The Ceremonial Book of Constantine Porphyrogennetos

The Ceremonial Book of Constantine Porphyrogennetos rilHE treatise on the ceremonies of the Byzantine court, X commonly known by the title Dc Cerimoniis, is ascribed to Constantine VII in the unique manuscript in which it is jireserved. 1 It is clear that, if this attribution is true, it is not completely true of the text which has come down to us, since this text contains some passages relating to events subsequent to Constantine's death.These passages, which will be noticed below, led Keiske to throw out the conjecture that the original compiler was not Constantine VII, but his grandson, Constantine VIII. 2 As there is no evidence whatever to connect Constantine VIII with the work this suggestion, which Keiske only put forward tentatively, has met with no favour; and it is now generally admitted that the original compilation belongs to the reign of Constantine VII. 3 A careful examination of the treatise leaves no room for doubt that this is the case; but there is considerable uncertainty as to the limits of the work in its first shape and the extent of the later additions.Thus Rambaud concluded that the greater part of book ii.dates from the end of the tenth century.' 1 Besides the problem of determining how the work came to 1 In

Ancient history · Archaeology · Byzantine Studies and History · Classical Antiquity Studies · Historical and Religious Studies of Rome · History

• Paul the Silentiary and Claudian

  Open Access•Mary Whitby•The Classical Quarterly•1985

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