Eparchikon biblion V, 2: Is Thalassai the Same as Byssos?

The article examines a kind of fabric described as ‘θάλασσαι’ in The Book of the Prefect (Τὸ ἐπαρχικὸν βιβλίον). The meaning of this term by both editors and commentators of the document has not been satisfactorily explained so far. It appears highly probable, however, that ‘θάλασσαι’, because of the ‘marine’ origin of the word, can be associated with a textile from byssos – the socalled sea silk, made from fibres produced by a mollusc pinna nobilis. The presence of this fabric in numerous ancient sources is indicated, incl. works of Aristophanes, Cicero, Herodotus and Plutarch. Diocletian’s Edict on Maximum Prices, where the price of ‘marine wool’ is at the very high level is also investigated

Love and Theatre in the Works of Nikephoros Basilakes

The article analyzes the rhetorical output of Nikephoros Basilakes, focusing on his use of scenic terminology and the psychological interpretation of myths. The conclusions substantiate the theory that Nikephoros had been part of the imperial theatron before his downfall in the mid-1150s

Słowianie w Historii powszechnej Teofilakta Simokatty – bizantyńska perspektywa aksjologiczna

Slavs in Theophylact Simocatta’s „Universal History” – a Byzantine axiological perspectiveThe Universal History of Theophylact Simocatta constitutes a very important source for the history of the Later Roman Empire, especially within the context of appearance of the Avars and the Slavs in the Balkans. This article confirms the high reliability and great value of Theophylact’ s narrative concerning the Slavs in the last two decades of the sixth century. In the second part, some new remarks have been given, which argue for the authenticity of the famous episode about Slavs “living at the end of the Western Ocean” (6.2). Moreover, the author is firmly convinced that the so-called Western Ocean should be identified with the Baltic Sea. Słowianie w Historii powszechnej Teofilakta Simokatty – bizantyńska perspektywa aksjologiczna Historia powszechna Teofilakta Simokatty stanowi bardzo istotne źródło do dziejów późnego Cesarstwa Rzymskiego, m.in. w kontekście pojawienia się Awarów i Słowian na Bałkanach. Przedłożony artykuł potwierdza wysoką wiarygodność i faktograficzne znaczenie narracji Teofilakta odnośnie do Słowiańszczyzny ostatnich dwóch dziesięcioleci VI wieku. Druga część artykułu zawiera nową argumentację na rzecz autentyczności słynnego epizodu o Słowianach „mieszkających przy krańcu zachodniego Oceanu”. Autorka jest przekonana, że tzw. „zachodni Ocean” należy utożsamić z Morzem Bałtyckim

Kritobulos z Imbros. Historyk ginącego świata

The aim of paper is to present wrtitings composed by Critobulus of Imbros, together which some remarks, especially from historiosophical point of view. For him the most important thing was to explain halosis in terms of traditional Byzantine historiosophy.Celem tekstu jest przedstawienie twórczości Kritobulosa z Imbros wraz z komentarzem ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem aspektu historiozoficznego. Dla niego bowiem podstawową kwestią było wytłumaczenie halosis w kategoriach tradycyjnej bizantyjskiej historiozofii

The poem about foundation of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań

The aim of the present paper is to discuss and translate in Polish the poem of Bonawentura Graszyński, written in 1919; with some remarks on author’s interests in Byzantine studies.The poem about foundation of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań was composed in Classical Greek by Bonawentura Czesław Graszyński (1859–1922) in 1919. Graszyński, polish lecturer of classical languages, had also composed few dramas concerning Byzantine realities. The Poem contains ten elegiac distiches with appeal to the Muses for gracing University, which had been recently founded. This article presents Graszyński’s reception of Byzantium and its legacy with a text and translation of his poem

Problematyka wołoska w twórczości Jerzego Akropolitesa

The writings of Georgios Akropolites, both in historiography as well as in rhetoric, do not contain much information about Vlachs. Their presence is always secondary to the description of other events, judged through the perspective of the interests of the Palaiologan dynasty. Nevertheless, the few references to Vlachs are of significant value from the point of view of historical geography, being helpful especially when it comes to understanding the application of the term of so-called “Vlachia” (in different variations) to certain areas of northern and western Greece. Presented paper contains: a) an overview of the entire works of Georgios Akropolites, b) translated excerpts from Akropolites' main work History, together with a philological and historical commentary, c) an annex containing notes on significance of references to Vlachs in the literary masterpiece of the Cretan Renaissance, the Erotokritos written by V. Kornaros, for historical research. Twórczość Jerzego Akropolitesa, zarówno z zakresu historiografii, jak i retoryki, nie zawiera wiele informacji na temat Włachów. Ich obecność jest zawsze drugorzędną wypadkową w opisie innych wydarzeń, ocenianych z perspektywy interesów dynastii Paleologów. Niemniej, nieliczne wzmianki o Włachach mają dużą wartość z zakresu geografii historycznej, będąc pomocne zwłaszcza w rozumieniu stosowania pojęcia tzw. „Wlachii” (w kilku odmiankach) na niektóre obszary Grecji północnej i zachodniej. Przedstawiony artykuł zawiera: a) przegląd całości twórczości Jerzego Akropolitesa, b) przetłumaczone fragmenty z dzieła Akropolitesa pt. Historia, zaopatrzone w komentarz filologiczno-historyczny, c) aneks, w którym umieszczono krótkie uwagi o wartości dla badań historycznych wzmianek o Włachach w arcydziele literackim kreteńskiego renesansu, Erotokritosie W. Kornarosa.&nbsp

Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka, Maria Lekapene, Empress of the Bulgarians. Neither a Saint nor a Malefactress, translated by M. Majer, A. Mękarski, M. Zytka, Łódź University Press, Jagiellonian University Press, Łódź–Kraków 2017 [= Byzantina Lodziensia, 36], pp. VII, 226.

Publication of English-language versions of the volumes of the yearly Studia Ceranea financed through contract no. 501/1/P-DUN/2017 from the funds of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education devoted to the promotion of scholarship

Nieetyczna kuropatwa. O niektórych źródłach „Listu” 40. Ambrożego z Mediolanu

In his narrative, St. Ambrose often used arguments based on comparisons drawn from the natural environment. It should be emphasised that so-called ‘Christian zoology’ is not novel from the perspective of method, but because of the value judgements expressing the worldview of the new religion. The overall narrative of Letter 40 is built around the detailed behaviour of the partridge. From the perspective of the structure of the text and the logic of the narrative, the story of the partridge is remarkably extensive, detailed and ornithologically correct, even in the light of modern science. St. Ambrose made use of a motif present in the Hebrew tradition, while at the same time developing the description existing in the classical tradition, in terms of natural  bservation, rich in behavioural details. In this way, the two strands of tradition complement each other, fulfilling different functions in the literary art of St. Ambrose’s prose.In his narrative, St. Ambrose often used arguments based on comparisons drawn from the natural environment. It should be emphasised that so-called ‘Christian zoology’ is not novel from the perspective of method, but because of the value judgements expressing the worldview of the new religion. The overall narrative of Letter 40 is built around the detailed behaviour of the partridge. From the perspective of the structure of the text and the logic of the narrative, the story of the partridge is remarkably extensive, detailed and ornithologically correct, even in the light of modern science. St. Ambrose made use of a motif present in the Hebrew tradition, while at the same time developing the description existing in the classical tradition, in terms of natural  bservation, rich in behavioural details. In this way, the two strands of tradition complement each other, fulfilling different functions in the literary art of St. Ambrose’s prose

Maternal plasma levels of oxytocin during breastfeeding-A systematic review

Introduction Oxytocin is a key hormone in breastfeeding. No recent review on plasma levels of oxytocin in response to breastfeeding is available. Materials and methods Systematic literature searches on breastfeeding induced oxytocin levels were conducted 2017 and 2019 in PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Data on oxytocin linked effects and effects of medical interventions were included if available. Results We found 29 articles that met the inclusion criteria. All studies had an exploratory design and included 601 women. Data were extracted from the articles and summarised in tables. Breastfeeding induced an immediate and short lasting (20 minutes) release of oxytocin. The release was pulsatile early postpartum (5 pulses/10 minutes) and coalesced into a more protracted rise as lactation proceeded. Oxytocin levels were higher in multiparous versus primiparous women. The number of oxytocin pulses during early breastfeeding was associated with greater milk yield and longer duration of lactation and was reduced by stress. Breastfeeding-induced oxytocin release was associated with elevated prolactin levels; lowered ACTH and cortisol (stress hormones) and somatostatin (a gastrointestinal hormone) levels; enhanced sociability; and reduced anxiety, suggesting that oxytocin induces physiological and psychological adaptations in the mother. Mechanical breast pumping, but not bottle-feeding was associated with oxytocin and prolactin release and decreased stress levels. Emergency caesarean section reduced oxytocin and prolactin release in response to breastfeeding and also maternal mental adaptations. Epidural analgesia reduced prolactin and mental adaptation, whereas infusions of synthetic oxytocin increased prolactin and mental adaptation. Oxytocin infusion also restored negative effects induced by caesarean section and epidural analgesia. Conclusions Oxytocin is released in response to breastfeeding to cause milk ejection, and to induce physiological changes to promote milk production and psychological adaptations to facilitate motherhood. Stress and medical interventions during birth may influence these effects and thereby adversely affect the initiation of breastfeeding

Maternal plasma levels of oxytocin during physiological childbirth - a systematic review with implications for uterine contractions and central actions of oxytocin

Oxytocin is a key hormone in childbirth, and synthetic oxytocin is widely administered to induce or speed labour. Due to lack of synthetized knowledge, we conducted a systematic review of maternal plasma levels of oxytocin during physiological childbirth, and in response to infusions of synthetic oxytocin, if reported in the included studies. An a priori protocol was designed and a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO in October 2015. Search hits were screened on title and abstract after duplicates were removed (n = 4039), 69 articles were examined in full-text and 20 papers met inclusion criteria. As the articles differed in design and methodology used for analysis of oxytocin levels, a narrative synthesis was created and the material was categorised according to effects. Basal levels of oxytocin increased 3-4-fold during pregnancy. Pulses of oxytocin occurred with increasing frequency, duration, and amplitude, from late pregnancy through labour, reaching a maximum of 3 pulses/10 min towards the end of labour. There was a maximal 3- to 4-fold rise in oxytocin at birth. Oxytocin pulses also occurred in the third stage of labour associated with placental expulsion. Oxytocin peaks during labour did not correlate in time with individual uterine contractions, suggesting additional mechanisms in the control of contractions. Oxytocin levels were also raised in the cerebrospinal fluid during labour, indicating that oxytocin is released into the brain, as well as into the circulation. Oxytocin released into the brain induces beneficial adaptive effects during birth and postpartum. Oxytocin levels following infusion of synthetic oxytocin up to 10 mU/min were similar to oxytocin levels in physiological labour. Oxytocin levels doubled in response to doubling of the rate of infusion of synthetic oxytocin. Plasma oxytocin levels increase gradually during pregnancy, and during the first and second stages of labour, with increasing size and frequency of pulses of oxytocin. A large pulse of oxytocin occurs with birth. Oxytocin in the circulation stimulates uterine contractions and oxytocin released within the brain influences maternal physiology and behaviour during birth. Oxytocin given as an infusion does not cross into the mother's brain because of the blood brain barrier and does not influence brain function in the same way as oxytocin during normal labour does