Accounts of Medieval Constantinople: The Patria (Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library)

I found this account in equal measure both fascinating and frustrating. Like most books I have read about medieval Constantinople, these snippets into the physical appearance of the city, although tantalizing, fall short of actual factual reconstructions as I suppose the writers just assumed one knew about the places they mention and would automatically have in ones mind what the building looked like and where it was located. It is also fascinating to me as to how thoroughly forgotten were the original histories of the various sculptures that adorned the city and the bizarre and simplistic stories were concocted about them. Although Constantinople was the heir to the glories of the past and even it's layout was of a classical city, the inhabitants seem to know so little about them. The book was a somewhat unpleasant revelation to me, but I recommend it.

Admittedly, this is probably going to appeal most to somewhat more than a casual reader. This edition has a parallel Greek and English text for those who can read Byzantine Greek. Fairly typically for an ancient text it does not provide a lot of detail except in Book 4 on the Building of Hagia Sophia. The rest of the text is short paragraphs describing who built which church or other building and why. It doesn't read like a novel, but for someone who has been to Istanbul (Constantinople) it is interesting to read about places they have actually been.

The book was in the condition that the seller described. I recommend it for everyone who is interested in first hand accounts of Constantinople.Most of the curiosities about the city that are scattered in other books are described in this book in one place.

Awesome book

A fascinating - and illuminating - look at the Constantinople during the so-called Byzantine Dark Ages. An important resource that is thankfully in print!

Enormously useful to have a translation at last of these works. If you want to see the now vanished monuments of Constantinople, this is gold.

A well documented piece that provides considerable depth to the understanding of life within the city of Constantinople during a period of great change.

The Patria is an explanatory description of a 'historical record' of the city of Byzantion from its origin between the 7th century bc. - to the christianization by Constantine the Great around the 4th century a.d. However, the book was not written until around the 10th century during the heart of the middle ages, it is a first time translation which exposes historians and readers alike to 3 various works of art. The authors both known and anonymous compiled the historical works in the Patria, Parastaseis and the Diegesis. We often know about Byzantium as Byzantium but how did Byzantium come into existence? During Greek antiquity it was known as Byzas. What was the city like during this time and how did it develop over the centuries to become the center of the known world? The Patria discusses Byzas as its origin with an illustration through myth, legend and the structures which defined the city. The Parastaseis describes the beautiful sculptures and temples which were still in existence in the 3rd century a.d., (already nearly 1000 years had passed since Byzas) and finally the Diegesis illustrates the wondrous campaign originating with Constantine I to his son and the emperors to follow in building the great cathedral to christ in the world - - Hagia Sophia. Each of the 3 literary works of art are unique in describing the ancient city and its rise and fall in glory and defeat. Through sacrifice and vision, each emperor shaped Byzantium to become the Constantinople and finally to Istanbul which we know of it in the modern era. .

An anonymous account of Medieval Constantinople. Good quality translation from Greek to English,

Vorliegendes Werk beinhaltet eine vom Herausgeber auf das 10 Jhd. datierte Lokalgeschichte, die Byzantion/Konstantinopel behandelt.Das von einem oder mehreren Verfassern erstellte Werk gliedert sich in vier Bücher. Buch I. behandelt die legendarische Frühgeschichte Byzantions bis hin zur Neugründung durch Kaiser Konstantin I. Buch II u. III. bieten einen topographischen Katalog der (antiken) Statuen und Gebäude Konstantinopels, die jedoch vielfach von Legenden und offensichtlichen Fälschungen durchsetzt sind. Buch IV. bietet eine ebenfalls stark legendenhafte Erzählung über die Erbauung der Hagia Sophia unter Justinian I.Aufgrund der Tatsache, das der/die Verfasser offensichtlich stark zum fabulieren neigten, ist der Text mit äußerster Vorsicht zu geniessen. Dennoch bietet er wertvolle Hinweise auf das Selbstverständnis hinsichtlich des kulturellen Erbes der Metropole am Bosporus im 10 Jhd.Auch wenn mich die geringe Seitenzahl (bei dem Preis!) dann doch erst abgeschreckt hat, so erhält man mit den Bänden der DOML (wie auch LOEB ebenfalls von Harvard verlegt!) ein qualitativ hochwertiges Produkt, das sich gut in der heimischen Bibliothek macht.

Estas ediciones illustres son necesarias a todas bibliothecas de educado hombre.Imagen aqui non transmite, pero estos libros tienen áurea capa móvil. Aquella dentro es purpúrea. Trahen cinta de páginas.Aún solo leí partes e no puedo opinar de toda traducción, pero parece bién.Hellénicas letras son muy dignas.Cualidad de libro es excellente.