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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Main Author: Inoue Koichi
Format: Article
Language:Bulgarian
Published: Institute for Byzantine Studies of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts 2015-01-01
Series:Zbornik Radova Vizantološkog Instituta
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0584-9888/2015/0584-98881552195I.pdf
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author Inoue Koichi
author_facet Inoue Koichi
author_sort Inoue Koichi
collection DOAJ
description 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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spelling doaj.art-37cee136bd6b4996a43cbbbef0f99b192022-12-22T03:23:26ZbulInstitute for Byzantine Studies of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsZbornik Radova Vizantološkog Instituta0584-98882406-09172015-01-0120155219520610.2298/ZRVI1552195I0584-98881552195IThe historical methodology of Anna Komnene: A case study of book XII chapter 3 of the AlexiasInoue Koichi0Bukkyo University, Kyoto, JapanIn 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.http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0584-9888/2015/0584-98881552195I.pdfAnna KomneneAlexiasHistoriographyIndictionAugousta
spellingShingle Inoue Koichi
The historical methodology of Anna Komnene: A case study of book XII chapter 3 of the Alexias
Zbornik Radova Vizantološkog Instituta
Anna Komnene
Alexias
Historiography
Indiction
Augousta
title The historical methodology of Anna Komnene: A case study of book XII chapter 3 of the Alexias
title_full The historical methodology of Anna Komnene: A case study of book XII chapter 3 of the Alexias
title_fullStr The historical methodology of Anna Komnene: A case study of book XII chapter 3 of the Alexias
title_full_unstemmed The historical methodology of Anna Komnene: A case study of book XII chapter 3 of the Alexias
title_short The historical methodology of Anna Komnene: A case study of book XII chapter 3 of the Alexias
title_sort historical methodology of anna komnene a case study of book xii chapter 3 of the alexias
topic Anna Komnene
Alexias
Historiography
Indiction
Augousta
url http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0584-9888/2015/0584-98881552195I.pdf
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