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Monster Duels in Byzantine Polemological Tradition of X-XIV Centuries

https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2023-12-5-443-461

Abstract

The article is dedicated to a common theme in Byzantine literature, with a particular focus on descriptions of battles between warriors and monsters. According to the authors, the reworking of stories about hunting large predators from ancient mythology is characteristic of the Byzantine and partially Western European military traditions from the 10th to 14th centuries. The authors argue that the ideas of rational warfare permeated not only strict military manuals but also hagiographical literature, historical chronicles, heroic epics, and other narratives. Therefore, the incorporation of the archetypal plot of ‘fighting monsters’ into military settings is at the center of this study. The authors demonstrate that ancient battle stories had no place in the strict orders of real actions by regular armies. The article introduces materials from M. Y. Suzyumov’s personal archive into scientific circulation and draws on sigillography data. The article shows that in medieval texts, such short but intense clashes between two opponents are interpreted not only as entertainment or instruction but also in a philosophical sense as an embodiment of the eternal struggle between good and evil.

About the Authors

K. R. Kapsalykova
Ural Federal University named after the First President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin
Russian Federation

Karina R. Kapsalykova - PhD in History, Associate Professor, Department of Foreign Region Studies.

Yekaterinburg



A. G. Nesterov
Ural Federal University named after the First President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin
Russian Federation

Aleksandr G. Nesterov - Doctor of History, Head of Department of Foreign Region Studies.

Yekaterinburg



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Review

For citations:


Kapsalykova K.R., Nesterov A.G. Monster Duels in Byzantine Polemological Tradition of X-XIV Centuries. Nauchnyi dialog. 2023;12(5):443-461. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2023-12-5-443-461

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ISSN 2225-756X (Print)
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