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MS. Holkham Gr. 99

Summary Catalogue no.: Not in SC (late accession)

Contents

Language(s): Greek

(Fols 1r–78r)
⟨Pseudo-Callisthenes⟩, Historia Alexandri Magni, Recensio λ

Ed. H. van Thiel, Die Rezension λ des Pseudo-Kallisthenes, Bonn, 1959, siglum H. See also J. Trumpf, Anonymi Byzantini Vita Alexandri regis Macedonum, Stuttgart, 1974, pp. v–vi. On the recension, see R. Stoneman, ‘Primary Sources from the Classical and Early Medieval Periods’, pp. 7–8 in D. Zuwiyya (ed.), A Companion to Alexander Literature in the Middle Ages, Leiden, 2011.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Paper
Extent: ii + 79 + ii at the end foliated as 80–81.
Dimensions (leaf): 195 × 145 mm.

Collation

1 × 2 (ii), 1 × 8–1 (7), 3 × 8 (31), 1 × 8–1 (38), 1 × 6 (44), 1 × 8 (52), 1 × 6 (58), 1 × 8 (66), 1 × 6 (72), 1 × 8–1 (79), 1 × 2 (81).

Layout

19 lines per page

Decoration

fol. 1r: Decorative Headpiece in red ink.

Additions: fol. ir (in pencil): ‘This contains material not in any of the printed editions’. Various explanatory comments throughout the text in hand of Morezenos. See e. g. fol. 77v: τέλος ἀλεξάνδρ(ου). Fol. 79r: Pen-trials: + ὀ θ(εὸ)ς ὀ θ(εὸ)ς ἠμῶν ὄ τῶν ὀυ(ρά)νιον/ ἄρτον τῆν τροφὴν τῶν ἀν(θρωπ)ον (= incipit from the prayer read before the Prothesis, attributed to John Chrysostom, See Euchologion Goar, p. 51.52.1–2). Also other trials with ligatures.

Binding

Typical Holkham binding of brown leather, with Coke family ostrich crest in gilt in the centre of the upper cover; Date: early nineteenth century. Rebound by John Jones of Liverpool (worked for Holkham 1816–1823. The spine lettered in gilt: / ALEXANDRI MAGNI VITA MS. SÆC. XIII/ ; in pasted black leather: MS. /HOLK./ Gr. 99/

History

Origin: 15th century

Provenance and Acquisition

Ownership Notes: fol. iir: 276 294. (subscr. 118) DIB.20 (inserted something like L19). fol. 1r: handwritten note in grey ink by B. de Montfaucon (top): 1698. Cod. num 69. Anonymi vita Alexandri | Magni. ann. circ. 250. c (= Giustiniani 69) and below (in grey ink, top centre): ονζ (=Morezenos 7), Catalogue Nrs: front paste-down (in pencil): MS. Holkham Gr. 99; Olim Holkham Hall, Libr. of the Earl of Leicester, 294

Record Sources

Description by Dimitrios Skrekas (2020), with the support of the Leventis Foundation, the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research, the Yerolemou Trust and the Michael Marks Charitable Trust.

Bibliography

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Last Substantive Revision

2025-04-23: Sebastian Dows-Miller. Removed empty handDesc.