Spalatensia Porphyrogenitiana. Some Issues Concerning the Textual Transmission of Porphyrogenitus’ Sources for the Chapters on Dalmatia in the De
Spalatensia Porphyrogenitiana. Some Issues Concerning the Textual Transmission of Porphyrogenitus’ Sources for the Chapters on Dalmatia in the De

Summary/Abstract: The problem of written sources that the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus used when he composed Chapter 29 of the treatise De administrando imperio (i.e. the description of Diocletianís palace and the city of Split as well as their association with this Roman emperor) was recently scrutinized by Serbian historian Tibor Živković. Basing his opinion on several linguistic characteristics of the mentioned text as well as on some chronological coincidences, he assumed that the source used by the author of the DAI should be - via so-called Summary about the Emperors (Epitome de Caesaribus) - identified with the lost Annales, written by the late Roman historian Virius Nicomachus Flavianus (died in 394). Živković's arguments are considered in detail, denying the possibility that the sources used by Porphyrogenitus and his editorial staff had anything to do with Flavianusí Annales. Finally the author submits his own explanation of the link between the Epitome de Caesaribus and DAI.

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