Tarih

Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library #16

by Michael Attaleiates, Bilge Umar (Translator)

Attaleiatès’in Tarih’i, 1034 yılının olaylarıyla anlatımına başlar ve 1080 yılına kadar gerçekleşen gelişmeleri anlatır. Dolayısiyle, I. Alexios Komnènos’un, kendisine pek değer veren İmparator Nikèphoros Botaneiatès’i devirip onun yerine geçmesinden az öncesine gelmişken, anlatımına son verir. Kitabın yazımına Botaneiatès döneminde başlandığı, yapıtın ona ithaf edilmesinden ve başta bu hükümdara medhiye türünde bir parçaya yer verilmesinden anlaşılıyor. Botaneiatès’in yazarımızı pek el üstünde tuttuğu; ona sırasıyla Patrikios (Romalılardaki Patrici’nin karşılığı), Magistros (Romalılardaki Magistra’nın karşılığı), Proedros (Başkan), Bestè (Romalılarda Vestiarius; Esvapçıbaşı) ünvanlarını verdiği de biliniyor. Belki de, koruyucusunun devrilmesi sonrasında, “Artık olan bitenlerin tadı tuzu kalmadı, bunları anlatmaya bile değmez” diye düşünerek yazımına ve anlatımına son vermiştir.

Genres: History, Medieval, Nonfiction

326 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1079

Reviews

[Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best early medieval era chronicles out there. It's more vivid and thrilling to read than a lot of fantasy books out there, go figure. The prose is so powerful it shines even through translation. This copy has both the original Greek and English translation, great for those studying Byzantology. The battle scenes are better than most fantasy out there, I felt as if I'd been transported to the 11th century and watched the whole thing through the eyes of Attaleiates. It is that good. Another thing to note is that the author's voice is quite strong and you can see him growling about the things he doesn't approve and cursing the bad guys who run the empire to the ground.

I have been so marvelled by the writing style and the strong personality of Attaleiates, I ended up writing him into a character in my own semi-historical fantasy series. The emotional intensity of this chronicle is second to none. This book is so intense, it made me forget everyone involved here was 1000 years dead and weep in a few places. Too bad they don't write such majestic history chronicles anymore.

I highly recommend this book to the folks studying Byzantine history, medieval history in general, and authors doing research for works of fiction.

[Anatolikon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This shall be a brief review given that this is an excellent edition and a much needed translation of an important Byzantine historical text. As per usual in the review of a primary source, I am only reviewing the edition and not Attaleiates' work or his skill as an historian. Michael Attaleites was a legal official in the mid-late eleventh century in Byzantium, and was sufficiently placed in high positions to witness or have access to the materials needed to produce a good history. What we have here begins around 1034 and ends around 1079/80. The text presents Nikephoros III Botaneiates as a true saviour of the Roman Empire, and even has some good things to say about his loyal general Alexios Komnenos. Evidently, then the text was not reworked after 1081 when that supposedly loyal general usurped the throne from Botaneiates. The chronological scope of the text is similar to that of Psellos' 'The Chronographia', although the focus is refreshingly different. While Psellos wrote about himself and palace politics in Constantinople, Attaleiates gives most of his attention to military matters, and thus the two texts complement each other nicely, and the ending books of Attaleiates also provide a slightly different version of events described in the beginning of Anna Komnene's 'Alexiad'. This text certainly raises some important questions about both Psellos and Anna: where is Nikephoritzes in Psellos, and moreover, where is Psellos in Attaleiates? In the 'Chronographia' Psellos writes himself in as one of the most important characters of the mid-late eleventh century, but evidently Attaleiates did not share that view.

The edition and translation themselves are of a high quality.

[Johnathan Sorce · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read for better understanding 11th century Byzantine history. Attaleiates's book really helps to fill in some of the blanks left by Anna Komnene and Michael Psellos, especially in relation to the reign of Michael VII Doukas and the Battle of Manzikert, since Attaleiates was an eyewitness to the latter. In fact, Attaleiates's account of Manzikert is probably one of the most interesting portions of the book - it presents a view of the battle which is very different from what I have heard from other sources. Attaleiates is biased in favor of the emperor Romanos IV, which is very unusual for a source like his - he thus helps to provide a balancing view to other writers, particularly Psellos. It's also a really interesting read as it helps to shed light on some aspects of Byzantine consciousness, such as an emphasis on portents and on generosity. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who wants to understand more about the Byzantine empire during this period.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This edition of the History of Michael Attaleiates as translated by Anthony Kaldellis and Dimitris Krallis is published by the Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library. Although the price was quite steep, the production values of the book are superb. The pages are a joy to touch, with smooth creamy paper. Right-hand pages show the translation whilst the left-hand pages have the original Greek.

This is the only currently obtainable English translation of this very important work, and Dumbarton Oaks have done a magnificent job with it. An utterly beautiful book.

[Eileen Iciek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great primary source for 11th century Byzantine history. Written in a lawyerly way, since the author was, in fact, a lawyer.

[Jarod · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eye-witness to it all, you can hear Attaleiates grinding his teeth through the translation as he reports his country's disintegration, and he's not just benefitting from hindsight. Many, probably a majority of medieval Romans would have had sounder judgment and better souls than the short-sighted fools run amok in the imperial purple that are his only bad guys (though he allows himself a single, frustrated, anti-Jewish epithet). Faithfully, he recounts, mourns, and marvels at the series of headstrong decisions and incredibly variable fortune that immediately precede the Alexiad's desperate, heroic scramble for survival.

[Astor Teller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Byzantine history which is already covered by Michael Psellos and John Skylitzes, and from the text you can see that Michael Attaleiates is a fawning fan of Nicophoros Botaneiates, and his praise is very over the top (and goes on and on) but good if you are looking for boilerplate superlatives to use in a speech.

My advice is to read Psellos first, then Skylitzes and if you still want more, you can read Attaleiates.

[Roberto Golović · Rating 5 out of 5]

Corrects the historiographical injustice Michael Psellos had done to emperor Romanos IV Diogenes.

[Lulu · Rating 5 out of 5]

c. 1079/80