The focus of my doctoral dissertation of philology and book history is Renaissance humanist Flavio Biondo (1392–1463) and his historiographical work Historiarum ab inclinatione Romanorum imperii decades (‘History from the decline of Roman empire’ in short Decades). It covers a thousand year period from the sack of Rome in 410 to Biondo’s own time in 1440s. The aim is to learn:
1. Who read and owned the copies of Decades in the period between 1450 and 1550?
2. In which textual forms did Decades spread during the aforementioned time period?
3. What was the geographical circulation of Decades during the time period?
4. Why did the people of the era want to read and own Decades?
By researching the early readers of Decades, one can shed light on the significance of the author and his work among rulers, humanists, merchants, university teachers and students of the period. The purpose of Decades was multi-dimensional. It was at the same time a critical historiographical work written in humanistic Latin, a propagandistic text legitimizing papal power and a pedagogical guide teaching secular rulers in right decision-making. Exactly because of this multidimensional aspects it is important to uncover who read and wanted to own Decades. The research will be conducted utilizing philological and book historical methodologies.