Re-Reading the Vita Constantini: the Philosopher in Constantinople

Author(s): Ralf Cleminson / Language(s): English Issue: 14-15/2015

The paper argues that the debate with John Grammaticus in the fifth chapter of the Vita Constantini was a historical event. It is placed in the narrative immediately before Constantine’s participation in the mission to the Saracens, which is identified with that which took place in 855/856: this requires the emendation of a single character in the Vita, giving Constantine’s age as 29, not 24. (This also means that he could have been appointed chartophylax, and deacon, at 25.) It is suggested that the debate took place at the very end of 855, when it would have been relevant to political circumstances.

The Kievan Manuscript of Synopsis Basilicorum major

Author(s): Dorotei Getov / Language(s): English Issue: 14-15/2015

The aim of this article is to provide a basis for evaluation of the place of a new Greek witness in the manuscript tradition of a major source for the history of Byzantine Law – the Synopsis Basilicorum major. The author describes exhaustively the main texts and scholia in cod. Kiev, National Library of Ukraine, Φ. I № 137/2. His new comprehensive description supplements and corrects the one published in a recent catalogue by Ievhen Chernukhin.

The Neapolitan Wall Calendar From a Medieval Slavic Perspective

Author(s): Cynthia M. Vakareliyska / Language(s): English Issue: 14-15/2015

This paper examines correspondences between unusual saints’ commemorations in the 9th-century Latin Neapolitan Wall Calendar and medieval Slavic calendars of saints, focusing on the menology to the Bulgarian Apostolus No. 882, the Zograph Trephologion (Draganov Menaion) and Palauzov Menaion, and the menology to the Ohrid Apostol. The analysis is based on data from Archimandrite Sergij’s collation of Slavic and Greek calendars of saints, and from the author’s electronic menology collation, for which Professor David J. Birnbaum developed the digital blueprint.

Motifs of Bulgarian History in Chronologia Magna and Satyrica Historia by Paulinus of Venice

Author(s): Stilyana Batalova / Language(s): English Issue: 14-15/2015

This paper contains the first publication of printed excerpts related to Bulgarian history from two historical compilations by Paulinus of Venice. Chronologia Magna sive Compendium is presented according to lat. 4939, National library, Paris (14th c.) and Satyrica historia – according to Ms 445, Jagiellonian library, Cracow (15th c.). As the study and analysis of these manuscripts demonstrate, the compendia contain many accounts related to Bulgarian history – from the formation of the Bulgarian state in 681 up to the dynastic marriage of the Latin emperor of Constantinople Henry in 1213. All of the motifs from Bulgarian history, which Paulinus selected and included, are significant and fully aligned with the aims, which he had set himself in the prologue to Satyrica historia. These motifs are not merely a compilation of successes and failures, but are to form a body of well researched information, which will serve to edify posterity, based on the historical experience of the Roman and other kingdoms. Interpreting the evidence in Paulinus’ accounts in light of his stated approach, it appears that after their appearance on the European stage (681) the Bulgarians played the role of the defenders of Christian Europe (717) and the armament of God (811 г., 1205 г.). Their joining the Christian family of the European people is also recounted (865) through the example of the determination and beatitude of the Bulgarian ruler who defended the new faith even against his own son. Additionally, the Bulgarians are described as participants in events related to Byzantine history (705), as well as being adversely affected by the expansion of the unconverted Hungarians (907, 970, 1003). The accounts related by Paulinus are re-workings of earlier sources he was apparently well acquainted with. It can be argued that the present publication identified those sources with significant accuracy. The mistakes in the dating that occur in Paulinus’ compilations are often attributable to him connecting events to significant historical episodes or historical personalities, around which he builds a whole chapter or rubric of the narration. Sometimes the anachronisms are due to the sources he used. The study of the context, in which motifs related to Bulgarian history are placed allowed me to identify the sources of the material and the method of compilation employed by Paulinus of Venice. Last but not least, the analysis of the content of the motifs allowed me to establish that Dandolo mainly used information from Historia satyrica, but perhaps also consulted with Chronologia magna. He included in his chronicle almost all the motifs from the works of Paulinus, with the exception of the chronological note on the death of Nicephorus I Genik and the episode on Walter Senzavohir. Thus, the publication of the fragments from Historia satyrica and Chronologia magna clarified the origin of those passages in the chronicle of Andrea Dandolo about which D. Angelov wrote that they are connected to earlier historiographical sources but their origins are in need of further investigation.

Историята и културата на Самуилова България в българската научна книжнина от 2014–2016 г.

Author(s): Georgi N. Nikolov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 53-54/2016

Rituály středověku a raného novověku v recentní české a polské historiografii

Author(s): Tomáš Malý / Language(s): Czech Issue: 02/2021

The study summarises Czech and partially Polish texts on medieval and early modern rituals which have been written in the last three decades. The historiographical preoccupation with rituals and ceremonies is subject to criticism, or it is related to the developments in recent European historiography. We can conclude that both Czech and Polish historians primarily focused on the rituals of the monarchy, which they viewed from the perspective of the main actor, i.e., the king, and considered them a reflection of the political power. Contrary to anthropologists, who are interested in cultural meanings and categories, historians leaned more towards a socio-historical perspective. Descriptions, which partly result in the confirmation of the main actors’ positions of power and partly in an insight into the everyday life and material culture of the power elite, are prominent in the texts. The overall result is a rather reduced reception of anthropological perspective in the analysis of ritual. The current knowledge, essentially dependent on the quality of the existing sources, could be expanded by taking inspiration from spatial studies, e.g., methods developed in recent archaeology, as the conclusion of the study shows.

САМУИЛОВА КРЕПОСТ – ИСТОРИЯ НА ОБЕКТА И ВЪЗМОЖНОСТИ ЗА ЕКСПОНИРАНЕ

Author(s): Sotir Ivanov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 22/2023

The medieval fortifications of Tsar Samuel in the valley of the Strumeshnitsa River were first identified by Bogdan Filov in 1916. The National Park-Museum “Samuil’s Fortress” construction is a wellplanned and executed project. The first step is the settlement of the site’s legal status. In 1965, comes the declaration of Samuil Fortress as an architectural and structural monument of culture of Antiquity and the Middle Ages with the category “of national importance” (State Gazette No. 32/1965) and according to §10 of the Cultural Heritage Act (State Gazette No. 19/13.03.2009, amended and supplemented) has the status of a registered single archaeological immovable cultural property with the category “of national importance.” The second step includes the archaeological investigations from 1968 to 1976, which proved the identity of the registered fortifications on the Samuil Fortress hill with those described in medieval sources. Unfortunately, no strategic plan for archaeological investigations has been drawn up, and consequently, the entire length of the rampart has yet to be investigated. As a result, the configuration, the authentic level, the main approach to the fortification, the construction of the fortification on the hill, and its relationship to the rest of the fortification system built between the mountains Belasitsa and Ograzhden are not completely clear. The third step in realizing the Samuil Fortress relates to constructing King Samuel’s and his warriors’ sculptural compositions. The sculptor, prof. Boris Gondov is the author, along with the architects Rositsa Gon- 164 dova and Evgenia Kashavelova. As a result, in the construction of the memorial composition at the foot of the Samuil Fortress hill, a harmonious synthesis between architectural, sculptural volumes and the natural setting, set against the backdrop of the Belasitsa and Oгражден mountains, was achieved. The fourth step relates to the work of the National Institute of Immoveable Cultural Heritage. In just three years, from 1980 to 1982, the institute developed a complex project for the conservation and exposure of the Samuil Fortress. Opened on 23.10.1982, the National Park-Museum “Samuil’s Fortress” is more a memorial, monumental-decorative, and artistic than an archaeological and historical view of Bulgarian history. It creates a significant gap in the exposition related to the importance of King Samuel and the Battle of the Kliuchka Gorge for Bulgarian history. Our joint project with Billa Bulgaria from 15.07.2020 allowed the use of possibilities for virtual exhibitions that do not require a physical display, have relatively low maintenance costs, and offer online access. During the project, the exhibition concept was significantly changed. Among the essential activities are the 16 holographic showcases and one holographic pyramid, a Plexiglas’s frame with graphics of the protective facilities and dugouts, and their interactive presentation, respectively, videos with subtitles in English.

Муслим ал-Найсабури и методът на ислямската религиозно-правна традиция

Author(s): Desislava Vladimirova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 6/2023

Изследване на Балканите през Комниновата епоха

Author(s): Ivayla Popova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2024

За средновековната арабска полемика срещу берберите и тяхното практикуване на исляма

Author(s): Desislava Vladimirova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2024

The group of Arabic medieval authors critiqued and condemned the practices of Islam among the Berber tribes in North Africa. This article delves into the medieval debate surrounding Berber Islam, exploring key themes and interpretations of Arab-Berber relations and the unique aspects of intra-religious dynamics in the medieval Islamic West. Through a comparative analysis, it examines medieval Arabic perspectives on the origins of the Berbers, the nature of Berber Islam, accusations of heterodoxy, and the perceived absence of urban culture. The essay also explores Arab authors’ perspectives on Berber rule during the Almoravid (1054–1147) and Almohad (1121–1269) periods. By examining polemical examples, it sheds light on the intricate political landscape of the Maghreb. A detailed investigation into the characteristics of Berber Islam provides insights into the Arab approach to governance in the region, as well as the successes and shortcomings thereof. The consistent negative portrayal of Berbers in Arabic narratives underscores underlying issues within the medieval Islamic politico-religious framework.

Solar Deity in Japanese Mythology

Author(s): Danijela Vasić / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

In order to create an orderly state, the first imperial chronicles emerged in the early 8th century in the territory of modern Japan through the integration and systematization of mythical elements that proved the legitimacy of the government and the descent of the imperial Yamato lineage from the supreme deity of the Shinto pantheon - the Great Sun Goddess Amaterasu. This mythic paradigm was created on the existing mytho-historical foundations fostered by cultural and political contacts with the Korean kingdoms and the Chinese empire. There is evidence that the cult of the solar deity, originally portrayed as a male principle, originated in a corpus outside the Yamato mythological system. And since male-female pairs of rulers were common (first it was the gods, later the ruler and the shamaness), it is possible that at some point the distinction between the sexes was blurred and then the female side prevailed. However, the female ancestral deity does not indicate a period of matriarchy. This symbolic type of goddess, who initiates a patrimonial lineage with rare female exceptions, was created by members of a privileged group of powerful men to legitimize their own power structures. Moreover, the cult of the mother goddess is not limited to the solar principle, but is associated with weaving, silk production, and agriculture. Thus, the simple assertion that the Yamato imperial lineage descended from the goddess Amaterasu raises numerous questions and doubts, which this essay attempts to answer.

Кирило-Методиевската проблематика в книжнината на Охридската архиепископия (ХІ – ХІІІ В.)

Author(s): Iliya Iliev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2023

Литературната дейност, която се развива в рамките на Охридската архиепископия през периода от нейното възникване в началото на XI в. до времето, когато Димитър Хоматиан заема архиепископския престол в Охрид (началото на XIII в.), е разнообразна и богата Важно място в нея заемат въпросите, свързани с делото на светите братя Кирил и Методий и пренасянето на това дело в България по времето на княз Борис I. Това се дължи на факта, че тези въпроси са били използвани от охридските архиепископи за отстояване на независимия статут на архиепископията по отношение на Константинополската патриаршия. От най-съществено значение за проследяване на кирило-методиевската тема в съчиненията на висшия църковен клир, оглавявал архиепископията през разглеждания период, са следните извори: Климент Охридски, известно още като Дългото житие на Климент, написано от архиепископ Теофилакт през XI в.; 2) Запазеният списък на охридските архиепископи, съставен в средата на XII в. по времето на архиепископ Йоан Комнин (т.нар. Дюканжов списък); и 3) Краткото житие на свети Климент Охридски, написано през XIII в. от архиепископ Димитрий Хоматиан.

The jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Ohrid through the centuries (1019 – 1767)

Author(s): Angeliki Delikari / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2023

The history of the Ohrid Archbishopric, which researchers have been studying for more than two centuries, is a favourite topic of Slavists (historians, theologians, art historians). In different chronological periods, this Byzantine archbishopric has been the central object of the claims of the Byzantine, Bulgarian and Serbian churches. The importance of the archbishopric also depended on the extent of the territory under its jurisdiction. The function of the archbishopric was ecclesiastical and political. It acted not only as an autocephalous ecclesiastical organization, but also as an institution supporting political structures.

Tsar Samuel in the Ideological Concept of the Ohrid Archbishopric Tradition and Invention (11th-17 century)

Author(s): Mitko Panov / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2023

The paper treats the issue on the reconstruction of the image of Tsar Samuel from the perspective of the Ohrid Archbishopric. The snapshots from the sources starting from Basil II’s sigillia and other official acts, reveals that the representation of Samuel was largely shaped in accordance with the ideological concept of the Ohrid Archbishopric. Depending on the political constellation and the momentary aims of the ideological propaganda, Samuel was either recognized as the fundamental ruler and inseparable part of the traditions of the Ohrid Archbishopric, or was completely excluded within the constructed theories about the origin оf the Archbishopric. The leading people in the Ohrid Archbishopric constantly modified and constructed the ecclesiastical traditions for the purpose of reinforcing the position and the status of the Archbishopric, in which the Christian saints were also exploited. This tendency also found reflection in the alteration of the original legend about Vladimir and Kosara, that served Archbishopric’s pretensions for obtaining the leading role among the Orthodox Christians in the Balkans. Hence, from the reading of the official works composed for or from the Ohrid Archbishopric we can notice the tendency for adapting, constructing and manipulating the traditions emerging from Samuel’s political and ideological program, that involved the cults and legends originating in Prespa and Ohrid, wherefrom we receive opposed and distorted images of Samuel. Their deconstruction is the main goal of this paper.

Два орнитоморфни графита от храма „Св. София“, Константинопол

Author(s): Thomas Thomov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2023

The first graffito-drawing, from the northern gallery, that we present here contains a heraldic eagle. Byzantium inherited from Rome the use of the one-headed eagle as one of the emblems of imperial power, but it seems that its use as a military insignia disappears too quickly. However, the reliefs, as well as the miniatures, retain the tradition of the one-headed eagle for a long time. Due to the fashion of the eastern fabrics, which turned the two-headed eagle into dominate ornament on the palace garments during the Komnenian period, the usual one-headed eagle was almost completely replaced by this new, imaginary version. The body of the graffito eagle has a teardrop shape and with its almost round top finds a close parallel to some of the eagles on the eastern tissues. However, other details point out to the Byzantine tradition of embroidered silk textiles and reliefs. All this could points to a relative dating of the graffito between the 10th and 13th century.The second graffito is a double-headed eagle standing in heraldic pose from the southern gallery. The graffito drawing represents later image of a crowned double-headed eagle, since the examples with such a motif are more common in the 14th and 15th centuries, when it appears on marble reliefs, textiles with embroidery, seals, coins, sgraffito ceramics and manuscript illustrations. From the end of the XIV – the beginning of the XV century one can find that the heads of double-headed eagles begin to appear with crowns or, very often, a little lily. Based on all the details, but most of all the wings and the shape of the torso, as well as the spur on the left leg, it is possible to accept the relative dating of the first of the graffiti drawings within a time span between the 14th – 15th centuries. The Greek inscription (Tornikios) could hypothetically linked some representative of the famous Armenian (or Georgian) family with the depicted two- headed eagle.It seems to me that in the ornitomorphic-graffiti from the Church of Hagia Sophia is impossible to see nothing than a general image of power or a triumph of good.

АРХЕОЛОШКИ ЛОКАЛИТЕТ „МАЛ КАЈАСИ“ – С. БАНСКО, СТРУМИЧКО (Археолошки истражувања и конзервација на средновековната црква)

Author(s): Dushko Cvetanov,Trajce Nacev / Language(s): Macedonian Issue: 23/2024

The archeological site ,,Mal Kayasi“ is located in the area of the village Bansko. It is a Late Antique fortification that was also operational during the Middle Ages. The fortress is located on one of the protruding hills on Mount Belasica, about 0,7 km southwest of the Roman Thermal spa. Some authors, here locates the Termica fortress (Θερμιτζα), which is mentioned in the chronicles of John Skylitzes, as one of the most important fortresses used by Tsar Samuel in the Strumica area. The first archaeological excavations were conducted during 2017, and then during 2019. A small part of the northwestern side of the acropolis was uncovered, where the late Antique fortress is located, as well as a single-nave church, which is located about 70 meters south of the fortress. According to the primary knowledge, this sacral building was built in the 12th–13th century and existed, probably until the Ottoman conquests of this area. It is built of slabs of stone, and lime mortar is used as a binder. The church was covered with frescoes. Two layers of frescoes have been found. A small single-nave church was built for the spiritual needs of the crew in the medieval fortress, or it was part of a small monastery complex.

Iuris ratio et aequitas в Codex Theodosianus и Corpus iuris civilis (Codex Iustinianus и Digesta)

Author(s): Dorothea Valentinova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2025

Roman philosophy, literature, and law offer some of the most well-structured and coherent theories of justice as the foundational principle underlying human existence and society, without which their future becomes inconceivable. Two interconnected concepts – aequitas and iustitia – are central to the Roman conception of justice. This article seeks to reconstruct the concept of aequitas and its relationship with iuris ratio (viewed through the lens of universalis iustitia), drawing on selected texts from the Codex Theodosianus (5th century) and the Corpus Iuris Civilis (Codex Iustinianus and Digesta, 6th century).

Османската мерна единица чифт волове: континуитет и приложение

Author(s): Orlin Sabev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2025

This article examines the origins and application of the Ottoman agro-fiscal unit known as the “pair of oxen.” Its roots can be traced to the agricultural practices and taxation policies of pre-Ottoman societies, including the Byzantine and Seljuk empires, as well as earlier civilizations such as the Roman and ancient Persian societies. Historically, the pair of oxen served as a benchmark for assessing the productive capacity and wealth of farmers, forming the basis for taxation. The author provides examples illustrating that this system persisted in the Bulgarian lands until the very end of Ottoman rule.

Шведската историческа школа – дългият път от изживяването на националния романтизъм към интегрирането в европейската научна мисъл

Author(s): Katina Yoneva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2025

Considering that the historical periodization of Scandinavia is not yet conventionally set, the earliest human occupation of Northern Europe is also uncertain and has been the subject of intense debate for a long time. The Norse were the first to reach the region; however, the Viking sagas were recognized as poorly documentary sources beyond their role in providing information about their cultural and societal models. The number of Scandinavian written documents is rather limited especially before the fourteenth century. After the twelfth century, a substantial number of works appeared mainly as a result of European influence due to the process of Christianization and the new dynasty system. Nevertheless, the blooming of such historical writings in Sweden began in the first half of the eighteenth century. Тhey presented the product of the efforts of remarkably distinguished array of scientists, who established fruitful scientific relationships with the academies of the prominent European countries. Olof von Dalin popularized the ideas of the Enlightenment, which he expressed in his easily readable works, rising to popularity among the modern Swedish society. Even though historical texts revealed a lot of interesting information about the major events of the past, these writings were often distorted by the personal opinions and perspectives of the authors. Such books (like Rudbeck’s “Atlantica”) boosted the patriotic theory that Sweden is indeed the cradle of civilization. Correspondingly, this study looks not only at the classic historical works of undoubted scholarship, but also at the contemporary criticism towards different scientific dogmas of previous times.

Хронология товарно-денежных отношений в средневековом городе Аспара (по нумизматическим материалам

Author(s): Pavel N. Petrov,A.E. Rogozhinsky / Language(s): Russian Issue: 16/2024

The purpose of the paper is to introduce the numismatic record from Aspara city-site (Kazakhstan) into scholarly discussion. The coins were collected during archaeological research in 2021—2023. For the first time since 1964, 43 coins were discovered, including 33 attributable finds. With the aim to assess the relative level of commodity-money relations in medieval Aspara, comparative analysis of numismatic record from the medieval city of Nuzket (Shish-tube city-site in Kyrgyzstan) was carried out. The attributable coins from Aspara belong to the following states: the Türgesh Qaghanate, the Tang dynasty, the Samanids dynasty, the Eastern Qarakhanid Qaghanate, the Qara Khitai, the Northern Song dynasty, the Chaghataid Khanate, the state of Amir Timur, and the Khoqand Khanate. The Khoqand coin was lost in Aspara when the city no longer existed. The authors have established the fundamental possibility of the beginning of the activation of commodity-money relations in Aspara in the 8th century. It was recorded that the coin circulation has been interrupted there at least three times: first in the 9th century, then from the late 10th to the mid-11th century, and finally from the second decade of the 13th to the early 14th century. Commodity-money relations ceased in the early 15th century (apparently, after the death of Amir Timur). There is a need for further study of this archaeological site.