The historical methodology of Anna Komnene: A case study of book XII chapter 3 of the Alexias
In this paper we examine Anna Komnene’s editorial procedure in Book XII chapter 3 of the Alexias and reappraise her historical methodology. We investigate the two dates at the end of XII.3.1, which are incompatible: the indiction does not correspond to the regnal year. Our investigations co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Bulgarian |
| Published: |
Institute for Byzantine Studies of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Zbornik Radova Vizantološkog Instituta |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0584-9888/2015/0584-98881552195I.pdf |
| Summary: | In this paper we examine Anna Komnene’s editorial procedure in Book XII
chapter 3 of the Alexias and reappraise her historical methodology. We
investigate the two dates at the end of XII.3.1, which are incompatible: the
indiction does not correspond to the regnal year. Our investigations come to
the following conclusions: Anna composes XII.3 using reliable sources,
Alexios I’s official letters and court logbook; both of the dates originate
in the trustworthy imperial documents that she consulted; the discrepancy
between the two, commonly regarded as a mistake made by Anna, was caused by
editorial work on the text after her death. As far as we can tell from XII.3,
her method of historical composition is entirely clear and this suggests that
the Alexias is a reliable historical source. |
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| ISSN: | 0584-9888 2406-0917 |