The first miniature from the Bulgarian translation shows the author (right) next to tsar Ivan Alexander and Jesus Christ.

Constantine Manasses (Greek: Κωνσταντῖνος Μανασσῆς; c. 1130 – c. 1187) was a Byzantine chronicler who flourished in the 12th century during the reign of Manuel I Komnenos (1143–1180). He was the author of a Synopsis Chronike (Σύνοψις Χρονική, "summary chronicle"), which narrates history from the creation of the world to the end of the reign of Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1081), sponsored by Irene Komnene, the emperor's sister-in-law. It was probably written around 1150, shortly before Irene's death.[1] It consists of about 7000 lines in political verse. It obtained great popularity and appeared in a free prose translation; it was also translated into Bulgarian in the 14th century.[2][3] An Arabic translation written in 1313 is now hosted at the British Museum.[4]

Manasses also wrote the poetical romance Loves of Aristander and Callithea, also in political verse. It is only known from the fragments preserved in the rose-garden of Macarius Chrysocephalus (14th century). Manasses also wrote a short biography of Oppian, and some descriptive pieces (all except one unpublished) on artistic and other subjects.[2]

References

  1. ^ Treadgold, Warren (2013). The Middle Byzantine Historians. Springer. pp. 388–399. ISBN 9781137280862.
  2. ^ a b  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Manasses, Constantine". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 541.
  3. ^ Chronicle edition: Bekker, Bonn 1837; the Bulgarian translation, Cronica lui Constantin Manasses, by Ioan Bogdan and I. Bianu, Bucharest, 1922.
  4. ^ Constantine Manases, Chronicle. British Library.

Media related to Constantine Manasses at Wikimedia Commons

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