http://dx.doi.org/10.18778/2084-140X.01.20 Book Reviews 235 Rafał Kosiński, The Emperor Zeno Religion and Politics, Towarzystwo Wydawnicze „Historia Iagellonica”, Cracow 2010, pp. 289 [= Byzantina et Slavica Cracoviensia, 6] The reign of the emperor Zeno, al- In the first Introduction( , p . 13–29), the author though it has drawn the attention of scholars, presented the significance of Zeno’s religious has not yet been a subject of monographic policy and characterized sources that formed works, with the exceptions of the written in the the basis of his inquiry . In the second (Decisions late 19th century, difficult to get and rather gen- of the Council of Chalcedon: Acceptance and eral work by Wilhelm Barth1 and the unpub- Opposition (451–471), p . 31–55) he showed the lished doctoral dissertation of Benno Schwark2 . situation of the Byzantine Church during the This gap is superbly filled by Rafał Kosiński, a two decades after the Council of Chalcedon . young Polish byzantist who can already boast Part three (Zeno, p . 57–59) was devoted to the – significant scholarly achievements3 . While hailing from Isauria – Tarasicodissa-Zeno’s way the work is primarily an attempt to show the to the imperial throne . Particular emphasis was religious policy of the ruler, it also sheds light placed on determining his religious views . The on a number of other aspects of his reign . next part of the book (Basiliskos’ Usurpation, The work is divided into eight main parts . p . 79–97) covers the usurpation of Basiliskos, brother of Verina, the widow of emperor Leo 1 Kaiser Zeno, Basel 1894 . I . This event was an exceptionally important 2 Die kirchenpolitik Kaiser Zenos, Würzburg moment in the history of Zeno’s reign . During 1950 . 3 He is the autor e .g: ΑΓΙΩΣΥΝ . Η ΚΑΙ the brief rule of the usurper, the debate over the ΕΞΟΥΣΙΑ . Konstantynoplitańscy święci mężowie provisions of Council of Chalcedon came back i władza w V wieku po Chr . [Constantinopo- to life with great intensity . What is particularly litan Holy Men and Authority in 5th Century], significant, the groups hostile to this assembly Warszawa 2006 [= ArF, 56]; The Life of Nesto- of bishops gained strength thanks to the sup- rius as seen in Greek and Oriental Sources, [in:] port of Basiliskos . After regaining power, Zeno Continuity and Change . Studies in Late Antique was forced to work out the rules of conduct to- Historiography, ed . D . Brodka, M . Stachura, wards those of the clergy who associated them- Cracow 2007, p . 155–170 [= Ele, 13]; Początki selves with the usurper and represented anti- kariery Tarasikodissy-Zenona [The Begginnings Chalcedonian views . Part V (The Chalcedonian of Tarasicodissa-Zeno’s Career], [in:] Byzantina Reaction, p . 99–124) was devoted to this is- Europea . Księga jubileuszowa ofiarowana Profe- sorowi Waldemarowi Ceranowi, ed . M . Koko- sue .Removal of the anti-Chalcedonian clergy szko, M .J . Leszka, Łodź 2007, p . 289–304 [= from the most important positions within the BL, 11]; Izauria w orbicie wpływów rzymskich do Church and replacing them with supporters of połowy V wieku [Isauria in the Orbit of Roman the council and men loyal to both the emperor Influence until the mid V Century], BTH 8, 2010, and Acacius, patriarch of Constantinople and p . 11–26; Peter the Fuller, Patriarch of Antioch, Zeno’s chief religious advisor, exacerbated the Bsl 68, 2010, p . 49–73; Struktura społeczna [So- situation . This became apparent especially in cial Structure] and Religie cesarstwa rzymskiego Egypt . The development ofHenotikon, the doc- w V stuleciu [Religions of Roman Empire in the V ument that was to become a middle ground for Century], [in:] Świat rzymski w V wieku [Roman an agreement with the Egyptian anti-Chalcedo- World in the V Century], ed . idem, K . Twar- nians, was supposedly intended to calm down dowska, Kraków 2010, p . 278–297; 365–416 . Retrieved from https://czasopisma.uni.lodz.pl/sceranea [27.09.2021] 236 Book Reviews the emotions . Many works have been devoted portant and original conclusion that Zeno’s to discussing this document, and it has become building policy was aimed at appeasing and the basis for portraying emperor Zeno as an op- enlisting aid of his Isaurian, and what needs to ponent of the provisions made in Chalcedon . be remembered, native, base), Conclusions (p . According to the author, this view is not cor- 221–223), Bibliography (225–269), Index People rect . Evidence for this is, i .a, . the fact that the (p . 271–281), Index Places (p . 283–289) . Henotikon was considered by the contemporar- Rafał Kosiński’s book is an important ies to be crypto-Chalcedonian . This subject is voice in the debate on the reign of emperor discussed in part VI (Henotikon, p . 125–145) . Zeno . The author, thanks to a thorough and The next part, Revolt of Illos (p . 147–176), is de- comprehensive analysis of the sources, pre- voted to the usurpation of Illos and Leontios . sented in a new light the ruler’s religious poli- Here, the scholar focused his discourse not so cy . Contrary to the present in the scholarship much on the fate of the undertaking itself, but and fairly commonly accepted opinion, the on the attitudes expressed towards it by the researcher showed that Zeno was a supporter various groups within the Church and by re- of the provisions of the Council of Chalcedon, ligious communities (starting with Kalandion, and that the certain concessions that he was the patriarch of Antioch, through Pagan circles, making for the anti-Chalcedonian groups and finally the Jewish ones) . The last chapter were caused by the hope for establishment Acacian Schism (p . 177–201) presents the final of peace in the Church, particularly needed years of Zeno’s reign, during which, i .a, . the in the face of various political problems with titular schism, that is the division between the which the ruler had to struggle . patriarch of Constantinople and the bishop of Rome, occurred . The work is complemented Translated by Michał Zytka by: an appendix The Emperor Zeno’s Church Foundations (p . 203–220; it contains an im- Mirosław J. Leszka (Łódź) анна-МарИя ТоТоМанова, Из историята на българския език [Из истории болгарского языка], Издателство Пан Пъблишинг къмпани ооД, софия 2009, c. 334. Историю и историческую грамма- традиционного описания развития язы- тику болгарского языка вне всяких сом- ковых форм (происходивших в силу фо- нений можно считать одной из наиболее нетических и морфологических процес- интересных областей диахронической сов) и определения относительной и абсо- славистической лингвистики . Причиной лютной хронологии, историк болгарского тому является нетипичный путь разви- языка постоянно встает перед задачами тия этого языка, отличающий его (наряду и вопросами более широкого характера, с македонским) от общеславянских мо- пытаясь указать на причины изменений делей в области морфологических и син- структуры предмета своих исследований таксических преобразований . Помимо (от синтетизма к аналитизму) – причины Retrieved from https://czasopisma.uni.lodz.pl/sceranea [27.09.2021] Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org).