Primary Source VI: A reading from Jacobus de Verona

This month’s primary source is an excerpt from Jacobus de Verona -- an Augustinian monk who visited Cyprus in 1335. Intriguingly, you’ll hear him mention a peculiar drink called “Marea.” Supposedly, this drink was popular enough that it was even exported to the papal court at Avignon in the fourteenth century. However, as with all primary sources, we must be cautious. Travel texts were often lifted from other travelogues. Though Jacobus de Verona highlights the multicultural and multireligious aspects of medieval Cyprus, he often does so uncritically, making a number of mistakes in what he says about non-Latin religious customs. That still shouldn't detract from what he says about the surprising amount of diversity in medieval Cyprus. Next month, we’ll learn more about this often misunderstood period in Cypriot history. Join me as I discuss “Multiculturalism & the Medieval Age: Frankish Cyprus with Nicholas Coureas.”