The World of Kosmas : Illustrated Byzantine Codices of the Christian Topography

Focusing on the Christian Topography, a sixth-century illustrated treatise, this book discusses the creation of the Christian cosmography, the reception of ancient science in late antiquity, and the ways in which Christians navigated the contradictions between 'secular' and 'religious' sources, both written and visual.

The Christian Topography is the only extant Greek treatise both written and illustrated in the sixth century, although known only through later copies. Taking inspiration from East Syrian exegesis, the treatise transforms the heritage of classical cosmography into a new, Christian image of the universe. Because images are an inherent part of the argument, the Christian Topography offers a unique insight into how the relationship between word and image was constructed and how the potential of these two media was understood. Until now, however, the text and illustrations have almost always been discussed separately. Consequently the unity of the work has been disrupted and our understanding of the treatise distorted. Taking into consideration both the text and the miniatures, this book seeks to further our understanding of the Christian Topography and its intellectual milieu, and to clarify the role of the images in late antique polemics.