16. Procopius in the Far East: Japanese Language Studies and Translations

Abstract

This article looks at the reception of and research on Procopius in Japan(ese). One of the main topics that Japanese scholars discussed in the second half of the twentieth century was Procopius’ description of silkworms from Sêrinda. These studies provide unique insights into this matter, some of which are detailed here. Then, the second part of this article focuses on two recent Japanese translations of the Anecdota, pointing out some of their strong and weak features. These observations reveal that there is still little Japanese material on Procopius, although several works are worth mentioning in relation to the development of Procopian studies globally. Published in Geoffrey Greatrex, ed., Work on Procopius outside the English-speaking World (HISTOS Supplement 9).