A fascinating book
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An excellent account of an era where the main focus for us in the West is 1066 and the Crusades. The different perspective that it provides is refreshing.
There seemed to be a particular resonance in the chapters dealing with the First Crusade and peoples crusade. Maybe because this links in with Western history. I found the translation very readable although was tantalised by some of the literal translations for the descriptions of people in the foreword that had been toned down in the main text.
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An invaluable account
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There is no doubt that the Alexiad is a biased account, but so is practically every other medieval account of this kind.
When this is taken into consideration and the source is looked at in a objective point of view, it becomes clear that the Alexiad gives us an invaluable insight into the reign of Alexius I Comnenus and the First Crusade from a Byzantine perspective. The Alexiad is also fairly readable in comparison to many other sources of the time and it definately benefits from an accurate and fairly modern translation.
This isn't really the kind of book i'd choose to read for leisure purposes. But as a contemporary account for the life of Alexius I Comnenus and Byzantine perspectives of the Latins in the years surrounding the First Crusade, this is possibly the most complete and important account in existence.
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Good effort
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When I had finished reading this book i almost certainly needed a stiff drink! I think Anna Commena did try hard but even with her repeated claims that she isnt biased you can tell that she is. I thought she did well but Im glad that she didnt write a sequal!!! It was long and full of annoying anecdotes. Some parts were intereasting but others were not!
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