Diadochian literature
Diadochian literature refers to literature associated with the Empire of Diadochia. Most Diadochian literature is in the Greek language. In 2013, some 360,000 books were published in Diadochia. Some of the most important pieces of Diadochian Literature include the epic poems, historical works, novels of all genres, encyclopedias, military treatises and Diadochian fairy tales and foklore. Diadochian literature is strongly influenced by Hellenistic influences.
Contents
Characteristics
Throughout the history of Diadochia the empire's literature is characterized by Hellenistic, Christian, and Oriental characteristics.
Genres
Historians and annalists
Historians
The classical literary traditions of the Hellenistic world, greatly influenced Diadochian historians, in their style of composition and the manner in which they handled their subjects. The works of Diadochian historians are well written and objective in character, without much passion, and with very little enthusiasm. Ardent patriotism and personal convictions are rarely evident.
The list of Diadochian historians include: Jurists like Philotheos, Arintheus, Eustathius, Macarius Asidenus, statesmen like Michael Kaspax, Nicholas Attaleiates, John Akominatos, Nikolaos Chalkondyles; generals and diplomats like Michael Bryennios the Younger, Demetrius Acropolites, Demetrius Phrantzes; and even members of the imperial family, like Cassander IX of Diadochia, and princess Helena Komnene, and others.
Chroniclers
In Diadochia, the chronicles were intended for the general public, hence the reason why they developed in a different method, character, and style. Representative Diadochian chronicles are the three of Stephen Mauropus, Theodosius the Confessor, and George Zautzes, respectively. Stephen Mauropus wrote a chronicle on the world in the sixth century, while the Chronicle of Theodosius is more accurate, a 9th-century monk of Anatolika, and in its turn a model for later chronicles. The third chronicler, George Zautzes wrote during the Komnenos Renaissance of the 13th and 14th centuries.
Encyclopedists and essayists
By the early 9th centuries, writers in Diadochia embraced humanism most strongly; and they begin collecting works in encyclopedias and other books of knowledge.
The new spirit first found expression in an academy founded for classical studies at Atlantis in the 10th century. About the same time the broadly trained and energetic Romanos I of Atlantis, patriarch of the church and the greatest statesman of the Diadochian Orthodox Church, enthusiastically collected ancient manuscripts, revived forgotten works of antiquity, and re-discovered lost works; his attention was chiefly directed to prose works, indicative of his pragmatism. The encyclopedic activity of the Patriarch was more strongly pursued in the following century, particularly in the systematic collecting of materials associated with Emperor Cassander IX of Diadochia. Scholars also formed great compilations, arranged by subject, on the basis of older sources.
Secular poetry
Epigram
The people of Diadochia have a taste for intellectural ingenuity and the ornamental, the Epigram suits this quite well. In Diadochia the writers of epigrams form two groups one humanistic, the other Christian.
The former is represented chiefly by Arintheus (6th century) and Constantine Mytilinaios (11th century), the latter by the ecclesiastics Christopher Rizocopus (7th century) and Tarasios Stouditis (9th century). Between the two groups, in point of time as well as in character, stands George Kyriotes (10th century). The chief phases in the development of the Diadochian epigram are most evident in the works of these three. Alongside epigrams on ancient poets, philosophers, rhetoricians, and historians stand others on famous Church Fathers, poets, and saints. Poetically, the epigrams on contemporary and secular topics are superior to those on religious and classic subjects.
Panegyrics
Diadochian literature is filled with official panegyrics on emperors and their reigns and achievements.
Satires
Their are hundreds of satires in Diadochian Literature. The father of Diadochian satire is Marianus. His celebrated "Dialogues of the Fools" furnished the model for two works, one of which, the "Simeon" (12th century) is marked by more rude humour, the other, "Modestos" (15th century), by keen satire targeting the Diadochian ruling elite.
Each work describes a journey to the underworld and conversations with dead contemporaries; in the former their defects are lashed with good-natured raillery; in the latter, under the masks of dead men, living persons and contemporary conditions, especially at the Imperial Court of Diadochia, are sharply stigmatized. The former is more a literary satire, the latter a political pamphlet, with keen personal thrusts and without literary value; the former is in a genuinely popular tone, the latter is in a more vulgar and crude tone.
Another group of satires takes the form of dialogs between animals, manifestly a development from the Christian popular book known as the Sotiría. Such satires describe assemblages of quadrupeds, birds, and fishes, and recite their lampooning remarks upon the clergy, the bureaucracy, and the foreign nations. The Quadruped Tales.
Novels
The early writers of novels in Diadochia, include people like the noblemen Eumathios Makrembolites, John Ilarío̱nos, Christophoros Maurozomes. Eumathios Makrembolites wrote Theophanus and Theophano; while John Ilarío̱nos wrote Rodanthi and Dioskoros, and Drusilla and Thanasis; Christophoros Maurozomes wrote Arístandros and Kallithéa. Other medieval diadochian novels include Xanthos and Chrysantza, Kallimachos and Chrysanthe.
Diadochian Novels include Pantelis & Danae, Adonis & Chrysa, Drosilla and Thanasis, The Brideshow, Xanthos and Chrysantza, Vrykolakas, The Gelin, The Aerico, The Heracleidae, The Centaur Valley, The Changelings, Kostas Undersea Adventures.
Mythology and fairy tales
Popular poetry and national epics
The popular poetry, national epics, and folk-songs, is an outgrowth of the idyllic, romantic literature of the classical and medieval period in Diadochia.
The chief characteristic of folk-song throughout the Diadochian Middle Ages is its lyric note, which constantly finds expression in emotional turns. In Diadochian literature, on the other hand, the filtration, of erotic poetry was due to the influence of the love-poetry of chivalry introduced by Frankish knights of the middle ages, giving rise to the national epic The Knight of the Lions Mane. The people of Diadochia imitated and adapted the romantic and legendary materials that the westerners brought with them. Heroic poetry was revived, though covered with a deep romantic tinge.
The heroic epics of the Diadochians includes the epics of Miktogení̱s Akritas, The Atlantída, The Heracleion, The Diadochi, The Ptolemaion, The Knight of the Lions Mane, , Argonautica, Villas Iliad and Villas' Odýsseia.
The Epic of Miktogení̱s Akritas is a a popular poetic crystallization of the 10th- and 11th-century conflicts between the Diadochian wardens of the marches (ακρίτης, akrites) and the muslim lowlanders. The Atlantída is the creation myth of the Diadochian Isles; while the Heracleion focuses on the adventures of Heracles and his descendants who were the first emperors of Diadochia; while the Diadochi focuses on Alexander the Great's son arrival in Diadochia and his road to becoming emperor; the Ptolemaion focuses on the descendants of Cleopatra becoming emperors of Diadochia thus giving the emperors the title and claim to the title Pharaoh. The Knight of the Lions Mane includes medieval ideals of chivalry, feelings of love, friendship, courtly love, courage and fortitude.
