Introduction: Poetry in Byzantine Literature and Society (1081–1204)

Nikos Zagklas, Baukje van den Berg

Research output: Contribution to Book/Report typesChapterpeer-review

Abstract (may include machine translation)

This introduction sets the stage for the different chapters of the volume by offering general considerations about the production and consumption of poetry in twelfth-century Byzantium.
It takes as its point of departure the period beginning from the moment that Alexios I Komnenos ascended the imperial throne in 1081 to the Latin sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade in 1204. This period saw an unprecedented growth in the production of poetry, as well as various innovative literary developments, including the emergence of vernacular poetry, the extensive use of poetry for ceremonial and didactic purposes at the imperial court and beyond, and the mixing of poetry and prose in so-called schede. While many poets were active in Constantinople, a large amount of the surviving poetry was written in places far away from the Byzantine capital, particularly in southern Italy and Sicily. The introduction discusses the social and intellectual contexts of twelfth-century poetry, addresses issues of geographical distribution and material circulation, and introduces some of the key figures and texts of the Komnenian period.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPoetry in Byzantine Literature and Society (1081-1204)
Subtitle of host publicationNew Texts, New Approaches
EditorsNikos Zagklas, Baukje van den Berg
Place of PublicationCambridge
PublisherCambridge University Press
Pages1-28
ISBN (Electronic)9781009467292
ISBN (Print)9781009467322, 9781009467308
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024

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