MICHAEL, a Byzantine historian, often called Siculo, from his supposed native island Sicily. The time when he flourished is very uncertain. He was probably an ecclesiastic. He knew several languages, and is justly reckoned among the better Byzantine historians on account of the terseness and perspicuity of his style. His MS. letters still extant are addressed to the last Constantine, who perished in the storming of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453. Their authenticity, however, has been questioned. His chief work is Βίβλος Ἀποστόλων (or Annals), which is divided into four parts: the first treats of the creation of the world; the second narrates the history from the creation to Christ; the third, from Christ till Constantine the Great; and the fourth, from Constantine till the death of the emperor Alexis I. Comnenus, A.D. 1118. The best edition of this work is that by J. Bekker, in the Bonn collection of the Byzantines, 1836, 8vo.