Endorsements

This book provides the first English translation of the Chronicle of the city of Genoa by Jacopo da Varagine, a thirteenth-century Dominican best known for his monumental book of saints' lives, the Golden legend. Toward the end of a busy career as a writer and administrator, Jacopo was elected archbishop of Genoa, in the course of which (1292-98) he compiled his Chronicle. It presents a coherent vision of Genoa's place in history, the cosmos, and Creation, mixing scholarly research about the city's origins with didactic reflections on the proper conduct of public and private life, as well as personal accounts of Jacopo's experience as archbishop. While hundreds of such chronicles were written in the cities of Italy during the Middle Ages, very few are available in English; the vast majority of these are Florentine, and full translations are rare. Accompanied by an extensive introduction that places Jacopo and his work in historical and literary context, this full-text translation illustrates the variety of methodologies employed in medieval historiography, provides a unique perspective on this dynamic medieval city-state from one of its most important officials, and broadens the available literature in English on medieval Italian urban life. It meets a growing need for translations of key sources that are directly usable in students' work, while also serving as an introduction to medieval Genoa, civic culture, medieval historical writing, Dominican composition, and the 'historical Jacopo'.