Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ByzTime (Trajectories in the Byzantine fabric of time: philosophical and narratological approaches to temporal (dis)order in middle Byzantium)
Reporting period: 2021-10-01 to 2023-09-30
Eschatology defined the Byzantine horizon of expectations. The end of times was not only seen as an unshakable truth but also as a pivotal reference point that informed a plethora of attitudes ranging from mundane practices, such as almsgiving and prayer, to theoretical issues, such as the function of justice and the notion of time. The tension – inherent in Christian eschatology – of an already fulfilled but not yet completed salvation history dominated the notion of transient, ephemeral time in Byzantium. ByzTime examined the variegated concept of time during the middle Byzantine period from the vantage point of three distinct yet interrelated literary genres: philosophical treatises, apocalyptic prophecies, and historiographical narratives.
The aim of the project was to produce a series of case studies that would enhance our understanding of the Byzantine conception(s) of time. The primary objectives were the exploration and publication of hitherto unknown Byzantine prophecies, the critical edition of the eschatologically pertinent treatises by the philosopher John Italos, and an investigation of the temporal strategies and typological arguments employed in the histories of Anna Komnēnē and Nikētas Chōniatēs. The synoptic treatment of the diverse source material led to the conclusion that Byzantine literature testifies to the coexistence and overlapping of various “temporal layers”, whose focal point was the eschatological horizon
The aim of the project was to produce a series of case studies that would enhance our understanding of the Byzantine conception(s) of time. The primary objectives were the exploration and publication of hitherto unknown Byzantine prophecies, the critical edition of the eschatologically pertinent treatises by the philosopher John Italos, and an investigation of the temporal strategies and typological arguments employed in the histories of Anna Komnēnē and Nikētas Chōniatēs. The synoptic treatment of the diverse source material led to the conclusion that Byzantine literature testifies to the coexistence and overlapping of various “temporal layers”, whose focal point was the eschatological horizon
The project comprised four key work packages. The first work package involved the acquisition, examination, and collation of the relevant codices as well as library research to identify previously unknown manuscript copies of the philosophical and apocalyptic primary sources. Particular attention was given to libraries in Greece, i.e. the Vlatadōn Monastery (Thessaloniki) and the National Library in Greece (Athens). The other work packages were dedicated to each of the three literary genres. The focus of the philosophical cluster rested on the middle Byzantine philosopher John Italos (fl. 1070s). The project resulted in new critical editions of the works that cover his personal eschatology. It is shown that Italos argued in favor of a spiritual resurrection and universal salvation and that his eschatology had significant political implications, as it inhibited the proleptic justification of the reform agenda of the usurper Alexios I Komnēnos. In addition, an annotated bibliography and an entry in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy were produced, which provide state-of-the-art overviews of the scholarship on the medieval philosopher. Research on the apocalyptic sources resulted, among others, in the editio princeps of the so-called Oracle of Corinth, a tenth-century oracle that conveys a thinly veiled invective against the city of Corinth. The Corinthians stand accused of an opulent and immoral lifestyle, which contradicts the biblical maxims of frugality and purity. The text exemplifies how oracular pronouncements were used to evoke an eschatological horizon in order to contest contemporary practices and to promote reform. In addition, a digital edition of a middle Byzantine Pseudo-Danielic prophecy will be published on the project’s webpage. Concerning the historiographical tradition, ByzTime examined the typological strategy of Anna Komnēnē’s Alexiad and Nikētas Chōniatēs’ History. The researcher established that Chōniatēs’ account of the Emperor Andronikos I Komnēnos advances a balanced narrative of the emperor’s messianic ambition and its anti-messianic counterclaim. The historian is shown to have deconstructed the overtly apocalyptic rhetoric of his age and to have urged the responsible use of prophetic material. Such a de-escalating and de-eschatologizing tendency is a hallmark of the historiographical genre.
With regard to the transfer of knowledge, the fellow attended seminars on transferable skills, including XML/TEI text encoding standards, interview skills, and science communication. He was invited to share his experience on research opportunities and funding schemes in a training session for doctoral students. The fellow conducted a sixth-month-long secondment in Thessaloniki, where he conducted extensive manuscript research, delivered a guest lecture, and deepened his collaboration with Greek institutions of higher education. One outcome was that he co-taught a summer school on the interplay of collective identity and visions of salvation in Byzantium at the Princeton Athens Center (Greece). He also taught a graduate course on the Byzantine apocalyptic tradition at the host institution. Project results were disseminated in eleven communications at conferences, lecture series, and in a podcast. ByzTime led to seven publications, which have either been submitted or are at the final preparatory stage. The project was featured in a newsletter article and was accompanied by a website and social media presence.
With regard to the transfer of knowledge, the fellow attended seminars on transferable skills, including XML/TEI text encoding standards, interview skills, and science communication. He was invited to share his experience on research opportunities and funding schemes in a training session for doctoral students. The fellow conducted a sixth-month-long secondment in Thessaloniki, where he conducted extensive manuscript research, delivered a guest lecture, and deepened his collaboration with Greek institutions of higher education. One outcome was that he co-taught a summer school on the interplay of collective identity and visions of salvation in Byzantium at the Princeton Athens Center (Greece). He also taught a graduate course on the Byzantine apocalyptic tradition at the host institution. Project results were disseminated in eleven communications at conferences, lecture series, and in a podcast. ByzTime led to seven publications, which have either been submitted or are at the final preparatory stage. The project was featured in a newsletter article and was accompanied by a website and social media presence.
The synoptic investigation of the heterogeneous source material produced new insights into the Byzantine notions of time and eschatology. The project excavated literary techniques and typological patterns that constituted narrative strategies commonly used to manipulate time perception in historiographical and apocalyptical compositions. Over the course of the project, dozens of hitherto unknown textual witnesses of medieval Greek apocalypses as well as of the philosophical oeuvre of John Italos were identified. The edition of a previously unpublished prophecy and the critical editions of key treatises by Italos contribute to a better understanding of middle Byzantine eschatological discourses. Among others, it is shown that Italos’ philosophical eschatology reveals tacit socio-political implications that are of perennial topicality. In addition, due attention was drawn to the literary and cultural value of Byzantine apocryphal apocalypses. The generic openness of those texts and its resultant methodological challenges were explored in depth. Emphasis was also given to the enduring legacy of medieval Greek prophecies in terms of geographical and temporal scope. The wider implications that this legacy holds for the history of the Mediterranean presents an area for further research. The systematic study of the largely unexplored manuscript transmission of Byzantine apocalyptic literature was identified as another desideratum.