The ''Chronicon Altinate'', ''Altino Chronicle'' or ''Origo civitatum Italie seu Venetiarum'' is one of the oldest sources for the
history of Venice
The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblica Vèneta; it, Repubblica di Venezia) was a sovereign state and maritime republic in Northeast Italy, which existed for a millennium between the 8th century and 1797.
It was based in the lagoon communitie ...
. The oldest known manuscripts date to the 13th century, though its components are older. It has considerable overlap with the ''
Chronicon Gradense In historiography, a ''chronicon'' is a type of chronicle or annals. Examples are:
* ''Chronicon'' (Eusebius)
* ''Chronicon'' (Jerome)
*''Chronicon Abbatiae de Evesham''
*''Chronicon Burgense''
*''Chronicon Ambrosianum''
*''Chronicon Compostellanum' ...
'', which may be one of its sources. It is sometimes called the ''Chronicon Venetum'', but that title is also used for the ''
Chronicon Venetum et Gradense
The ''Chronicon Venetum et Gradense'', formerly known as the ''Chronicon Sagornini'', is a Venetian
Venetian often means from or related to:
* Venice, a city in Italy
* Veneto, a region of Italy
* Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical n ...
'' of
John the Deacon (''ca.'' 1008).
It is not a true
chronicle
A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...
, but rather a compilation of documents and legends about the emergence of Venice and the origin of the Venetians. There are also lists of bishops, popes,
doges
A doge ( , ; plural dogi or doges) was an elected lord and head of state in several Italian city-states, notably Venice and Genoa, during the medieval and renaissance periods. Such states are referred to as " crowned republics".
Etymology
The ...
and emperors, as well as church registers and chronicle entries. The most important manuscripts are in
the Vatican, Venice and
Dresden, but their relationships, and those of other manuscripts, is unclear.
Compared to the earlier ''Chronicon Venetum et Gradense'', it is "a more richly articulated and satisfyingly detailed account of a primitive foundation of the city", taking its origins back to
Orpheus and
Troy, and replacing the story of an attack by the
Lombards with an earlier attack by
Attila the Hun
Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in March 453. He was also the leader of a tribal empire consisting of Huns, Ostrogoths, Alans, and Bulgars, among others, in Central and Ea ...
, portraying the Venetians as Christians fleeing pagans. These legends are with no foundation in any ancient texts, and function as a way of constructing a "spurious antiquity" as a foundation of "civic dignity".
It continues by recounting the story of the citizens of
Altinum (modern
Quarto d'Altino) taking refuge in
Torcello, to which they transferred their church with the relics of
Saint Heliodorus, their founding bishop.
[Thomas F. Madden, ''Venice: A New History'', 2012, ]
p. 29
/ref>
Notes
Republic of Venice
Manuscripts
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