Constantine of Rhodes, on Constantinople and the Church of the Holy Apostles

Book excerpt: Constantine of Rhodes's tenth-century poem is an account of public monuments in Constantinople and of the Church of the Holy Apostles. On one level, the poem offers an account of what was visible but it cannot be read as a straightforward description. Rather, Constantine's work offers insights into Byzantine perceptions of works of art. This book supersedes the two previous editions of the poem, both dating to 1896, and provides the first full translation of the text. It consists of a new Greek edition of Constantine's poem, with an introductory essay, prepared by Ioannis Vassis, and a translation and commentary by a group of scholars headed by Liz James. Liz James also contributes an extensive discussion of the two distinct parts of the poem, the city monuments and the Church of the Holy Apostles.