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The Classification of Byzantine Literature in the Library of Congress Classification Knowl. Org. 28(2001)No.2 85 A. Sitas: The Classification of Byzantine Literature... The Classification of Byzantine Literature in the Library of Congress Classification Anestis Sitas Anestis Sitas holds a Diploma in Library Science from the School of Library Science at TEI, Thessa- loniki, Greece, and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Aristotle University in Thessaloniki. He is currently studying for his doctorate. He has worked as a librarian at the Public library of Thessalo- niki and as documentalist in the Documentation Center of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. Since 1990 he has been a cataloguer at the library of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, Greece. Since 1992 he has been teaching Library of Con- gress Classification at the School of Library Science of TEI in Thessaloniki. Sitas, A. (2001). The Classification of Byzantine Literature in the Library of Congress Classifi- cation. Knowledge Organization, 28(2).85-94. 12 refs. ABSTRACT: Topics concerning the Classification of Byzantine literature and, generally, of Byzantine texts are discussed, ana- lyzed and made clear. The time boundaries of this period are described as well as the kinds of published material. Schedule PA (Supplement) of the Library of Congress Classification is discussed and evaluated as far as the handling of Byzantine literature is concerned. Schedule PA is also mentioned, as well as other relevant categories. Based on the results regarding the manner of han- dling Classical literature texts, it is concluded that a) Early Christian literature and the Fathers of the Church must be excluded from Class PA and b) in order to achieve a uniform, continuous, consistent and reliable classification of Byzantine texts, they must be treated according to the method proposed for Classical literature by the Library of Congress in Schedule PA. 1. Introduction Greek literature, which was composed inside or out- side the boundaries of the Byzantine Empire and con- Often, when we want to refer to subjects about stitutes the link between the ancient literature, writ- Medieval Greece, we do not use the term “Medieval”; ten in Classical Greek, and the modern literature, instead, we use the word “Byzantine”. The Byzantine written in the Modern Greek language (dimotiki). period extends from the time the Empire was formed Byzantine literature is “bilingual”, i.e. there are until its decline and fall. The name “Byzantium” was used two completely different forms of the same lan- not used during the existence of the Empire; the term guage. On the one hand, there are the texts, all writ- used at that time was “East Rome” or “New Rome”. ten in the secular language (high form, often referred After the 7th century the character of the Empire as “Byzantine”), and on the other hand there is the changed so much under the strong influence of Helle- every day language used by the people, called “di- nistic civilization that it became essentially Greek. modi”. In many texts we can detect the simultaneous Starting in the 16th century, the name “Byzantium” presence of different language types and idioms. The came into use, in order to distinguish it from the rest relation between the two types of the language dif- of the Roman Empire. fered from time to time throughout the history of the By using the term Byzantine literature we are not Empire and in each case depended on the cultural and restricted by geography. As far as literary authors are political pursuits and balances of each time period. concerned, it should be clarified that authors who Thus, whereas the every day language of that time write in one language are classed under the literature was leading to Modern Greek, the language of adminis- of the language in which they have written in the Li- tration as well as of the major part of Byzantine lit- brary of Congress Classification (LCC) (Subject Cata- erature continued to be based on Hellenistic Greek or loging Manual: Classification, 1992, F632). The term Koine, the form of the language during the establish- “Byzantine literature” is used to refer to the Medieval ment of Alexander’s empire in the 4th century B.C. 86 Knowl. Org. 28(2001)No.2 A. Sitas: The Classification of Byzantine Literature... The Byzantine texts cover a period of about 1100 2.1. Beginning of the Byzantine period years. So it is only natural that they cover all domains of knowledge and that certain issues and types of ma- The Library of Congress, in the class numbers terial appear in Byzantine literature that occasionally about the studies of this period, places the end of confuse the classifiers. Classical literature around 600 A.D. (Class P-PA, Clarifications need to be made for issues such as the 1968, p.47). In contrast, the class numbers about Indi- Byzantine language, which can be found in the begin- vidual authors of Classical literature have, until re- ning of subclass PA (PA1000-1179) and not in PA cently, been placed in 700 A.D. (Class P-PA, 1968, (Supplement). LC prefers to use a continuous series of p.83). In the newest electronic publications this dis- numbers for positioning the Greek language as a crepancy has been corrected and 600 A.D.1 is now unique whole. Other issues concern either the lack of also the date mentioned in the Individual authors. class numbers for internal subarrangement of text col- Obviously, the Library of Congress, realizing that the lections of some particular types of Byzantine poetry, two different given dates confused classifiers, went on or the confusion of the classification of Byzantine to make this correction. In any case, what must be- folk literature with Greek folk literature. Also there is come clear here is that what the schedule essentially a special provision for the placement of the Byzantine shows is the end of the Classical period and, therefore, Cypriot literary texts which must not be confused the beginning of the Byzantine is marked by the reign with contemporary Cypriot literature. Similarly, the of the Emperor Justinian the 1st (reigned 527-565 adaptations and imitations of other non-Greek texts A.D.) (Johnston, 1993, p.75), a date also accepted by are placed under the caption of Byzantine literature. Karl Krumbacher, the father of the history of Byzan- Explanations regarding special types of material tine literature (1958, v.1, p.2). such as historiography and chronography, which are related but are different types of texts, have to be dis- 2.2. End of the Byzantine period cussed. The proper placement for commentaries by Byzantine authors about classical authors, needs to be Historically, the Byzantine period ends in 1453 explained as well. Another important type of material (fall of Constantinople), but the LCC (Library of comprises the texts of individual philosophers and all Congress Classification) prefers to place the end of the the accompanying literature. And finally, the texts of Byzantine period and, therefore, the beginning of the Christian literature as well as those of the Fathers of modern period in 1600, even though the year 1453 the Church form one of the most important parts of would be more easily recognizable, since it is a time Byzantine literature, which has to be treated carefully mark in the collapse of the Byzantine Empire. None- in order to avoid confusion between it and Christian theless, even such an important event could not stop literature. the literary production of that period. Some of the The problems presented in classification of Byzan- most reliable scholars on the Byzantine and modern tine texts are significant and complicated, particularly Greek literature, such as K. Krumbacher (1958) and L. when regarding texts not completely literary. We take Politis (1975, p.3) respectively, choose the year 1669 most of the information about the intentions and (fall of Crete to Ottoman rule) as the boundary be- manner in which LC (Library of Congress) treats tween the two periods. This date is preferable and bet- Byzantine texts from the category of Classical litera- ter represents the periods of Byzantine literature. ture. For this reason, there will be frequent references Nevertheless, we must be aware that “every kind of to Class PA (Classical Philology and Literature) in division, no matter how practical or necessary it may this article. be, does not cease to be arbitrary” (Beck, 1971, p.viii). For this reason, it is advisable to be flexible when it 2. Period of Byzantine Literature comes to placing some authors who are on the bor- derline of different periods of Greek literature. In its Classification schemes, the Library of Con- So, for example, Gregorius Naziansenus, d. 362-380 gress places Byzantine literature from 600 A.D. until A.D. is included in the classical authors in the scheme 1600. Before we discuss its classification, it would be (PA3998. G73), with the note that his theological useful to comment on the time limits of this period. works are classified in BR60-65 and BR1720. That is to say, he is placed partially in classical literature, whereas it would be preferable if all his works were classified in BR, since he is one of the most impor- Knowl. Org. 28(2001)No.2 87 A. Sitas: The Classification of Byzantine Literature... tant Fathers of the Church. Procopius of Caesarea, fl. – History and Criticism 527-562 is placed in the Byzantine literature (PA5340) PA5107 Study and teaching according to Schedule PA, whereas according the PA5109 Biography of critics, historians, etc., same Schedule PA, Sozomenus, 5th century is placed A-Z in BR60-65 and BR1720, that is, in the Christian lit- PA5151 Historical poetry erature but not in the Byzantine.
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