Prologues to Ancient and Medieval History: A Reader

by Justin Lake (Editor)

Overview

The purpose of a prologue in the ancient and medieval world was to define the subject of the work, explain the author's motives and methodology, and obtain the reader's approval of his position. This volume brings together for the first time the most important historical prologues of the European tradition for a period of almost two millennia.

The volume consists of more than 80 historical prologues and prefatory epistles from the fifth century BC to the fourteenth century. Each individual prologue is preceded by a brief introduction that provides basic information and context about the author and his work and directs the reader's attention to important ideas and themes. Taken together, they help to bridge the gap that separates the ancient and medieval world from our own.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442605053
Publisher:	University of Toronto Press
Publication date:	02/06/2019
Series:	Readings in Medieval Civilizations and Cultures , #17
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Justin Lake is an Assistant Professor of Classics in the Department of International Studies at Texas A&M University.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: Antiquity (500 BCE-500 CE)

1. Hecataeus of Miletus, Genealogies
2. Herodotus, Histories
3. Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War
4. Polybius, Histories
5. Diodorus Siculus, Library
6. Aulus Hirtius, Preface to Book 8 of Caesar’s Commentaries on the Gallic War
7. Sallust, Catiline's War
8. Sallust, The Jugurthine War
9. Livy, History of Rome
10. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities
11. Flavius Josephus, The Jewish War
12. Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews
13. Tacitus, Agricola
14. Tacitus, Histories
15. Tacitus, Annals
16. Florus, Epitome of Roman History
17. Justin, Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus
18. Herodian, History of the Empire after Marcus
19. Jerome, Chronicle
20. Eunapius of Sardis, History after Dexippus
21. Sulpicius Severus, Life of Saint Martin
22. Rufinus, Ecclesiastical History
23. Orosius, Seven Books of History against the Pagans

Chapter Two: The Early Middle Ages (500-900 CE)

24. Jordanes, On the Summary of the Eras, and the Origin and Deeds of the Romans (Romana)
25. Jordanes, On the Origins and Deeds of the Goths (Getica)
26. Procopius, Wars
27. Procopius, Secret History
28. Agathias, Histories
29. Gildas, On the Destruction and Conquest of Britain
30. Gregory of Tours, Histories
31. Fredegar, Chronicle
32. Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People
33. Paul the Deacon, Roman History
34. Einhard, Life of Charlemagne
35. Frechulf of Lisieux, Chronicle
36. The Astronomer, Life of Emperor Louis
37. Nithard, Histories
38. Agnellus of Ravenna, The Book of the Bishops of the Church of Ravenna
39. Erchempert, History of the Lombards of Benevento

Chapter Three: The Central Middle Ages (900-1100)

40. Regino of Prüm, Chronicle
41. Odo of Cluny, Life of Saint Gerald of Aurillac
42. Flodoard, History of the Church of Rheims
43. Liudprand of Cremona, Antapodosis
44. Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim, The Deeds of Otto
45. Widukind of Corvey, Saxon History
46. Heriger of Lobbes, Life of Remaclus/Deeds of the Bishops of Liège
47. Letaldus of Micy, The Miracles of Saint Maximin
48. Letaldus of Micy, Life of Saint Julian
49. Richer of Saint-Rémi, Histories
50. Aimoin of Fleury, History of the Franks
51. Dudo of Saint-Quentin, Deeds of the Normans
52. Adalbold of Utrecht, Life of Emperor Henry II
53. Raoul Glaber, Histories
54. Wipo, Life of Emperor Conrad II
55. William of Jumièges, Deeds of the Norman Dukes
56. Lampert of Hersfeld, The Book of the Foundation of the Church of Hersfeld
57. Adam of Bremen, Deeds of the Archbishops of Hamburg-Bremen
58. Geoffrey Malaterra, On the Deeds of Count Roger of Calabria and Sicily, and of Duke Robert Guiscard, his Brother

Chapter Four: The High and Late Middle Ages (1100-1400)

59. Fulcher of Chartes, History of the Expedition to Jerusalem
60. Guibert of Nogent, The Deeds of God through the Franks
61. Hugh of Fleury, Ecclesiastical History
62. Gallus Anonymus, Chronicles and Deeds of the Dukes and Princes of the Poles
63. Eadmer, History of Recent Events in England
64. Cosmas of Prague, Chronicle of the Bohemians
65. Galbert of Bruges, On the Murder, Betrayal, and Death of the Glorious Count Charles of Flanders
66. William of Malmesbury, Deeds of the English Kings
67. Geoffrey of Monmouth, History of the Kings of Britain
68. Orderic Vitalis, Ecclesiastical History
69. Robert of Torigni, Chronicle
70. Alfred of Beverley, Annals, or History of the Deeds of the Kings of Britain
71. Otto of Freising, Chronicle, or History of the Two Cities
72. Otto of Freising and Rahewin, Deeds of Emperor Frederick I
73. Henry of Huntingdon, History of the English People
74. John of Salisbury, Memoirs of the Papal Court
75. Helmold of Bosau, Slavic Chronicle
76. William of Tyre, Chronicle
77. Gerald of Wales, The Topography of Ireland
78. Gerald of Wales, The Journey through Wales
79. Ralph de Diceto, Abbreviations of Chronicles
80. William of Newburgh, History of English Affairs
81. Gervase of Canterbury, Chronicle
82. Niketas Choniates, History
83. Saxo Grammaticus, History of the Danes
84. Roger of Wendover, Flowers of History
85. Nicholas Trevet, Annals of Six Kings of England
86. Ranulph Higden, Polychronicon
87. Anonymous, The Eulogy of Histories
88. Jean Froissart, Chronicle

What People are Saying About This

Chris Wickham

This book is a terrific idea. It is cutting edge, given the current discussions about metatexts and paratexts. But most of all, it is useful as a thought-operation. This remarkable collection of the programmatic introductions to most of the major narratives of the Latin and Greek world across two thousand years will be a boon for students of history-writing and a stimulating collection for academics. It will be the best way to understand how the aims of history-writing have changed.

From the Publisher

This book is a terrific idea. It is cutting edge, given the current discussions about metatexts and paratexts. But most of all, it is useful as a thought-operation. This remarkable collection of the programmatic introductions to most of the major narratives of the Latin and Greek world across two thousand years will be a boon for students of history-writing and a stimulating collection for academics. It will be the best way to understand how the aims of history-writing have changed.

Editorial Reviews

The subject matter and the overarching temporal spread [...] commend this book as a suitable text for teaching. It provides a valuable overview of two thousand years of European interest in its own past.—Parergon

This book is a terrific idea. It is cutting edge, given the current discussions about metatexts and paratexts. But most of all, it is useful as a thought-operation. This remarkable collection of the programmatic introductions to most of the major narratives of the Latin and Greek world across two thousand years will be a boon for students of history-writing and a stimulating collection for academics. It will be the best way to understand how the aims of history-writing have changed.—Chris Wickham, Chichele Professor of Medieval History, University of Oxford

From the Publisher

The subject matter and the overarching temporal spread [...] commend this book as a suitable text for teaching. It provides a valuable overview of two thousand years of European interest in its own past.

Parergon