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Primary Sources

This collection of primary sources includes both documentary material for the history of medieval art and architecture as well as writings dealing with broader aspects of religious, political, economic and social history.

= sources addressing art and architectural history

= sources addressing sociopolitical, religious, or cultural contexts

	The Construction of Constantinople (324-30) Chron. Paschale I
	Eusebius of Caesarea, In Praise of the Emperor Constantine (external link)
	Eusebius of Caesarea, Ecclesiastical History, Emperors and Persecutions in the Third Century (external link)
	Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, On the Characteristics suitable for a Bishop (external link)
	Lactantius, On the Manner in which the Persecutors Died (external link)
	John Chrysostom, The Divine Liturgy (external link)

	The Ecumenical Councils: The texts below from the Ecumenical Councils are provided via links to The Internet Medieval Sourcebook edited by Paul Halsall, Fordham University
		Documents from the First Council of Nicea (The First Ecumneical Council), 325 CE (external link)
		Documents from the First Council of Constantinople (The Xecond Ecumenical Council), 381 CE (external link)
		The Third Ecumenical Council (The Council of Ephesus), 431CE (external link)
		The Fourth Ecumenical Council (The Council of Chalcedon), 451 CE (external link)
		The Council of Orange, 529 CE (external link)
		The Fifth Ecumenical Council (Constantinople), 553 CE  (external link)
		The Sixth Ecumenical Council (Constantinople), 680-681 CE (external link)
		The Quinsext Council, 692 CE (external link)
		The Second Council of Nicea, 787 CE (external link)
		The Eighth Ecumenical Council (Constantinople), 869-870 CE (external link)
		The Ninth Ecumenical Council: Lateran I, 1123 CE (external link)
		The Tenth Ecumenical Council: Lateran II, 1239 CE (external link)
		The Twelfth Ecumenical Council: Lateran IV, 1215 CE (external link)

	Procopius, A Description of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople written in 544
	Procopius of Caesarea, Secret History (external link)
	Paul the Selentiary, A Description of Hagia Sophia written in 563
	Agathias, Hist. V, 9, 2-5, The Collapse of Hagia Sophia's First Dome
	Narratio de Sanctae Sophiae (Hagia Sophia)
	Jordanes, History of the Goths (excerpt)
	Jordanes, The Origin and Deeds of the Goths (full text) (external link)
	Gregory of Tours: The History of the Franks (excerpt)
	Gregory of Tours: The History of the Franks (full text) (external link)
	The Rule of St. Benedict
	Cassiodorus (external link)

	Bede, The Lives of the Holy Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow
	Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation is provided via links to The Internet Medieval Sourcebook edited by Paul Halsall, Fordham University
		Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, Book I (external link)
		Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, Book 2 (external link)
		Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, Book 3 (external link)

Hypatius of Ephesus, Justification of Religious Images

	Einhard's Life of Charlemagne (excerpt)
	Einhard's Life of Charlemagne (full text) (external link)
	Einhard's Life of Charlemagne (full Latin text) (external link)

	Rudolfus Glaber, The Five Books of the Histories (excerpts)
	Liutprand of Cremona, Report of his Mission to Constantinople in 963 (external link)

	Suger, Abbot of St.-Denis, Commentary on the Abbey Church of St. Denis
	Suger, Abbot of St.-Denis, Life of King Louis the Fat (external link)
	Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God (external link)
	Gervase of Canterbury, Commentary on Canterbury Cathedral
	The Pilgrimage of the Russian Abbot Daniel in the Holy Land, 1106–1107 CE (external link)
	Chronicle of the Counts of Anjou, ca. 1100 (external link)
	Benjamin of Tudela, The Itinerary of Benjamin of Tudela (external link)
	Jocelin of Brakelond, Chronicle of the Abbey of Bury St. Edmund's, 1173–1202 (external link)

	Geoffrey de Villehardouin, Chronicle of the Fourth Crusade and the Conquest of Constaninople (external link)
	The Crusades
	Paris, Guild of the Master Masons, Regulations of 1258
	Villard de Honnecourt. Commentary from his sketchbook
	Letters of Charles II, King of Naples, concerning the Church and Monastery of Saint-Maximin in Provence, 1295
	Jean de Joinville, Memoirs (Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library) (external link)

	Chârtres, Expertise of 1316 concerning the condition of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame
	London Regulations for the Trade of Masons in 1356
	Florence Cathedral in 1392

	The Nave of Fotheringhay Church in 1434

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