La Table des rois
Contribution à l’histoire textuelle des ›Tables faciles‹ de Ptolémée
How could ancient astronomers accurately calculate celestial phenomena over centuries? The Table of Kings is a list of rulers and the duration of their reigns, enabling Ptolemy, an Alexandrian astronomer, to count the years since the Babylonian king Nabonassar (8th century BC). Initially created for astronomy, this table fascinated historians and chronology specialists from Antiquity. Rediscovered in modern Europe, it serves as a vital source for establishing a chronology of the Ancient Near East. The Table of Kings has been a dynamic text, altered by generations of scribes and expanded over the centuries, sometimes until the fall of Constantinople. While frequently cited, it has received little focused study. This volume offers the first critical edition of Ptolemy's Table of Kings, based on all known manuscript witnesses, and includes an investigation into the document's history from its creation by Ptolemy to its application by contemporary historians. Historians of the Near East and experts in the history of texts and sciences will find this work invaluable for understanding the significance and evolution of this important document.
