The Continuation of Theophanes and its Emotionality

The first four books of the work known as the Continuation of Theophanes have long attracted the interest of scholars of Byzantium, who have debated questions regarding its authorship, dating, and sources. However, its literary style—particularly the methods and context in which it was produced—has received relatively little attention, usually only in occasional comparisons with the writings of Josephus Genesius. Among those who did explore the literary approach of the Continuator were Jakov Ljubarskij and Alexander Kazhdan, both of whom focused on the portrayal of emotion in the text. They regarded the Continuation as a groundbreaking work in this regard. Kazhdan, in particular, highlighted the anonymous author’s notable ability to depict characters’ emotional states and to place these emotions at the heart of many historical events. Nevertheless, this perspective did not gain much traction. Despite a growing scholarly interest in emotions and their representation in Byzantine literature in recent years, the emotional dimension of the Continuation has largely remained overlooked. My paper invites a reconsideration of interpretations presented above. I intend to demonstrate that the thesis of the Continuation’s “emotionality” is more ambiguous than often assumed. On the one hand, the text displays a notable accumulation of emotional themes and a rich vocabulary expressing feelings—features that are often absent in the work of Joseph Genesius. On the other hand, doubts arise regarding the Continuation’s supposed innovativeness in this respect. I wish to draw attention to the nature of the scripts and language used by the Continuator, which are frequently found in other writings. Furthermore, I would like to highlight the issue of lost sources that the chronicler may have used. These considerations lead me to reflect on the Continuation’s potentially groundbreaking role in the development of Byzantine historiography and its possible initiation of new narrative trends.