The Chronicles of Theophanes

[gridlore]

The Chronicle of Theophanes: Anni Mundi 6095-6305 by Theophanes the Confessor

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is not a history book. It is instead a contemporary document, a history of the Roman Empire between the years 602-813 written by a monk named Theophanes who died a few years after writing the final entry. It is almost a diary in style; some years get long involved explanations of events, while others get only the briefest mentions.

The entries are presented almost without explanation beyond footnotes clarifying the chronology or mistakes made by Theophanes. There is an introduction that does a great job of setting the scene for the Chronicles, but you really need to have at least a basic grasp of the Byzantine Empire to really appreciate this work.



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