A Resource for the Study of the Corinthia, Greece

Here’s the final installment of the translation of later Greek texts about the 9th century Byzantine admiral, Niketas Ooryphas.  Most scholars who have worked on the diolkos have cited Pseudo-Sphrantzes’ Chronicon Maius (“Longer Chronicle”) as the only later evidence for Niketas dragging his fleet.  But as previous posts on the Life of Basil, John Skylitzes &…

Another translated text of Niketas Ooryphas, the Byzantine admiral, this one by the 12th century Byzantine historian John Zonaras in Epitome historiarum (lib. 13–18), Page 430 line 9.  Zonaras’ version shows influence both by the Vita Basilii and John Skylitzes / George Kedrenos.  I set the Zonaras text in parallel with the Life of Basil.  The original Greek text…

In the late 11th and early 12th centuries, respectively, John Scylitzes and George Cedrenus both wrote works titled Synopsis Historiarum. The former’s Synopsis begins with the year 811 AD and continues through 1057 AD, while  Cedrenus’ Synopsis begins with the creation of the world and concludes in the year 1057 AD. Both provide a version…

Over the next week, I’ll be providing translations of all the Byzantine passages narrating Niketas Ooryphas’ transshipment of vessels over the Corinthian Isthmus in the early 870s AD.  Today’s installment is Theophanes Continuatus Chronographia (pp. 300-301 in the Bekker 1838 edition), which narrates the life of the Emperor Basil I.   See Paul Stephenson’s brief explanation of this source.…