Manchester Medieval Sources

C. E. Beneš

Part five reviews some highlights of medieval Genoese history by teleologically addressing the city’s nature and size (qualis et quanta) at the time of its foundation, in the time of its growth, and in Jacopo’s own day (‘at the time of its perfection’).

in Jacopo Da Varagine’s Chronicle of the city of Genoa
C. E. Beneš

Part four describes Genoa’s conversion to Christianity in late antiquity. This part has three chapters: chapter one introduces Roman polytheism (‘idolatry’ or ‘paganism’); chapter two claims that Genoa was the first city in Italy, or one of the first, to be converted to Christianity. Chapter three uses logic to make the same claim.

in Jacopo Da Varagine’s Chronicle of the city of Genoa
C. E. Beneš

Part nine offers moral advice on domestic matters. Chapters one to four addresses relations between husbands and wives; the fifth discusses relations between parents and children; and the sixth deals with relations between masters and servants or slaves.

in Jacopo Da Varagine’s Chronicle of the city of Genoa
C. E. Beneš

Part one describes Genoa’s origins. It has four chapters. Chapter one explains who the first founders and builders of the city were. Chapter two relates how Janus, first king of Italy, constructed and built Genoa. Chapter three relates how Janus, a citizen of Troy, expanded and improved the original foundation. Chapter four relates how the god Janus, an idol of the Romans, was once venerated in Genoa.

in Jacopo Da Varagine’s Chronicle of the city of Genoa
C. E. Beneš

Part seven presents moral advice for civic magistrates in four chapters, asserting that they should be powerful and magnanimous so that they can govern without fear; that they ought to be God-fearing men; that they ought to be truthful in all things; and that they ought to hate all avarice and cupidity.

in Jacopo Da Varagine’s Chronicle of the city of Genoa
C. E. Beneš

Part six describes the secular government of the city of Genoa. In three chapters, this part recounts the various regimes by which the city of Genoa has been ruled, presents basic principles of good governance, and explains their benefits.

in Jacopo Da Varagine’s Chronicle of the city of Genoa
C. E. Beneš

Part ten deals with the spiritual and ecclesiastical governance of the city of Genoa. Chapter one explains Genoa’s elevation to a bishopric in late antiquity, while chapter two explains its elevation to an archbishopric in the twelfth century.

in Jacopo Da Varagine’s Chronicle of the city of Genoa
C. E. Beneš

Part three has four chapters. The first presents the etymologies regarding the Italic king Janus and a Trojan refugee named Janus. Chapter two gives an etymology based on the Roman god Janus. Chapter three gives an etymology based on the Latin word ianua (‘door’ or ‘portal’). Chapter four seeks to explain why the Latin word for Genoa was different in Jacopo’s time (Ianua) than it was in classical sources (Genua).

in Jacopo Da Varagine’s Chronicle of the city of Genoa
C. E. Beneš

Part twelve presents an annalistic narrative of Genoese history from 1133 to 1297. It is divided into eight chapters; each chapter describes a single archbishop of Genoa (including Jacopo himself, part 12.8) and narrates city and world events during his tenure.

in Jacopo Da Varagine’s Chronicle of the city of Genoa
C. E. Beneš

Part two deals with the era in which Genoa was first built. This part has three chapters: the first discusses the era in which the city was founded; the second details the era in which it was expanded; and the third describes how Genoa was destroyed by the Carthaginians but rebuilt by the Romans, and in what era that occurred.

in Jacopo Da Varagine’s Chronicle of the city of Genoa