Collections in REGEST: Concept and Implementation

REGEST, the Reference Tool for medieval Greek-Slavonic Translations, introduces a translation-centered model for tracing the transmission of texts. At its core stands the concept of the Collection – the anthological habit of grouping works, both in Greek and in Slavonic. The “Collection” entry type links authors, works, translations, and compilations, allowing movement through the whole chain: Author → Work → Collection (Greek) → Translation → Collection (Slavonic). This structure makes visible how texts were reshaped, recontextualized, and often gained new life independent of their Greek sources. Slavonic sborniki are not mere replicas of Greek anthologies: some are new compilations, others reflect distinct editorial choices. REGEST highlights this complexity, tracing overlaps, substitutions, and re-orderings that shaped Orthodox literature across Slavia Orthodoxa. Our talk will show how the Collection category transforms the study of textual transmission, foregrounding anthologies as engines of cultural memory and reception in Byzantine and Slavonic traditions.