Open AccessOrestes and Pylades in Byzantine historiography: Two examples
Author(s) -
Dusan Korac,
Radivoj Radić
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
zbornik radova vizantološkog instituta/zbornik radova vizantološkog instituta
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2406-0917
pISSN - 0584-9888
DOI - 10.2298/zrvi0744191k
Subject(s) - byzantine architecture , friendship , emperor , mythology , historiography , byzantine studies , metaphor , literature , art , classics , history , ancient history , philosophy , archaeology , sociology , theology , social science
This article analyzes two instances where Byzantine historians Anna Komnene and Nikephoros Gregoras used a syntagm about intimate and dedicated friendship between two ancient Greek mythological heroes, Orestes and Pylades. In The Alexiad it is a story about the brotherly relations between Alexios and Isaac Komnenoi, and in the Roman Histories Nikephoros Gregoras compares them to two contemporary rulers, two very close allies - the Byzantine emperor John Kantakouzenos and the Seljuk emir Umur. In both instances Byzantine writers very skillfully employed the metaphor about the friendship of Orestes and Pylades