Fate, Divine Phthonos, and the Wheel of Fortune: the Reception of Herodotean Theology in Early and Middle Byzantine Historiography

Authors

  • Vasiliki Zali

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/histos88

Keywords:

Choniates, Christian, Greek religion, Herodotus, pagan, Procopius, Psellus.

Abstract

Herodotus enjoyed wide popularity among Byzantine historians. Within a Christian society, his complicated religious outlook and his moral viewpoint were of interest to the historians while at the same time presenting difficulties for their perception of historical causation. This article traces the responses of three early and middle Byzantine historians to Herodotus’ religious views. I focus in particular on the significance which three concepts central to Herodotus’ religious and historical thought—fate, divine phthonos, and the wheel of fortune— hold in selected passages from Procopius’ Wars, Michael Psellus’ Chronographia and Nicetas Choniates’ History. I argue that these three concepts are not merely employed as literary devices but can help elucidate the theological and historical views of the Byzantine historians. Published in Anthony Ellis, ed., God in History (HISTOS Supplement 4), p. 85-126.

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Published

2015-01-01

How to Cite

Zali, Vasiliki. 2015. “Fate, Divine Phthonos, and the Wheel of Fortune: The Reception of Herodotean Theology in Early and Middle Byzantine Historiography”. Histos, January, 85-126. https://doi.org/10.29173/histos88.

Issue

2015: HISTOS Supplement 4: God in History: Reading and Rewriting Herodotean Theology from Plutarch to the Renaissance, edited by Anthony Ellis (2015)

Section

Articles

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