Annals of niketas choniates byzantine texts in translation, by nicetas choniates, niketas choniates this is a publication that you are seeking, right. One of the most important accounts of the middle ages, the history of niketas choniates describes the byzantine empire from 1118 to 1207. The historian niketas choniates provides an eyewitness account of the inexorable events that led to the destruction of the longest lived christian empire in history, and to the ultimate catastrophe of the fall of constantinople in 1204 to the fourth crusade. Though scholarly research on these writings has predominantly focused on the influence of classical literature, this study reveals that renaissance authors consistently discussed. Nicetas choniates, byzantine statesman, historian, and theologian. The history of niketas choniates book 23 niketas choniates was in constantinople when it was burnt and looted by the soldiers of the fourth crusade and he wrote a history which has always been the mainstay for anyone wishing to learn about the comnene dynasty and the byzantine empire of the twelfth century. Alicia simpsons unusually accomplished first book is also the first book length study of the history of nicetas choniates. A sixteenthcentury description of private libraries in constantinople, and the authority of. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias. His chronicle of byzantiums humiliations during the third and fourth crusades 1189 and 1204 and his anthology of 12thcentury theological writings constitute authoritative historical sources for this period and established him. Yet it is a very difficult and puzzling text and, given its significance for.
The cambridge intellectual history of byzantium, edited by. Baudolinos storyline opens with the drama of 1204, immortalized by the byzantine authors. This book is a historiographical study of the history written by the byzantine statesman niketas choniates c. Nicetas choniates is the author of nicetae choniatae historia 3. Nicetas of smyrna, late 1stcentury greek sophist and rhetorician, see second sophistic. This text is part of the internet medieval source book. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in. This significant text covers the period in byzantine history that begins with the death of the emperor alexios i komnenos in 1118 and culminates with the capture of constantinople by the armies of the fourth crusade in 1204. Stanford libraries official online search tool for books, media, journals, databases, government documents and more. The latter two chapters, comprising roughly half of the book, discuss niketas as an historian.
Notes 1 i am indebted to walter kaegi for first suggesting this topic to me. Niketas choniates project gutenberg selfpublishing. That statement of purpose, like the book s title, is rather vague, and the rest of this short book fails to make a convincing case that nicetas. Philadelphia, university of pennsylvania press, 1912, 1516. Simpson tf he historia of niketas choniates is the single most important source for the crucial era in byzantine history that begins with the death of alexios i komnenos in 1118 and culmi nates with the capture of constantinople by the armies of the fourth crusade in 1204. Nicetas choniates author of nicetae choniatae historia. I would rank him second, after procopius of caesarea, though ahead of michael psellus and anna comnena.
Notes 1 i am indebted to walter kaegi for first suggesting this topic to me and providing me with suggested books and articles. The sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copypermitted. The authority of tradition and literary mimesis, 259268 marc d. Authority in religious texts, 247258 alicia simpson, from the workshop of niketas choniates.
She was the daughter of the byzantine emperor alexios i komnenos and his wife irene doukaina. Nicetas choniates, a neglected witness to the greek text. Niketas choniates was in constantinople when it was burnt and looted by the soldiers of the fourth crusade and he wrote a history which has always been the mainstay for anyone wishing to learn about the comnene dynasty and the byzantine empire of the twelfth century. Niketas choniates as a source for the second crusade in. A historiographical study oxford studies in byzantium by alicia simpson 201215 by isbn. As will become apparent, there are many difficulties with this history p. O city of byzantium is the first english translation of a history which chronicles the period of byzantine history from 1118 to 1207. Comnenian imperial succession and the ritual world of. Since the seminal work of bernard kugler in the latterhalf of the nineteenthcentury, historians of the second crusade have conferred significant authority on the chronicle of niketas choniates and that of his contemporary john kinnamos. English translation, o city of byzantium, annals of niketas choniates, trans. Niketas choniates as a source for the second crusade in anatolia. Translations and reprints from the original sources of european history, series 1, vol 3. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Scott used edward gibbons history of the decline and fall of the roman empire, which he admired greatly, as a source in count robert.
Full text of ocityofbyzantiumannalsofniketaschoniatesttranslatedbyharryjmagoulias1984. Niketas choniates history is the single most important source for a crucial period in byzantine history, which began with the death of alexios i komnenos in 1118 and culminated with the capture of constantinople by the armies of the fourth crusade in 1204. It has been observed that chapters 45 to 49 in book eighteen of nicephorus callistus ecclesiastical history are based on the panoplia dogmatica of the late. Niketas choniates alicia simpson oxford university press. Annals of niketas choniates byzantine texts in tra nslation, by nicetas choniates, niketas choniates. Analyzing the literature on art from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the spiritual language of art explores the complex relationship between visual art and spiritual experiences during the italian renaissance. Niketas choniates, crusades, history general and history of europe, d, history of greece, df10951, medieval history, d111203 publisher. Niketas provides an eyewitness account of the sack of constantinople by the fourth crusade. The veneration of martyr saint nicetas the goth in the medieval period gave rise to the slavic form nikita people with the name nicetas. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. The book is a fundamental study of niketas choniates d. Nicetae choniatae historia ancient greek edition bekker, immanuel, choniates, nicetas on. Simpson describes nicetas as the very best of byzantine historians 298, which may be a slight exaggeration.
But the way he treats anna as a fictional character displays the same mixture of admiration and fear, exorcised with derision, which we saw in niketas choniates. The puzzle of the history of niketas choniates a history for workers and women. She is best known for her attempt to usurp her brother, john ii komnenos, and for her work. John kinnamos, niketas choniates, and the reign of manuel i komnenos. Ecos book is a useful entry point to discussions about niketas choniates life and work.