ABSTRACT
The Byzantine writer was concerned more with demonstrating his rhetorical skills and imitating ancient authors than with describing historical reality. Therefore the historical information to be extracted from their texts is scarce, worthless, and cannot be taken at face value. This approach was theoretically based and most explicitly formulated by two outstanding scholars: C Mango and S. Averintzev. The other approach to the problem of reading and interpreting Byzantine texts originates from the Byzantines themselves. Byzantine writers, influenced by the 'school norms' were not able to express their own feelings and thoughts in their compositions. Therefore the modern reader can judge how well or how badly a Byzantine writer was educated, but as a rule fails to learn what he really felt and thought. Byzantine authors, as a rule solemn, full of dignity and pious, are not normally regarded as ironic. Byzantine authors used many methods to produce an ironic effect.
