A Byzantine Context of the Information about Prince Vladimir in the Chronicle of Thietmar of Merseburg: “Lumbare Venereum” and the Motive of the “Girded Loins”
Journal: GRAPHOSPHAERA Writing and Written Practices
Year: 2023

The paper discusses the information about Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, contained in the Chronicle of Thietmar of Merseburg (VII. 74). The heterogeneity of the sources used by Thietmar to create the image of Vladimir seems to be the most probable. The historical con-text of Thietmar’s messages is analyzed; a new translation of the Chronicle’s fragment is presented. The “lumbare venereum” seems to be a loincloth or belt, not originally intended to aggravate the prince's vicious inclinations. Thi