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9.: CONSTANTINE PORPHYROGENNETOS ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE EMPIRE — ( P. 315-351 ) - Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. 9 [1776]

Edition used:

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, ed. J.B. Bury with an Introduction by W.E.H. Lecky (New York: Fred de Fau and Co., 1906), in 12 vols. Vol. 9.

Part of: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 12 vols.

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9.

CONSTANTINE PORPHYROGENNETOS ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE EMPIRE — (

P. 315-351

)

The treatise of Constantine Porphyrogennetos on the Administration of the Roman Empire is one of the most interesting books of the Middle Ages, and one of the most precious for the early mediæval history of south-eastern Europe. The author wrote it as a handbook for the guidance of his son Romanus. Internal evidence allows us to infer the exact date of its composition. Chaps. 1-29 were composed between 948 and 950; chap. 45 was composed in 952. The work was probably published in 953.

In his preface1 Constantine promises his son instruction on four subjects. He will explain (1) which of the neighbouring nations may be a source of danger to the Empire, and what nations may be played off against those formidable neighbours; (2) how the unreasonable demands of neighbouring peoples may be eluded. (3) He will give a geographical and ethnographical description of the various nations and an account of their relations with the Empire; and (4) enumerate recent changes and innovations in the condition and administration of the Empire. This programme is followed. A summary of the contents of the book will probably interest readers of Gibbon, and it may be divided under these four heads.

I.

(Chaps. 1-12)

Chap. 1.Concerning the Patzinaks, and the importance of being at peace with them.
c. 2.The relations of the Patzinaks with the Russians (Ῥω̂ς).
c. 3.The relations of the Patzinaks with the Hungarians (Τον̂ρκοι).
c. 4.Conclusion, drawn from c. 3 and c. 4, that, if the Empire is on good terms with the Patzinaks, it need not fear Russian or Hungarian invasions, since the Russians and Hungarians cannot leave their countries exposed to the depredations of the Patzinaks.
c. 5.Relations of the Patzinaks with the Bulgarians.
c. 6.Relations of the Patzinaks with the Chersonites.
c. 7.The sending of Imperial ambassadors to the Patzinaks via Cherson.
c. 8.The route of Imperial ambassadors to the Patzinaks via the Danube and the Dnieper.
c. 9.The route of Russians coming by water from Russia to Constantinople. An account of the Dnieper waterfalls (cp. below, vol. x. Appendix 9).
c. 10.Concerning Chazaria. War can be made on the Chazars with the help of their neighbours the Uzes, or of the Alans.
c. 11.Concerning the forts of Cherson and Bosporus, and how the Alans can attack the Chazars.
c. 12.Black Bulgaria (i.e. Bulgaria on the Volga) can also attack the Chazars. [Thus there are three checks on the Chazars: the Uzes, the Alans, and the Eastern Bulgarians.]
c. 13a.The nations which march on the Hungarians.

II.

(c. 13)2

c. 13b.Showing how unreasonable requests on the part of Barbarian nations are to be met. Three such requests, which an Emperor must never grant, are dealt with: (1) for Imperial robes and crowns (of the kind called καμελαύκια); (2) for Greek fire; (3) for a bride of the Imperial family. The authority of Constantine the Great is in all cases to be quoted as a reason for refusal. For the exceptions to (3) see above, p. 347.

III.

(c. 14-46)

3P. 113, l. 6 to end; this piece ought to be a separate chapter.
c. 14.The genealogy of Mohammad.
c. 15.The race of the Fātimids.
c. 16.The date of the Hijra (ἔξοδος of the Saracens).
c. 17.An extract from the Chronicle of Theophanes on the death of Mohammad and his doctrine.
c. 18.Abū Bekr.
c. 19.Omar (at Jerusalem).
c. 20.Othmān.
c. 21, c. 22.Extracts from the Chronicle of Theophanes on the caliphates of Muāwia and some of his successors.
c. 23, c. 24.Iberia and Spain. (Quotations from old geographers.)
c. 25a.Extract from Theophanes on Aetius and Boniface (in the reign of Valentinian III.).
c. 25b.On the divisions of the Caliphate.3
c. 26.The genealogy of King Hugo of Burgundy (whose daughter married Romanus II.).
c. 27.The theme of Lombardy, its principates, and governments. (An account of Italy, containing strange mistakes and curious transliterations.)
c. 28.The founding of Venice.
c. 29.Dalmatia and the adjacent peoples. Gives an account of the Croats and Serbs; enumerates the coast cities of Dalmatia, names the islands off the coast, &c., &c.
c. 30.Account of the themes of Dalmatia. Historical and geographical information about the Croatian and Servian settlements.
c. 31.More about the Croatians (Χρωβάτοι).
c. 32.More about the Serbs (Σέρβλοι).
c. 33.The Zachlums.
c. 34.The Terbuniates and Kanalites.
c. 35.The people of Dioclea.
c. 36.The Paganoi or Arentans.
c. 37.The Patzinaks, their country, history, and social organisation.
c. 38.The Hungarians, their migrations.
c. 39.The Kabars (a tribe of the Khazars).
c. 40.The tribes of the Kabars and Hungarians. More about the Hungarians and their later history.
c. 41.Moravia and its prince Sphendoplok.
c. 42.Geography of the regions from Thessalonica to the Danube and Belgrade: of Hungary and the Patzinak land, as far as Sarkel (fort on the Don) and Russia; of Cherson and Bosporus. Also of Zichia, Papagia, Kazachia, Alania, Abasgia up to Soteriupolis [the lands between Chazaria and the Caucasus].
c. 43.The land of Taron, and its relations with Leo VI. and Romanus I.
c. 44.About Armenia and the principality of Manzikert.
c. 45.About the Iberians, and the history of their recent relations with the Empire.
c. 46.About the genealogy of the Iberians and the fort of Adrunutzion.
c. 47.About Cyprus and how it was repopulated.
c. 48a.Canon of the sixth General Council about Cyprus.

IV.

(c. 48-53)

4See Finlay, ii. 354 sqq., and R. Garnett, the Story of Gycia in the Eng. Hist. Review, vol. xii. p. 100 sqq. (1897), where it is made probable that this episode belongs not to the Byzantine, but to an earlier period of the history of Cherson, probably to 36-16
c. 48b.Transition to part iv.
c. 48c.A note about the invention of Greek Fire.
c. 49.How the Slavs of the Peloponnese were made subject to the church of Patrae.
c. 50a.The Slavs of the Peloponnese; the Melingi and the Ezerites, and their tribute. Likewise concerning the Mainotes and their tribute.
c. 50b.Information concerning (1) changes in some of the themes, (2) the catapans or governors of the Mardaites, (3) the succession of Imperial chamberlains.
c. 51.Concerning the galleys (δρομώνια), first introduced by Leo VI., for Imperial excursions, instead of the old barges (ἀγράρια); concerning their crews; concerning the protospathars of the Phiale (a part of the Palace) to whom the superintendence of this Imperial yacht service was entrusted; and concerning some remarkable naval officers who distinguished themselves in the reigns of Leo VI., Romanus I., and Constantine VII.
c. 52.The tribute of horses imposed on the Peloponnesus in the reign of Romanus.
c. 53.A history of Cherson, beginning with the time of Diocletian. Contains the story of4 Gycia.

10.

[1 ]P. 66 ed. Bonn.

[2 ]The first two paragraphs of c. 13, with the title of the chapter (p. 81, ed. B.), really belong to part i., and should be separated from the rest of c. 13 (which ought to be entitled περὶ τω̂ν ἀκαιρων αίτησεων τω̂ν [Editor: Illegible Greek Character]θνω̂ν).