The Alexiad (Penguin Classics)

Written in the twelfth century by Anna Komnene, daughter of the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos, the Alexiad is one of the most important narrative sources for the Byzantine Empire in the age of the First Crusade. Anna’s account centres on her father’s reign, describing warfare, diplomacy, court politics and the empire’s encounters with Normans, Turks and western crusaders.

This revised Penguin Classics edition presents E. R. A. Sewter’s translation, revised with an introduction and notes by Peter Frankopan. Anna writes as an educated member of the imperial family with strong loyalties and a distinctive perspective, making the work valuable both for the events it records and for the insight it provides into Byzantine political culture, historical writing and elite life.