Articles & Book Chapters by Marilina Cesario
We are delighted to announce a call for papers for the INSAP XIII conference Celestial Connection... more We are delighted to announce a call for papers for the INSAP XIII conference Celestial Connections Across Time and Space. This conference aims to bring together scholars, artists, and scientists from various disciplines to explore the multifaceted relationships between the skies-be it the stars, planets, or other celestial phenomena-and their influence across cultures, histories, and fields of study. INSAP's purpose from its inception has been to foster a dialogue that bridges the gap between the sciences and the arts, encouraging a holistic understanding of the universe.
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The Elements in the Medieval World: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. WATER, 2024
The thirteen essays and the final poem contained in this volume reflect the fundamental importanc... more The thirteen essays and the final poem contained in this volume reflect the fundamental importance of water across the whole breadth of medieval endeavour and understanding, as both source of life, and object of scholarly fascination, whose manifestations were the source of rich symbolism and imaginings. Ranging geographically from Ireland to the Arab world and from Iceland to Byzantium and chronologically from the fourth century CE to the sixteenth, the essays explore perceptions and theories of water through a wide range of approaches.
Contributors are Michael Bintley, Tom Birkett, Laura Borghetti, Rafał Borysławski, Marilina Cesario, Marusca Francini, Kelly Grovier, Deborah Hayden, Simon Karstens, Andreas Lammer, David Livingstone, Luca Loschiavo, Hugh Magennis, Colin Fitzpatrick Murtha, François Quiviger, Elisa Ramazzina, and Karl Whittington.
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Culture and Cosmos 27.1, 2023
This paper argues that natural phenomena in the twelfth-century Peterborough Chronicle are not on... more This paper argues that natural phenomena in the twelfth-century Peterborough Chronicle are not only employed as topoi, with the purpose of maintaining narrative links with the earlier versions of the Chronicle, but are indicative of a renewed interest in computus and natural science in post-Benedictine Reform Anglo-Saxon England, in which winds, storms, earthquakes and other natural phenomena were given a framework of investigation that may have led to their increasing role in historiographical sources.
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Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage 25 (2), 2022
A re-examination of early and late medieval annals and chronicles from Eastern and Western countr... more A re-examination of early and late medieval annals and chronicles from Eastern and Western countries has enabled computation of approximate orbits for two medieval comets: X/839 B1 and X/841 Y1, which appeared soon after the return of Comet 1P/Halley in 837. Furthermore, a historical and comparative study of ninth-century annals and chronicles from both Eastern and Western countries has highlighted interesting similarities in the way comets were treated in Continental Europe and in early China. For both cultures the crossing of a bright comet in the sky was interpreted as a prefiguration of political turmoil, moral downfall and a reflection of bad kingship.
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In the Middle Ages extreme weather events, such as heavy rain and snowfalls, showers of hail, hea... more In the Middle Ages extreme weather events, such as heavy rain and snowfalls, showers of hail, heat waves, droughts, floods and unsea-sonably warm or cold temperatures, would have had catastrophic effects on many areas of society, chiefly on farming, seafaring, health and commerce. Environmental knowledge and weather forecasting based on the observation of the behaviour of the current weather and season, and of meteorological phenomena, was of paramount importance to those societies whose economic fortunes were heavily dependent on agriculture and livestock farming. Weather forecasts, which required knowledge of the related topics of astronomy and the reckoning of time, would therefore advise farmers on the most propitious times to plant and on those when it would not be advisable to begin their operations, especially when rains and winds were threatening, which could bring their toils to naught. References to meteorological prediction and information about the seasons frequently appear in calendars, and more detailed descriptions of disastrous weather events and their harmful impact upon growing crops, houses, animals and people consistently feature in medieval annals and chronicles. A typical example is the following entry in the Annals of Fulda where we learn that in 872: Omne tempus aestivum grandinibus variisque tempestatibus pernoxium extitit; nam grando plurima loca frugibus devastavit; horrida etiam tonitrua et fulmina pene cotidie mortalibus interitum minabantur, quorum ictibus praevalidis homines et iumenta in diversis locis exanimata et in einerem redacta narrantur. (The whole summer was ruined by hailstorms and other kinds of tempest. The hail destroyed the crops in many places, and terrifying thunder and lightning threatened mortals almost daily with death: it is said that immense bolts killed men and draught animals in various places and reduced them to ashes). 2
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Two Old English versions of a sunshine prognostication survive in the mid-eleventh century Cambri... more Two Old English versions of a sunshine prognostication survive in the mid-eleventh century Cambridge, Corpus Christi College 391, p. 713, and in a twelfth-century addi-tion to Oxford, Bodleian Library, Hatton 115, 149v–150r. Among standard predictions promising joy, peace, blossom, abundance of milk and fruit, and a great baptism sent by God, one encounters an enigmatic prophecy which involves camels stealing gold from the ants. These gold-digging ants have a long pedigree, one which links Old English with much earlier literature and indicates the extent to which Anglo-Saxon culture had assimilated traditions of European learning. It remains diffi cult to say what is being prophesied, however, or to explain the presence of the passage among con- ventional predictions. Whether the prediction was merely a literary exercise or carried a symbolic implication, it must have originated in an ecclesiastical context. Its mixture of classical learning and vernacular tradition, Greek and Latin, folklore and Christian, implies an author with some knowledge of literary and scholarly traditions.
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The Anglo-Saxon chroniclers’ interest in eclipses, comets, and other celestial phenomena undoubte... more The Anglo-Saxon chroniclers’ interest in eclipses, comets, and other celestial phenomena undoubtedly derives from classical and Continental annals, but the recording of the wind in association with human affairs is quite exceptional. The wind is
noted twelve times in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, between the years 1009 and 1123, but there is no mention of it in the “common stock”. This article investigates the role
of the wind in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and examines whether the Anglo-Saxon annalists’ awareness of the meteorological phenomenon was prompted by the dissemination of computistical materials. These included Easter tables, treatises on natural science, texts and diagrams on the direction and/or names of winds, weather prognostics and prognostication by the wind, which reached England from Fleury during the Benedictine Reform. This study will also consider whether there was a correlation, a cause and effect relationship, between the wind and the events narrated.
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Prognostics concerning the day of the week on which kalendae ianuariae and Christmas Day fall, co... more Prognostics concerning the day of the week on which kalendae ianuariae and Christmas Day fall, commonly known as the Revelatio Esdrae, purport to be a set of prophecies by
the Biblical Esdras. They make predictions about the weather and other natural phenomena for the year to come, and they then extend their predictions to the field of human affairs. A remarkable number of copies of the Revelatio appear in English manuscripts from the tenth to the twelfth centuries. Some of these versions have been attributed to Bede and Abbo of Fleury as part of their computus works. Both R. M. Liuzza and L. S. Chardonnens point out the frequent occurrence of the
Revelatio in religious and scientific manuscripts and therefore reject the label of folklore, stressing instead the probable monastic origin of this prognostication. This study will
provide the first complete collation and analysis of the surviving exemplars, to give as full an idea as possible of their circumstances of composition, their transmission, and their
relationship to one another. It will consider how the Revelatio Esdrae was copied and used in Anglo-Saxon England, the audience to which it was addressed, and whether any
conclusion can be drawn from its appearance in particular manuscripts, alongside certain other texts.
The regular occurrence of the Revelatio along with computistical material supports the case for its monastic origin and learned nature. Such a text would have been a helpful
handbook to be used by monks and priests, and was among the standard holdings of continental and Anglo-Saxon monasteries and scriptoria, giving further proof of the
monks’ intellectual eclecticism and their knowledge of the kinds of continental literature from which this text derive.
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Papers by Marilina Cesario
We are delighted to announce a call for papers for the INSAP XIII conference Celestial Connection... more We are delighted to announce a call for papers for the INSAP XIII conference Celestial Connections Across Time and Space. This conference aims to bring together scholars, artists, and scientists from various disciplines to explore the multifaceted relationships between the skies-be it the stars, planets, or other celestial phenomena-and their in uence across cultures, histories, and elds of study. INSAP's purpose from its inception has been to foster a dialogue that bridges the gap between the sciences and the arts, encouraging a holistic understanding of the universe. Themes and Topics: We invite proposals for papers, presentations and posters on a wide range of topics, including but not limited to: Astronomy and Cosmology Through the Ages How di erent civilisations have understood and interpreted the cosmos, including the development of astronomical knowledge, cosmological models and their in uence on scienti c progress. Astro-Architecture and Celestial Alignments Studies on ancient and modern architecture designed with astronomical signi cance, such as megalithic structures, sacred sites, and observatories aligned with celestial events. Art and the Celestial: The depiction of celestial bodies and phenomena in visual arts, literature, and music across di erent historical periods and cultures. Philosophy and the Cosmos: Philosophical interpretations of the universe. Literature and Myth: The portrayal of celestial events in literature, myths, and legends; how the skies have inspired narratives and storytelling. History of Science: The development of astronomical knowledge, key gures, and their contributions to understanding the universe. Space Exploration and Human Imagination Discussions on the impact of space exploration on contemporary culture, ethics, and the future of human civilisation, including the role of science ction and speculative narratives. Interdisciplinary Approaches: Combining methodologies from di erent elds to explore celestial phenomena. Environmental and Ethical Implications of Space Exploration Consideration of the environmental impact of space missions and the ethical questions surrounding the exploration and exploitation of outer space.
Please submit your proposal via the Proposal Submission Form at: https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/ael/Research/ConferencesandSymposia/INSAP2025/ProposalSubmissionForm/
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Boydell & Brewer, Mar 1, 2016
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Aspects of knowledge, 2018
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English Studies, 2012
A series of encyclopaedic notes at the end of Durham, Cathedral Library, A.iv.19, includes a ques... more A series of encyclopaedic notes at the end of Durham, Cathedral Library, A.iv.19, includes a question on the origin of warm and cold breath immediately following a text listing the eight parts of which Adam was made. The two types of breath, made of fire and wind, respectively, form thespiritus. By linking the question on warm and cold breath to the history of octipartite Adam texts it has become clear that thespiritusrelates to the Stoicπνϵμα or “cosmic breath”, a Stoic concept of the soul, which forms the key to the juxtaposition of these two notes.
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Articles & Book Chapters by Marilina Cesario
Contributors are Michael Bintley, Tom Birkett, Laura Borghetti, Rafał Borysławski, Marilina Cesario, Marusca Francini, Kelly Grovier, Deborah Hayden, Simon Karstens, Andreas Lammer, David Livingstone, Luca Loschiavo, Hugh Magennis, Colin Fitzpatrick Murtha, François Quiviger, Elisa Ramazzina, and Karl Whittington.
noted twelve times in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, between the years 1009 and 1123, but there is no mention of it in the “common stock”. This article investigates the role
of the wind in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and examines whether the Anglo-Saxon annalists’ awareness of the meteorological phenomenon was prompted by the dissemination of computistical materials. These included Easter tables, treatises on natural science, texts and diagrams on the direction and/or names of winds, weather prognostics and prognostication by the wind, which reached England from Fleury during the Benedictine Reform. This study will also consider whether there was a correlation, a cause and effect relationship, between the wind and the events narrated.
the Biblical Esdras. They make predictions about the weather and other natural phenomena for the year to come, and they then extend their predictions to the field of human affairs. A remarkable number of copies of the Revelatio appear in English manuscripts from the tenth to the twelfth centuries. Some of these versions have been attributed to Bede and Abbo of Fleury as part of their computus works. Both R. M. Liuzza and L. S. Chardonnens point out the frequent occurrence of the
Revelatio in religious and scientific manuscripts and therefore reject the label of folklore, stressing instead the probable monastic origin of this prognostication. This study will
provide the first complete collation and analysis of the surviving exemplars, to give as full an idea as possible of their circumstances of composition, their transmission, and their
relationship to one another. It will consider how the Revelatio Esdrae was copied and used in Anglo-Saxon England, the audience to which it was addressed, and whether any
conclusion can be drawn from its appearance in particular manuscripts, alongside certain other texts.
The regular occurrence of the Revelatio along with computistical material supports the case for its monastic origin and learned nature. Such a text would have been a helpful
handbook to be used by monks and priests, and was among the standard holdings of continental and Anglo-Saxon monasteries and scriptoria, giving further proof of the
monks’ intellectual eclecticism and their knowledge of the kinds of continental literature from which this text derive.
Papers by Marilina Cesario
Please submit your proposal via the Proposal Submission Form at: https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/ael/Research/ConferencesandSymposia/INSAP2025/ProposalSubmissionForm/
Contributors are Michael Bintley, Tom Birkett, Laura Borghetti, Rafał Borysławski, Marilina Cesario, Marusca Francini, Kelly Grovier, Deborah Hayden, Simon Karstens, Andreas Lammer, David Livingstone, Luca Loschiavo, Hugh Magennis, Colin Fitzpatrick Murtha, François Quiviger, Elisa Ramazzina, and Karl Whittington.
noted twelve times in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, between the years 1009 and 1123, but there is no mention of it in the “common stock”. This article investigates the role
of the wind in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and examines whether the Anglo-Saxon annalists’ awareness of the meteorological phenomenon was prompted by the dissemination of computistical materials. These included Easter tables, treatises on natural science, texts and diagrams on the direction and/or names of winds, weather prognostics and prognostication by the wind, which reached England from Fleury during the Benedictine Reform. This study will also consider whether there was a correlation, a cause and effect relationship, between the wind and the events narrated.
the Biblical Esdras. They make predictions about the weather and other natural phenomena for the year to come, and they then extend their predictions to the field of human affairs. A remarkable number of copies of the Revelatio appear in English manuscripts from the tenth to the twelfth centuries. Some of these versions have been attributed to Bede and Abbo of Fleury as part of their computus works. Both R. M. Liuzza and L. S. Chardonnens point out the frequent occurrence of the
Revelatio in religious and scientific manuscripts and therefore reject the label of folklore, stressing instead the probable monastic origin of this prognostication. This study will
provide the first complete collation and analysis of the surviving exemplars, to give as full an idea as possible of their circumstances of composition, their transmission, and their
relationship to one another. It will consider how the Revelatio Esdrae was copied and used in Anglo-Saxon England, the audience to which it was addressed, and whether any
conclusion can be drawn from its appearance in particular manuscripts, alongside certain other texts.
The regular occurrence of the Revelatio along with computistical material supports the case for its monastic origin and learned nature. Such a text would have been a helpful
handbook to be used by monks and priests, and was among the standard holdings of continental and Anglo-Saxon monasteries and scriptoria, giving further proof of the
monks’ intellectual eclecticism and their knowledge of the kinds of continental literature from which this text derive.
Please submit your proposal via the Proposal Submission Form at: https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/ael/Research/ConferencesandSymposia/INSAP2025/ProposalSubmissionForm/