The Imperial Character: Alexius I and Ideal Emperorship in Twelfth–Century Byzantium

The reign of Alexius I Comnenus (1081–1118) offers an opportunity to explore the ideology of Byzantine emperorship at a time of administrative reform. Two twelfth-century historians, Anna Comnena and John Zonaras, evaluate Alexius's suitability to occupy the imperial office differently. Anna Comnena's Alexiad draws on ancient tradition to establish Alexius as an ideal emperor. John Zonaras's Epitome Historiarum sets different standards for private men and for emperors, finding that Alexius falls short of the imperial standard. Although Anna and John describe Alexius's character similarly, their disagreement regarding his ability to rule reflects a fundamental difference in their understanding of emperorship.