Pagan Practices Described in Byzantine Canonists of the 12th Century

During the twelfth century, two authors commented on canons of the early Byzantine period councils and provided elements of comparison with their own time. The first author is John Zonaras who was asked by Alexios Comnenos to comment on canon law, the second author is Theodore Balsamon who was born around the time Zonaras died. He was ommissioned by Manuel Comnenos not only to comment on canon law but also to indicate what had become obsolete. They both offer insights into pagan practices of the past and what was still going on in their time. They had a sense that in their time Christianity was more solidly grounded than in the late antique period.