The Chronographia of Michael Psellus Psellus’ Fourteen Byzantine Rulers is a chronology of Byzantine emperors and empresses during the ninth, tenth, and eleventh centuries.

Fourteen Byzantine Rulers: The Chronographia of Michael Psellus Psellus’ Fourteen Byzantine Rulers is a chronology of Byzantine emperors and empresses during the ninth, tenth, and eleventh centuries. In the modern sense, “byzantine” generally refers to something as being secretive, excessively complex, and multi-layered. Psellus demonstrates all of this and more in his Fourteen Rulers. Modeled on the types of histories as written by the Greeks and Romans, this text is more concerned about painting a general portrait of its subjects rather than providing true analysis of their actions, and it provides the modern reader with an idea of Byzantine politics, social values, and intrigue. YOUR ASSIGNMENT: Write a 5-7 page essay that compares and contrasts at least three (3) of the emperors discussed. You can use more than three rulers if you like, but there must be at least three. Your paper should create three groups with at least one emperor who defines that group: One that represents the best qualities of Byzantine society, one who represents the worst of the lot, and one who falls in between. Look at their leadership style, the way they relate to their countrymen, and their positives and negatives. Most importantly, you must justify why you selected those rulers and placed them in the categories that you did.