SELF-REFERENTIALITY IN HISTORICAL TEXTS OF THE 11TH CENTURY: THE CASE OF MICHAEL ATTALEIATES
SELF-REFERENTIALITY IN HISTORICAL TEXTS OF THE 11TH CENTURY: THE CASE OF MICHAEL ATTALEIATES

Summary/Abstract: This article sets out to conduct a comparative study of the degree of self-referentiality in historical texts of the 10th and 11th centuries. Specifically, it examines the presence, the context and the type of first-person references in the historical work of Michael Attaleiates (11th century) as well as in previous works from the pro-Macedonian literature of the 10th century (notably Genesios, the Vita Basilii and books I–IV of Theophanes Continuatus). The record and comparative study of these references indicate a progressively stronger use of self-referentiality; the latter keeps pace with the evolution of the historiographical genre.

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