The new edition of the “Book of Ceremonies” of Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (CFHB 52, Paris 2020) re-opens the debate on the date, context, and meaning of this quintessentially Byzantine text. The pivotal first section of Book I, devoted to church ceremonies, is composed of two main layers, the so-called “old” and “new” ceremonials. While maintaining Bury’s attribution…
The purpose of the present contribution is to examine Byzantium’s Mediterranean policy during the reign of Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos ([913]-945-959). Through his writings, particuralry the De Thematibus and De Administrando Imperio, this paper is focused on how the emperor articulated the Empire’s position within the broader Mediterranean world. By examining the aforementioned texts from this…
This paper examines the links between the enterprise of Constantine the VII (d. 959) and the 10th-century Catenae. Under Constantine’s supervision, a team of collaborators set out to reorganise the entire historical heritage – the works of 27 historians – from antiquity (Herodotus) to the 9th century (George the Monk). The historical works were divided…
Several Byzantine authors showed a special interest in augury, the ancient divination method of predicting the future by observing the flight and sounds of birds. They tried to define it, to distinguish it from other types of ancient divination (e.g., oneiromancy, omoplatoscopy) and to analyse its method of application. The Church Fathers and other writers…