About this Item
Folio. [90]f. Roman letter. At end of text the six line privilege in favour of Giacomo Mazzocchi is printed in capitals. Woodcut initial with portrait of a saint at beginning of first book, lombard initial decorating beginnings of books II-IV. Early 19th century red quarter morocco, gilt; marbled boards. The first printing of Procopios' account of the early 6th century Byzantine military campaigns against the Persian kings Kavadh and Chosroes Anushirvan, and against the Vandal kingdoms in North Africa. The Latin translation from the Greek is by Raffaele Maffei Bishop of Volaterra (1451-1522), a noted humanist and encyclopaedist; (the Greek original text was first published by Höschelius at Augsburg as late as 1607; an English version by Holcroft followed in 1653). The colophon is unusual in referring to the editor, Andrea Nucio, by name. The lengthy privilege by Pope Julius II is in favour of Giacomo Mazzocchi, learned Roman bookseller, printer, and noted antiquarian, who is first mentioned here. Procopios, a native of Caesarea in Palestine, trained as a lawyer and rhetorician, was attached to the Byzantine general Belisarius in AD 527 as his aide and legal adviser in the Persian war. He was to accompany Belisarius in all his brilliant campaigns to restore East Roman power. His Histories written c550 AD, constitute the authoritative text for the period. In military terms, Procopios is valued for his clear descriptions of operations, for his objective grasp of the decisive facts, and for the accurate detail provided as an eye witness. A good copy with wide margins from the library of [Dimitri Petrovich] Count Buturlin (1763-1829), Russian senator, and outstanding bibliophile, with his engraved armorial bookplate inside front cover; his books were described in a privately printed catalogue by Audin(Florence 1831)and later auctioned by Silvestre (Pasis, 1839-41).A small, neat repair in blank tailend corner of last leaf. Isaac 12013; Jähns 143-6; Adams records no copies in Cambridge libraries. Seller Inventory # 5386
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Bibliographic Details
Title: De Bello Persico, Per Raphaelem Volaterranum...
Publisher: [Rome, Eucharius Silber, March 1509].
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Very Good
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
Edition: 1st Edition
