ABSTRACT
The Book of Ceremonies dominates our thinking about ceremonial and ceremony books. To begin with, its two prooimia, written ostensibly by the emperor Constantine vII, give evidence that the emperor was behind the enterprise.1 They make clear the central role of the emperor, if not in compiling the work, certainly in instigating its creation. The emperor puts emphasis on his own interest in the ‘undertaking’ and the vital connection between order in the palace and imperial glory and splendour.
