Emperor, savior, murderer: The tendency of two 10th century Byzantine chronicles towards Basil I

University essay from Lunds universitet/Grekiska (antik och bysantinsk)

Author: Jonas Nilsson; [2006]

Keywords: Grekisk litteratur; Greek literature; Humaniora; Humanities; bysantinska riket; Byzantine empire; narrativ strategi; narrative strategy; narrativ struktur; narrative structure; tendens; tendency; Vita Basilii; Theophanes Continuatus; Symeon Logothetes; Symeon the Logothete; makedoniska dynastin; Macedonian dynasty; Basileios Makedoniern; Basil the Macedonian; Basil I; Basileios I; Languages and Literatures;

Abstract: The paper aims to perform a comparative analysis of two Byzantine chronicles focused on their tendency towards emperor Basil I (r. 867-86). The chronicles in question are the so-called chronicle of Symeon the Logothete and the collection of writings that is commonly referred to as Theophanes Continuatus. Both are thought to have been written during the active reign of Basil's grandson Constantine VII (945-59). The paper examines how the chronicles portray the emperor, accentuating their differences and similarities, but also analyses the narrative structures through which the tendency is conveyed and the narrative strategies employed by the authors to that effect.

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