan court elite was not necessarily an organ of a coherent imperial ideology. Rather, a complex, multi-layered network of views existed about social, political and literary issues which could trigger severe conflicts among its representatives.
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"In previous scholarship, the rhetorical literature of the Byzantines, and epistolography in particular, has been most commonly regarded as an intellectual game—a pastime of a small, learned élite. However, Byzantine authors, especially... more
"In previous scholarship, the rhetorical literature of the Byzantines, and epistolography in particular, has been most commonly regarded as an intellectual game—a pastime of a small, learned élite. However, Byzantine authors, especially in the late period, were deeply involved in the social and political discourse of their time. It is my objective to show that their literary output, specifically their letters, was pivotal to these dialogues. A close reading of the letters from the court of Nikephoros Choumnos (c.1260–1327) supports this assertion. The paramount goal of his letters was to establish and maintain social networks, to gain and affirm loyalty, and to advocate private concerns within an extremely fragile social and political environment. By publishing and circulating his letters, Nikephoros aimed to present himself both as a faithful servant of the emperor and as an influential, learned aristocrat.
My paper focuses on Nikephoros’ letter to his daughter Eirene (Ep. 167 Boissonade) in order to reveal the significance of his writings to the current social and political concerns. Crucial to my hermeneutic approach is the fact that the stylistic means employed by the author was not merely ornamental. One does not need sift out style in order to understand the meaning of the text, as suggested by Cyril Mango in "Byzantine Literature as a Distorting Mirror". Rather, style contains and conveys the message of the text, and therefore must be examined as an integral part of the given literary piece. In this way it is possible to gain new insights into the highly elaborate genre of Byzantine epistolography."
My paper focuses on Nikephoros’ letter to his daughter Eirene (Ep. 167 Boissonade) in order to reveal the significance of his writings to the current social and political concerns. Crucial to my hermeneutic approach is the fact that the stylistic means employed by the author was not merely ornamental. One does not need sift out style in order to understand the meaning of the text, as suggested by Cyril Mango in "Byzantine Literature as a Distorting Mirror". Rather, style contains and conveys the message of the text, and therefore must be examined as an integral part of the given literary piece. In this way it is possible to gain new insights into the highly elaborate genre of Byzantine epistolography."
Research Interests:
"All medieval Greek letters have survived solely as copies. This form of preservation creates certain challenges when it comes to interpreting letters as historical sources or as literary works of art. Letter writing was a complex and... more
"All medieval Greek letters have survived solely as copies. This form of preservation creates certain challenges when it comes to interpreting letters as historical sources or as literary works of art. Letter writing was a complex and ritualized act of communication of which only one component—the text—is available today. Limitations of this sort make it difficult to fully understand the original function and meaning of these letters. In order to overcome such lacunae it is necessary to examine the context in which these letters survived. The meaning of the text depends on its audience and the form of its presentation. For example, by presenting the text to a new audience and relating it to other texts in a collection the letter could be re-functionalized or, in other words, given new meanings. The original text of the letter might also be revised before its presentation—whether as a public performance or when added to a collection.
My presentation addresses the challenge of fully understanding the functions of Byzantine epistolary literature by providing a set of tools that encompasses letter writing in its broadest sense—single “real” and “fictional” letters, letter-collections, embedded letters, letter excerpts. The letters and letter-collections of the Byzantine court official Nikephoros Choumnos (c.1260–1327) provide the basis for this methodological survey."
My presentation addresses the challenge of fully understanding the functions of Byzantine epistolary literature by providing a set of tools that encompasses letter writing in its broadest sense—single “real” and “fictional” letters, letter-collections, embedded letters, letter excerpts. The letters and letter-collections of the Byzantine court official Nikephoros Choumnos (c.1260–1327) provide the basis for this methodological survey."
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La période dont traite ce volume est encadrée par deux chutes, celle de 1204 et celle de 1453. Ces événements retentissants ont polarisé l’attention des historiens, suscitant des études nombreuses qui sont allées, pour certaines, jusqu’à... more
La période dont traite ce volume est encadrée par deux chutes, celle de 1204 et celle de 1453. Ces événements retentissants ont polarisé l’attention des historiens, suscitant des études nombreuses qui sont allées, pour certaines, jusqu’à mettre en doute la pérennité de l’Empire byzantin après 1204, en considérant ces deux siècles et demi comme l’épilogue d’une longue histoire impériale. La prise de Constantinople par les croisés en 1204 a, de fait, ouvert une période marquée par des crises multiples, que la conquête de la capitale en 1261 par la dynastie des Paléologues n’a pas résolues, tandis que d’autres périls se sont surajoutés : rivalités avec d’autres puissances régionales (en Épire, en Bulgarie, en Serbie, dans le Péloponnèse), prosélytisme de l’Église latine d’un côté et conversions à l’islam de l’autre, chute des rendements agricoles, bouleversements démographiques suscités par l’irruption de la peste noire ou l’arrivée de nouvelles populations turques acculées par l’expansion mongole… La conquête ottomane de Constantinople en 1453 a ainsi pu apparaître comme la conséquence logique d’un long processus d’affaiblissement entamé au début du XIIIe siècle.