Niketas Choniates was a Byzantine Greek historian and politician. He accompanied his brother Michael Akominatos to Constantinople from their birthplace Chonae (from which came his nickname, “Choniates” meaning “person from Chonae”). Nicetas wrote a history of the Eastern Roman Empire from 1118 to 1207.
The Introduction to the book mentioned at the bottom of the Wikipedia page – O City of Byzantium: Annals of Niketas Choniates – starts with the following sentence: “The history written by Niketas Choniates has been called a monumentum aere perennius“. It translates to “a monument more lasting than bronze”. It’s a Latin phrase from Horace’s Odes that describes a work of art or literature that will endure and be remembered for generations. The phrase is used to refer to something that is immortalized by its lasting impact and influence.
Of particular importance to us is the fact that Niketas Choniates not only was a contemporary of future Byzantine Emperor Andronikos I Komnenos (rule 1183-1185) but knew him personally: “With the accession of Andronikos I Komnenos in 1183, Niketas withdrew from the imperial palace in protest against the usurper… Following the tragic end of Andronikos I in 1185 and the accession of Isaakios II Angelos to the throne, Niketas returned to the palace to serve the new emperor as imperial secretary…”
Some 30 years before becoming the Emperor, Andronikos was imprisoned by his cousin Emperor Manuel in the imperial palace for the first time. According to Niketas Choniates, the imprisonment was a result of Andronikos’ plot to usurp the throne with Hungarian aid. Andronikos escaped from prison in 1159 and left the capital. He was caught in Thrace and imprisoned again with stronger chains and more guards. Andronikos escaped prison for a second time in 1164 but this time he managed to leave the country and traveled to Halych, a powerful Kingdom within Kyiv Rus realm. Here is how Niketas Choniates described the event:
“At this time, Andronikos, who had escaped once again [1164] and come to Galitza, returned from there [spring 1165]; Galitza is one of the districts of the Rhos who are called Hyperborean Scythians…
Andronikos was welcomed by the governor of Galitza with open arms and remained near him for a long time [1165-66]. He so endeared himself to the governor that he joined him in the hunt, was his partner in deliberations, and shared the same hearth and table with him.”
The hunting experience in Rus so impressed Andronikos, that when he finally became a Byzantine Emperor, he commemorated it in a special memorial:
“Because he [Anronikos] could not ornament the buildings with paintings or delicate mosaics of diverse colors depicting his recent deeds, having accomplished none, he resorted to showing his deeds before he became emperor. In addition to chariot races, there were scenes of the chase, with clucking birds and baying hounds; deer, hare, and wild boar hunts; and with the zoumbros run through with a hunting spear (this animal is larger than the high-spirited bear or spotted leopard and is bred and raised by the Tauro-Scythians).”
Niketas Choniates was not the first Byzantine historian who referred to the Rus as Tauro Scythians. There was another famous historian in 971 AD, and yet another one in 860 AD.
‘Kyiv Rus in Heimskringla Sagas and Byzantine Texts‘ published in 2022 was the first book that pointed out that the Rus originated in Taurida/Crimea.
‘Cradle of Civilization‘ published in 2024 took a closer look at the Hyperborea mystery. It also has the little-known origin of the word ‘Taurus’.
‘Gardariki, Ukraine‘ ebook provides an overview of the topics.
The ‘Governor of Galitza’ mentioned by Niketas was famous King Yaroslav Osmomysl >
P.S. The zoumbros raised by the Tauro-Scythians were the Zubr/ European Bison.
