Zonaras’ Working Method and Treatment of His Sources

Abstract

Abstract Chapter 3 investigates Zonaras’ method of work and the manner in which he treats and adapts his sources. The foundation of his methodology is the adherence to a single source which provides him with the basic structure of his account. One of the key features of the Jewish section of the Epitome is the strong emphasis Zonaras places on the connection of his text to Flavius Josephus’ historical works. What characterizes Zonaras’ method in his presentation of pre-Constantinian Roman history is his attempt to adapt the data he collects from his Roman sources, Cassius Dio’s Roman History and Plutarch’s Lives, to make them meaningful and interesting to the Byzantine audience. His account of post-Constantinian Empire concentrates mainly on the Constantinopolitan environment. In the narrative of Byzantium, the dominant principle of Zonaras’ methodology is the attention to the portrayals of famous historical figures, mostly emperors.