One way to sense and evaluate the memory of peoples’ medieval past is to look at how folk literature narrates their national heroes, historical and imaginary. Chrysovalantis Kyriacou examines with scholarly acumen and sensitivity the folk songs of Cyprus as part of the Byzantine literary production of the island, inviting us to discover the rich Cypriot heroic legacy that created them.

Evangelos K. Chrysos, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

A fascinating journey in search of Cypriot perceptions of Byzantium’s warrior heroes as revealed in Greek heroic folk songs popular in medieval Cypriot society. Chrysovalantis Kyriacou explores in an insightful, imaginative and original way the heroic esoteric world of the Cypriot Orthodox people, unraveling the deeper psychological and cultural dimensions of the Byzantine legacy on the island. A valuable contribution to the cultural history of Cyprus, reassessing its place in the Byzantine world.

Charalambos Dendrinos, Royal Holloway, University of London