The work known as Pseudo-Kodinos, the fourteenth-century text which
is one of two surviving ceremonial books from the Byzantine empire,
is presented here for the first time in English translation. With
facing page Greek text and the first in-depth analysis in the form
of commentary and individual studies on the hierarchy, the
ceremonies, court attire, the Blachernai palace, lighting, music,
gestures and postures, this volume makes an important new
contribution to the study of the Byzantine court, and to the
history and culture of Byzantium more broadly. The unique traits of
this ceremony book include the combination of hierarchical lists of
court officials with protocols of ceremonies; a detailed
description of the clothing used at court, in particular, hats and
staffs; an account of the functions of the court title holders, a
description of the ceremonies of the year which take place both
inside the palace and outside; the service of the megas domestikos
in the army, protocols for the coronation of the emperor, the
promotions of despot, sebastokrator and caesar, of the patriarch; a
description of the mourning attire of the emperor; protocol for the
reception of a foreign bride in Constantinople all these are
analysed here. Developments in ceremonial since the tenth-century
Book of Ceremonies are discussed, as is the space in which
ceremonial was performed, along with a new interpretation of the
'other palace', the Blachernai. The text reveals the anonymous
authors' interest in the past, in the origins of practices and
items of clothing, but it is argued that Pseudo-Kodinos presents
descriptions of actual practice at the Byzantine court, rather than
prescriptions.
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