MYTHOLOGICAL MOTIVES IN THE CHRONICLE OF JOHN MALALAS RELATED TO THE ORIGIN OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTION AND REGAL INSIGNIA Cover Image

МИТОЛОГИЧНИ МОТИВИ В ХРОНИКАТА НА ЙОАН МАЛАЛА ЗА ПРОИЗХОДА НА ЦАРСКАТА ИНСТИТУЦИЯ И НА ВЛАДЕТЕЛСКИТЕ ИНСИГНИИ
MYTHOLOGICAL MOTIVES IN THE CHRONICLE OF JOHN MALALAS RELATED TO THE ORIGIN OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTION AND REGAL INSIGNIA

Author(s): Yordanka Moskova
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature, Bulgarian Literature, Philology
Published by: Шуменски университет »Епископ Константин Преславски«
Keywords: Chronicle of John Malalas; Tsar Simeon I; mythological motifs

Summary/Abstract: The article discusses the mythological motifs in the Chronicle of John Malalas related to the etiology of the royal institution and the regal insignia. The study relies on the three Slavonic copies of the chronicle known as the Archive, Warsaw and Vilnius ones. The functional analysis of the Slavonic text reveals the author's manipulative attitude to the mythological stories and characters, which aim to present the ancient divine pantheon as a fairy version of the monotheistic Christian model and to explain the ancient origin of the royal institution, spatial symbols, imperial insignia and linguistic manifestations of kingship. The thesis that the translation of the Chronicle of John Malalas was made at the time of Tsar Simeon I is corroborated. This text was needed for the theoretical and historical understanding of the royal (imperial) institution which was also relevant for the Bulgarian state doctrine.

  • Issue Year: 2012
  • Issue No: 12
  • Page Range: 210-221
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: Bulgarian