Abstract:
This study focuses on the discourse of usurpatory rebellions in Byzantium in the eleventh and twelfth centuries through a detailed analysis of three primary sources from the period. Being historical narratives of one of the most turbulent periods in Byzantine history, these sources aimed at creating an apology for the protagonists of their (hi)stories, who were usurper-emperors who seized the imperial throne through violent rebellions. These texts can also be seen as an attempt of reconciliation between the ideology and reality of a society, in which rising up against the emperor was both an anomaly and common occurrence. Although it lacks comprehensiveness with regard to time and material, this study aims at fulfilling the need for an unprecedented reading and analysis of the literary strategies of Byzantine authors in dealing with the controversial concept of rebellion.
