This is the first English translation of the History of Leo the Deacon (born circa 950), a little-known but lively author intimately familiar with the palace politics of Constantinople.Leo's firsthand experience of the campaigns and courts of two Byzantine emperors provides vivid descriptions of sieges, pitched battles, and ambushes. An extensive introduction and detailed notes guide the reader through the complex chronology, geography, and text of the History. Also included are five maps, two genealogical tables, and four indexes.