Michael Psellos, also spelled Psellus, lived from about 1018 to about 1078 and was a Byzantine monk, savant, writer, philosopher, imperial courtier, historian and music theorist born in Constantinople. He championed a revival of classical Greek studies within Byzantine culture that later influenced the Italian Renaissance, and he interpreted Homer and Plato as precursors of Christian doctrine, most notably in his Commentary on Plato's Teachings on the Origin of the Soul. His Chronographia, a set of biographical accounts of Byzantine emperors from Basil II to Nikephoros III, remains a principal historical source for understanding eleventh century Byzantium.
Facts
Partially Attested
Birth YearSource gives the birth year as 1017 or 1018; 1018 is the value used elsewhere in this atlas. BirthplaceSource says he was probably born in Constantinople; not certain. Tradition
Tradition (category) Defining MomentEntered the Olympus monastery on Mount Olympus in Bithynia in 1054 1 Notable Publication Office HeldChief of the Philosophers, leading professor at the University of Constantinople 1 Classification
NationalityByzantine Empire (Historical) 1 Disputed
Death YearMost scholars place his death soon after 1078; some propose later dates, up to 1096. Connections
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Same As
Also in Divinity Atlas: the same subject.
Nationality
Also in Geography Atlas: the nationality of this subject.
Originated In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Michael Psellos
Lead, paragraph 1, birth year
He was born in 1017 or 1018
Biography and political career, paragraph 1
Michael Psellos was probably born in Constantinople.
Lead, paragraph 1, death year
is believed to have died in 1078, although it has also been maintained that he remained alive until 1096
Biography and political career, paragraph 2
became the leading professor at the University of Constantinople, bearing the honorary title of "Chief of the Philosophers"
Works, Chronographia, paragraph 1
a history of the Byzantine emperors during the 100 years leading up to Psellos's own time, is probably Psellos's best known and most accessible work.
Biography and political career, paragraph 3
decided to leave court, entering the Olympus monastery on Mount Olympus in Bithynia in 1054
View the Source2. Wikidata: Michael Psellos
- Wikidata Q294109, class allow-list match, case-insensitive label variant (w-bbfill-smallsix2-0926/resolve_ci.ps1)
- Wikidata Q294109 via P135,P1142 (w-bbfill-smallsix2-0926/propfill_enum_wdlabel.ps1)
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