The Synopsis of Joseph Rhakendytès: like a Two-Headed Hermes?

In the introduction of his Synopsis Variarum Disciplinarum, the late-Byzantine monk and scholar Joseph Racendytes compares his work with a two-faced statue of the god Hermes, "as represented by the Egyptians" with a young and old face. The present article tries to find out the origin of this rather obscure and unexpected statement, by taking into account literary, archaeological and socio-cultural evidence. © by Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien.

Publication year:2013

Accessibility:Open