Narrating Martyrdom

The first translations and commentaries of the martyrdoms of three virgin martyrs: Ia, Horaiozele, and Tatiana. The first book on narratology and focalisation in Byzantine hagiography. Exciting new perspective on the agency of the Byzantine hagiographer. New assessments on the relationship between a hagiographer and his audience Reconceives the rewriting of Byzantine hagiography. "This book reconceives the rewriting of Byzantine hagiography between the eighth and fourteenth centuries as a skilful initiative in communication and creative freedom, and as a form of authorship. Three men ́ Makarios (late C13th-C14th), a monk; Constantine Akropolites (d.c.1324), a statesman; and an Anonymous educated wordsmith (c. C9th) ́ each opted to rewrite the martyrdom of a female virgin saint who suffered and died centuries earlier. Their adaptations, respectively, were of St. Ia of Persia (modern-day Iran), St. Horaiozele of Constantinople, and St. Tatiana of Rome. Ia is described as a victim of the persecutions of the Persian Shahanshah, Shapur II (309 ́79 C.E), Horaiozele was allegedly a disciple of St Andrew and killed anachronistically under the emperor Decius (249 ́51 C.E), and Tatiana, we a