Fourteen Byzantine Rulers: The Chronographia of Michael Psellus

Fine edition of an oft forgotten (but indeed important) opus in Byzantine literature and history. The author, Michael Psellus (1018-1078 A.D.), born of an aristocratic family, was a pupil of John Mauropous (Archbishop of Euchaita), became Professor of Rhetoric and then, after being introduced to the court by Michael V, rose to be a first hand spectator of the rise and demise of several emperors, having occupied the posts of Secretary of State, Prime Minister and Grand Chamberlain. This explains why this is a valuable memoir of a contemporary witness to Byzantine life and the workings of the imperial court, under several rulers, from the reign of Basil II (976-1025) to the reign of Michael VII (1071-1078). Originally published as the first whole translation in English of Psellus work in 1953, under the title The Cronographia of Michael Psellus , this revised edition is a wonderful tool for those interested in Byzantine history. The scarce or relative interest that occurred in the field of Byzantine literature until a century ago, compared to the classical period, comprehensive of Greek and Roman history up to the reign of Justinian, has been surpassed due to the fine work of several modern scholars. But it has been clearly noticed that in addition to the well known classical works of Procopius, Menander Protector and Leo Diaconos, this opus by Psellus is unsurpassed or unique for the study of the period covered by the author. Indeed, he was in a position to fully comprehend the events that occurred at the death of Basil II (who ruled for more than 40 years, crushed rebellions, rescued the Empire's army, finances and pride ) in 1078, and the particular decadence that ensued in the following generations due to the unworthiness of the following rulers. So we must concur with the appreciation of Professor Joan Hussey, who wrote the introduction to the second edition of this opus in English, in the sense that Psellus was one man who comprehended the decay in the Empire's fortunes around the eleventh century as a turning point, and that although the Cronographia may give sometimes the impression of vagueness (compared to the works of Cedrenus or Zonaras) it has a colour and variety rarely found in any of its rivals. Not in vain Professor Hussey concludes that Psellus dedication to philosophy was life long and that his contribution to revive classicl learning was truly important:-Renaissance authors owed much to this man- For scholars or those generally interested in Byzantine history, mores and decadence, the Cronographia is a must.

I was first hooked on Byzantine history after picking up a copy of John Julius Norwich's abridged History of Byzantium. This led to an abiding interest in the second half of the Roman Empire.Psellus' turn of phrase and genuine storytelling ability make this book a pleasure to read. I only regret I cannot read it in its original Greek, for I think it would be even better. Despite the bias against his female compatriots (only to be expected in that era) Psellus remains fresh, authoritative, winning, and as balanced as can be expected. I love the Penguin editions of classic works- I rarely buy anything else- and my copy of the Chronographia is already dog-eared and underlined.In short, I truly recomment this edition for any serious or leisurely student of Byzantium. Psellus gives us a window into a sorely misunderstood time and age- as well as being able to tell a ripping good story when the mood takes him.

I always like to read the original texts that historians tend to paraphrase.This is definitely not one of those antique histories written by a forgotten author. Instead, Psellos writes across a range of topics: psychology of leadership, geography, Orthodox Christianity, statecraft, and let's not forget philosophy. This historical work is a tribute to the power of the Medieval empire of the Greeks, the high extent of its culture, and its heritage.

I completely recommend Michael Psellus to anyone who wants to understand a bit more about the Byzantines and this very harsh period of time in their history. Psellus is fun to read, his commentaries are often humorous, and he seems genuinely interested in preserving this period of time as more of a memoir that tries to place together the good and the bad aspects of life. Before his commentary on Constantine IX, he notes that the position of historian, just as the position of emperor, is a very complex one -- you can try your hardest to do it as accurately as possible, but, in the end, one realizes that most people are complex and cannot be quantified in words or even pages, particularly via using the words of other subjective humans. The reviewer at the bottom concerns himself with Western pipedreams; Psellus' (or Psellos') account is a memoir from events that happened in his life, it is *not* a play-by-play logbook.

I am not an expert on Byzantine history, but I'm not ignorant of it either. For such a one as myself, this book offers an enjoyable insight into what life was like at that time, in that place, and I must say that it was one of the most dynamic and interesting societies ever to exist. As for the author himself, his style was wholly unlike the stuffy, dull writings to be found among his Western contemporaries. It's informative, to the point, and even (gasp) mildly humorous at times. Buy it.