a series of Greek writers who have given an account of the Eastern or Byzantine empire from the time of Constantine, A.D. 325, to the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks, A.D. 1453. They may be divided into four classes. 1st, Those whose works form a continuous history of the Byzantine empire during the above mentioned period. The works of these authors, who are nearly thirty in number, constitute the chief authority for the history of that eventful period. 2d, The chronographers, a very numerous class, who have given a brief chronological summary of universal history from the Creation down to their own times. 3d, The writers who have treated of particular portions of Byzantine history. 4th, Those who have written on the politics, statistics, manners, antiquities, &c., of the empire. A collection of the Byzantine writers was published at Paris by order of Louis XIV., in 36 vols., fol., 1645–1711. This edition was reprinted with additions at Venice, 1727–1733. Besides these, many of the Byzantine historians were published separately at different places. A new edition of the whole was commenced by Niebuhr, Bonn, 1828, 8vo, under the title of Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, editio emendator et copiosior, of which many volumes have already appeared. This important work is still (1853) in course of publication.