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 Compostella ...
'', 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
Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...
, 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
Orpheus (; Ancient Greek: Ὀρφεύς, classical pronunciation: ; french: Orphée) is a Thracian bard, legendary musician and prophet in ancient Greek religion. He was also a renowned poet and, according to the legend, travelled with Jaso ...
and
Troy
Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite language, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite language, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in prese ...
, and replacing the story of an attack by the
Lombards
The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774.
The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 and ...
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
Altinum (in Altino, a ''frazione'' of Quarto d'Altino) was an ancient town of the Veneti 15 km SE of modern Treviso, close to the mainland shore of the Lagoon of Venice. It was also close to the mouths of the rivers Dese, Zero and Sile. A ...
(modern
Quarto d'Altino
Quarto d'Altino is a town in the Metropolitan City of Venice, Veneto, Italy. SP41 provincial road goes through it.
The name "Quarto D'Altino" is composed by the prefix "Quarto" because the town was a quarter of a mile from the Roman city Altinum
...
) taking refuge in
Torcello
Torcello ( la, Torcellum; vec, Torceło) is a sparsely populated island at the northern end of the Venetian Lagoon, in north-eastern Italy. It was first settled in 452 CE and has been referred to as the parent island from which Venice was p ...
, 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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