Introduction to Byzantine Philology

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the subject, methods, objectives of science and to the literary and secretarial production of Byzantine Literature. Also, it presents the periods, the evolution, the species and the important figures and works of the Byzantine literary production from the foundation of Constantinople till the fall of 1453.

Objectives

The aim of the course is for the student to: recognize the limits, the methods and the objectives of the “Byzantine Studies” science, recognize and distinguish the different literary genres cultivated during the Byzantine period, show the evolution of these secretarial species and their basic characteristics per period, know the most important representatives of each genre and their works, understand the convergences and divergences of Byzantine literature in comparison with the corresponding classical, know linguistic and syntactic peculiarities of the Byzantine texts written in classicising and vernacular language and to translate texts of Byzantine literature into the new Greek.

Prerequisites

Need nothing

Syllabus

During the presentations, the student will be able to hear several quotations from historiographical, rhetorical, poetic (religious and secular), epistolary and hagiographical texts, as well as geographical and military manuals.