About the Author

Anna Komnene (1083-1156) was the eldest child of the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. She is best known as the author of The Alexiad - written between 1143-53, it is the first major history written by a woman.

Dr Peter Frankopan is a Senior Research Fellow at Worcester College, Oxford. He has just completed a major monograph for CUP about Byzantium in the 11th and 12th century based on the Alexiad.