Lualdi 9:2 Liutprand of Cremona Report to Otto I
This source is a record of the deteriorating relations between the Byzantine emperor and the West. From the account of their encounter, what can you surmise about the differences between the customs of the court of Otto I and those of the Byzantine emperor? How do both parties communicate their distrust and disrespect? Finally, comment on the way in which Otto’s people describe Romans, and the way in which Nicephorus uses “Lombard” as an insult.
Micael Psellus Chronographia
The account of the reign of Basil II describes one of the most successful emperor’s of this period. What do you see as the basis for Basil’s excellence as a ruler? How does the account of his handling of finances, the army, and his own people contribute to our understanding of this ruler’s success?
Masoudi Haroun al-Rashid
Here we have a close look at an Islamic Caliph at a high point in the history of Islam. What is the significance of the story about music at the beginning of the piece? What impression do you get of the way the hierarchy functioned in the court? Why, for example, are people frightened when they receive certain kinds of favor from their betters? Why were the Barmecides brought down?