While an exile from Constantinople the twelfth-century Byzantine functionary and canonist John
Zonaras culled earlier chronicles and histories to compose an account of events from creation
to the reign of Alexius Comnenus. For topics where his sources are lost or appear elsewhere in
more truncated form his testimony and the identification of the texts on which he depends are
of critical importance. Zonaras' History is an invaluable guide and stimulus to further
research for scholars and students of the history and historiography of Rome and Byzantium.
