Anna Komnene and Her Times

The most prominent Byzantine historian of the European Middle Ages, the princess Anna Komnene is most famous for the epicAlexiad, which marks a departure from the tradition of Byzantine history writing. It provides a vivid account of the state and society of Byzantium and the many clashes with the West during the period of the First Crusade (1081-1118). This significant critical anthology explores the life of Anna Komnene, the Byzantine context in which she wrote, and the impact of theAlexiadon her times and on subsequent historical works of literature.