Χρονολόγηση after Γεωγραφικός εντοπισμός IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ. Βyzantine Empire of Nicaea. 1. General

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1 Περίληψη : Chronike Syngraphe (Annales) is one of the most important Byzantine historiographic works. It covers the period and is the main source for the history of the Byzantine Empire of Nicaea. The author of this work was a senior official (megas logothetes) and an active personage of the political scene, George Akropolites. Chronike Syngraphe has been commended for being an objective account of events, for its reliable information and the clarity of the expression, while it has always been a reference point for later Byzantine historiographers and writers. It was adapted by the writer himself in the form of a concise poem edited under the title Historia in brevius redacta. Χρονολόγηση after 1261 Γεωγραφικός εντοπισμός Βyzantine Empire of Nicaea 1. General Chronike Syngraphe (Annales) is the most important and most representative work of the scholar and senior official (megas logothetes), George Akropolites; it also proves that its author was mainly a historian. It was written after the recapture of Constantinople by the Byzantines and the restoration of the Byzantine Empire in The work covers the period and forms the continuation of Niketas Choniates' Historia (Chronike Diegesis), while it is considered the most valuable source for the history of the Byzantine Empire of Nicaea, providing an objective account of the events due to its reliable information and clarity. Chronike Syngraphe was the reference point for the events of that period and was a source for Theodore Skoutariotes, 1 the monkwriter Ephraim, 2 Nikephoros Gregoras ( Roman History ) and George Sphrantzes. George Pachymeres ( Syngraphikai Historiai ) continued the work of George Akropolites for the period In modern history, it was Krumbacher who first noted the historiographic work of Akropolites. 3 The interest of scholars increased after the critical edition of Chronike Syngraphe by Heisenberg in The most important studies have been written by Lambrou, 4 Prachter, 5 Jorga, 6 Andreeva 7 and Zhavornikov. 8 Recent research has turned to the translation and interpretation of the work, while the elements suggesting the ideology and the political attitude of Akropolites are still the object of study, and promote the understanding of the wider cultural and ideological framework of the 13th century. Chronike Syngraphe has been saved in three manuscripts. The two of them include the original version of the work (Annales). 9 The third, known under the title Historia in brevius redacta ( Ποίημα Χρονικόν Ημιτελές ), is a concise version edited by Akropolites himself, and it is cosidered a philological rather than a historical source Structure and Narration The Chronike Syngraphe was probably written as one single book, 11 aiming to narrate the political history of the Byzantine Empire of Nicaea. In the introduction Akropolites analyses the reasons that led him to write this text and comments on the usefulness of history. The historiographer emphasises on his disagreement with the concept of writing a history beginning from the creation of thw world, while he is reluctant to employ the commonsense arguments on the usefulness of history, thus differentiating himself from the rest of the authors of history (such as Prokopios of Caesarea, Michael Attaleiates and George Pachymeres). He then declares that he will not alter the facts and formulates his following basic principle: the writer writes for the sake of history and because he wants to prevent oblivion and not for the sake of grace or envy ( ούτε γουν προς χάριν ούτε προς φθόνον, αλλ ουδέ προς μίσος ή και προς εύνοιαν συγγράφειν χρεών εστι τον συγγράφοντα, αλλ ιστορίας μόνον χάριν και του μη λήθης βυθώ ), reminding of the phrase of Tacitus sine ira et studio, 12 which is quite common in Byzantine historiography. Given that as a megas logothetes he was actively involved in political and military developments, Akropolites pays particular attention to external policy. He does not fail to stress his personal role and his presence in the events he took part in, while it is obvious that he tries to promote the recapture of Δημιουργήθηκε στις 3/8/2017 Σελίδα 1/5

2 Constantinople as the main cause. There is little reference to matters of internal policy. Incidents of social ferment, such as the formation of a group including emerging personages representing the lower classes around the emperor (John III Vatatzes and later Theodore II Laskaris) as well as the rally of the opposed aristocratic circles are poorly covered. There are only some sporadic references to incidents that led to open conflicts. But the information about the offices and the organisation of the administration is considered valuable. The events are presented in chronological order. The political manoeuvres of the Laskaris family are presented in a very vivid way. It seems that Akropolites had overall view of the developments, as he actively participated in most of the cases, while he had access to official sources as well. It is worth mentioning that the author was capable of discerning historical correlations. Not only does he make references to the past, of which the most indicative is the interpretation of the sack of Macedonia by the Bulgarian Czar Kalogiannis ( ), whom the writer calls Romaioctonos (Slayer of the Greeks), an epithet reminding of Basil II Bulgaroctonos (Slayer of the Bulgars); he even proceeds to more general assessments. He refers to the Fourth Crusade and says that it made "an excuse out of the liberation of Jerusalem". The historian successfully puts the Empire of Nicaea in the wider political map. He discusses at length the relations with people and countries and analyses the diplomatic approaches and the military conflicts with the rest of the political forces (such as the Latins of Constantinople, Western countries, Bulgarians, Seljuks, Armenians and Cumans). Although Akropolites tries to be objective, he obviously despises the rival Byzantine state of Epirus and remains steadily silent about the Grand Komnenoi of Trebizond. The emperors portraits, where Akropolites expresses prejudiced views, are revealing. He recognises Theodore I Laskaris as the founder of the Empire of Nicaea, while his military virtues, bravery and generosity are underlined. The references to John III Vatatzes are rather of an encomiastic nature. Vatatzes is described as a competent and brave general, generous patron of letters, humane and modest. It is worth mentioning that in the years of Vatatzes, Akropolites assumed senior posts and the emperor adopted a friendlier attitude towards the revolted aristocrats. The successor, Theodore II Laskaris, came into an open conflict with the dissentient aristocrats, many of whom were exiled. Although in the epitaph for John III Vatatzes Theodore II Laskaris is described with respect and his virtues and education are emphasised, the unfriendly attitude of Akropolites towards the emperor and student of his is obvious in Chronike Syngraphe. Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos is presented as a sovereign sent by divine providence and seems to be particularly dear to the author. The usurpation of the throne and the violent deposition of the legal successor, John IV Laskaris, are not mentioned. It should be noted that Akropolites, although sometimes is prejudiced and makes no mention of his opponents virtues, neither calumniates nor slanders them. The main advantage of Chronike Syngraphe is the reliable information and objective narration. Well-informed about the events, Akropolites names the sources he used. 3. Expressive Means Chronike Syngraphe is clear in its expression and lacks linguistic mannerism, which often characterised earlier historiographers and writers. The narration is brief and composed. The efforts towards rightful criticism and impartiality are impressive, while the exposure of his personality does not weaken this attribute. His language is plain and concise. There are no verbalisms or conventionalities. The writer keeps a distance from all the personages of his work. The brief, yet not stereotypical, physical and spiritual portraits are common. The use of a rich vocabulary including from Homeric words to expressions of the conversational language of the time proves that the writer was highly knowledgeable about the entire Greek literature. Ethnic names are given mainly in their archaic versions (Persians = Turks and Scythians = Cumans), as the common practice of the historiographers of the time was. Realistic scenes contribute greatly to the vivid narration, while there are humorous elements as well. 4. Political Attitude Chronike Syngraphe mainly focuses on the narration of political events, while there are no general elaborations and opinions. Research on this work has revealed the political and ideological views of Akropolites as they result from the text as well as from some elements in the orations, such as the "epitaph for John III Vatatzes". The emperors portraits outline the ideal emperor, according to the writer, who should mainly be a competent general and warrior, a diplomat, a generous patron of letters, welleducated, humane, benevolent and moderate. The comparison between the figures and the policies of Theodore II Laskaris and Michael VIII Palaiologos indicates the attitude and the ideology of an aristocrat opposing to the ascent of the lower classes to power. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 3/8/2017 Σελίδα 2/5

3 1. Theodore Skoutariotes, a historiographer from Cyzicus, wrote a chronography titled Synopsis Chronike after It is an intermixture of events from the world s creation until 1261, while the writer has extensively copied the works of Choniates and Akropolites. It was first published as an independent and autonomous work by C. Sathas [Bibliotheca greaca medii aevi, VII (1894) 1-556], thus it became known as Sathas Synopsis. Heisenberg, A., Analekta, Mitteilungen aus italienischen Handschriftent byzantinischer Chronographen (München1901), identified the writer with Theodore Skoutariotes and discerned the additions concerning the work of Akropolites. 2. Ephraim was a 14th century historiographer and poet. In the long metrical Chronicon (chronicle) he wrote, he edited the text of Akropolites. 3. Krumbacher, K., Geschichte der byzantinischen Literatur von Justinian bis zum Ende des oströmischen Reiches ( ) (München 1897); Greek edit. Ιστορία της Βυζαντινής Λογοτεχνίας, trn. by Γ. Σωτηριάδου, Athens 1900/2), pp Λάμπρος, Σπ., Ακροπολίτης, όνομα παραγνωρισθέν, in ΝΕ 2 (1905), p Prachter, K., Zur Geschichte des Georgios Akropolites, in BZ 14 (1905), pp Jorga, N., Medaillons d histoire litteraire byzantine, in Byz. 2 (1925), pp Andreeva, M.A., Ocerki po klul ture vizantijskogo dvore v XIII veko [Essays on the Culture of the 13th c. Byzantine Court] (Prague 1927), pp Zhavornikov, P., Nekatorye aspekty mirovozrenija Georgija Akropolita [Some Aspects of the Ideology of G. Akropolites], VizVrem 47 (1986), pp The codex Vatic. Barber. 163 first came out in 1651 in corpus Migne (Leo Allatius & Theodorus Dousa publ., Γεωργίου του Ακροπολίτου του Μεγάλου Λογοθέτου, Χρονική Συγγραφή, in MPG 140 (Paris 1651), pp ), and later in the corpus of Bonn ( Georgius Acropolites, Annales, publ. Immanuel Bekker, CSHB (Bonn: Weber, 1836). In the authoritative publication of 1903, Heisenberg published the codex Vatic. Graec. 163, which he considered original, as it is dated from the 14th century. 10. The manuscript of the concise edition was first published in 1614 in modern years. Georgius Logotheta Acropolita, Chronicon Constantinopolitanum... Nunc primum Graece et Latine editum, Notisque illustratum (Ex Bibliotheca Theodori Dousae, Leiden, Govert Basson, 1614). It was republished in 1903, annotated by A. Heisenberg (Georgius Acropolites, Historia in brevius redacta, Georgii Acropolitae opera, vol. I, pp (Leipzig: Teubner, 1903, reprinted Stuttgart: 1978, 1st revised edition, P. Wirth). 11. In its critical publication the work was divided into chapters. The publisher, A. Heisenberg, Georgii Acropolitae opera, vol. I-II (Leipzig: Teubner, 1903, reprinted Stuttgart: 1978, revised by P. Wirth), in the publication of the works of Akropolites, adopted the division of the Chronike Syngraphe into chapters, as Leo Allatius had done in the original publication (Allatius, Leo & Theodorus Douza publ., Γεωργίου του Ακροπολίτου του Μεγάλου Λογοθέτου, Χρονική Συγγραφή (Annales e capta anno Cristi MCCIV a Latinis Cpoli usque ad eamdem anno MCCLXI a Michaele Paleologo recupertatem) (Paris 1651). 12. Τacitus, Gaius Cornelius: Latin historian ( AD), Cornelii Taciti, Annalium Ab Excessu Divi Augusti Libri, publ. C.D. Fisher, 1906, book 1, 1: 15. Βιβλιογραφία : Hunger H., Βυζαντινή λογοτεχνία. H λόγια κοσμική γραμματεία των Βυζαντινών, 2: Ιστοριογραφία, Φιλολογία, Ποίηση, Μ.Ι.Ε.Τ., Αθήνα 1992, Κόλιας, Τ. Συνελλή, Κ. Μακρής, Γ.Χ. Βάσσης, Ι. (μτφρ.) Constantinides C.N., Higher Education in Byzantium in the Thirteenth and Early Fourteenth Centuries (1204-ca. 1310), Nicosia 1982 Angold M., A Byzantine Government in Exile. Government and Society under the Lascarids of Nicaea Δημιουργήθηκε στις 3/8/2017 Σελίδα 3/5

4 ( ), Oxford 1975 Андреева М.А., Очерки по культуре византийского двора в XIII веке, Прага 1927 Τωμαδάκη Ν., Σύλλαβος βυζαντινών μελετών και κειμένων, Αθήνα 1961 Heisenberg A., Studie zur Textgeschichte der Georgios Akropolites, Landau 1894 Κρουμπάχερ Κ., Ιστορία της βυζαντινής λογοτεχνίας 2, Αθήνα 1964, Σωτηριάδου, Γ. (μτφρ.) Jorga N., "Medaillons d' histoire litteraire byzantine", Byzantion, 2, 1925, Macrides R., "George Acropolites", The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 1, New York-Oxford 1991, 49 Prachter K., "Zur Geschichte des Georgios Akropolites", BZ, 14, 1905, Richter G.M.A., "Des Georgios Akropolites Gedenken über Theologie, Kirche und Kircheneinheit", BZ, 54, 1984, П. И. Жаворонков П.И., "Некоторые аспекты мировоззрения Георгия Акрополита.", Византийский Временник, 47, 1986, Λάμπρος Σπυρίδων, "Ακροπολίτης όνομα παραγνωρισθέν", Νέος Ελληνομνήμων, 2, 1905, 159 Σαββίδης Α., "Ακροπολίτης, Γεώργιος", Εγκυκλοπαιδικό Προσωπογραφικό Λεξικό Βυζαντινής Ιστορίας και Πολιτισμού 1, 1998, Δικτυογραφία : Acropolites Georgios George Akropolites ГЕОРГИЙ АКРОПОЛИТ, ЕДИНОБОРСТВО СУЛТАНА С ИМПЕРАТОРОМ: РАССКАЗ ГЕОРГИЯ АКРОПОЛИТА В СВЕТЕ СЕЛЬДЖУКСКИХ ХРОНИК ГЕОРГИЙ АКРОПОЛИТ, ХРОНИКА Γλωσσάριo : megas logothetes The head of the civil Byzantine administration. Megas logothetes was a title used at the end of the 12th century during the reign of Isaac II Angelos ( ), replacing the logothetes ton sekreton, an office which was created during the reign of Alexios I Komnenos ( ) to bring the entire civil administration under the control of a single individual. Πηγές Ephraem, Chronicon, ed. I. Bekker, Ephraemius (Corpus scriptorum historiae Byzantinae. Bonn: Weber, 1840). Georgius Pachymeres, Relations historiques (Συγγραφικαί Ιστορίαι, Libri VI. de Michaele Paleopogo), (ed.) A. Failler, (french) V. Laurent (CFHB nr. 24/1 2, Paris 1984). Δημιουργήθηκε στις 3/8/2017 Σελίδα 4/5

5 Georgius Sphrantzes, Chronicon sive Minus [Sp.], ed. V. Grecu, Georgios Sphrantzes. Memorii (Scriptores Byzantini 5. Bucharest: Academie Republicii Socialiste Romania, 1966), Joannes VI Cantacuzenus, Historiae, ed. L. Schopen, Ioannis Cantacuzeni eximperatoris historiarum libri iv, 1, 68 (Corpus scriptorum historiae Byzantinae. Bonn: Weber, 1828). Constantine Akropolites, Diatheke, ed. M. Treu, DIEE 4, 48 (xx1892). Μαρκόπουλος Α. Φ.,«Θεοδώρου Βʹ Λασκάρεως, Ανέκδοτον εγκώμιον προς τον Γεώργιον Ακροπολίτην», Επετηρίς Εταιρείας Βυζαντινών Σπουδών 36 (1968), pp Παραθέματα Seal of the Megas Logothetes George Akropolites Inscription on the front side: Ο άγιος Γ[ε]ώργιος on the obverse: Ακροπολίτου τας γρα[φ]άς, Μάρτυς, κύρου ομωνυμούντος μεγάλου λογοθέτου Oikonomides, N., A Collection of Dated Byzantine Lead Seals (Washington D.C. 1986), pp. 128, nr. 136 Δημιουργήθηκε στις 3/8/2017 Σελίδα 5/5