Early medieval literature
See also: Ancient literature, 10th century in literature, list of years in literature.
This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of literature during the 6th through 9th Centuries.
The list is chronological, and does not include epigraphy or poetry.
For poetry, see: 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th century in poetry. For early epigraphy, see List of languages by first written accounts.
During this period, a number of classical languages inherited from earlier epochs remain in active use.
The same period also sees the rise of newly written vernaculars, partly replacing earlier literary languages.
- Literary Chinese in Tang China
- Classical Sanskrit in the Middle kingdoms of India
- Latin in Christian Europe
- Greek in the Byzantine Empire
- Middle Persian literature of the late Sassanid period
- Tiberian Hebrew as written by the Masoretes
- Classical Arabic in the Islamic Caliphate
- Classical Armenian literature of Medieval Armenia
- Old Georgian literature
- Old Turkic manuscript tradition, from the 8th century
- early Japanese literature, from the 8th century
- early Ge'ez literature
- early Dravidian literature in South India
- early Celtic manuscript traditions
- early Germanic literature, from the 8th century
- Old Church Slavonic, from the 9th century
Undated
The vocalized Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible developed during the 7th to 10th centuries.
The Old English Beowulf is dated to anywhere between the 8th and early 11th centuries.
Ecgbert, Archbishop of York c.732-766, establishes a notable library in the Northumbrian city of York.
6th century
- Arabic literature
- *Antarah ibn Shaddad
- Sanskrit literature
- *Aryabhatiya
- *Brihat-Samhita
- *Virahanka
- *Ratnavali
- *Priyadarsika
- *Nagananda
- Byzantine literature
- *PG 86a: Presbyter Timothy of Constantinople, Joannes Maxentius, Theodorus Lector, Procopius Deacon of Tyre, Theodorus Bishop of Scythopolis, Presbyter Timothy of Jerusalem, Theodosius I of Alexandria, Eusebius of Alexandria, Eusebius of Emesa, Gregentius of Taphar, Patriarch Epiphanius of Constantinople, Isaac of Nineveh, Barsanuphius of Palestine, Eustathius monk, Emperor Justinian, Agapetus the Deacon, Leontius Byzantinus
- *PG 86b: Leontius Byzantinus, Patriarch Ephraim of Antioch, Paulus Silentiarius, Patriarch Eutychius of Constantinople, Evagrius Scholasticus, Eulogius of Alexandria, Simeon Stylites the Younger, Patriarch Zacharias of Jerusalem, Patriarch Modestus of Jerusalem, Anonymous on the siege of Jerusalem by the Persians, Jobius, Erechthius Bishop of Antioch in Pisidia, Peter Bishop of Laodicea.
- *Secret History by Procopius
- Chinese literature
- *Emperor Jianwen of Liang
- *Thousand Character Classic
- Latin literature
- *Chronicle of Fredegar
- *Commentary on Job by Pope Gregory I
- *Etymologiae by Isidore of Seville
- *Historia Francorum by Gregory of Tours
- *The Origin and Deeds of the Goths by Jordanes
- *Patrologia Latina vols 63-80: Boetius, Ennodius Felix, Trifolius presbyter, Hormisdas I, Elpis, Boetius, Fulgentius Ruspensis, Felix IV, Bonifacius II, Benedictus pater monachorum Occidentalium, Dionysius Exiguus, Viventiolus Lugdunensis, Trojanus Santonensis, Pontianus Africae, Caesarius Arelatensis, Fulgentius Ferrandus, Primasius Adrumetanus, Arator, Nicetius Trevirensis, Aurelianus Arelatensis, Cassiodorus, Gregorius Turonensis, Pelagius II, Joannes II, Benedictus I, Gregorius I, Eutropius Episcopus, Gregorius I, Paterius, Alulfus Tornacensis, Maximus Caesaraugustanus Episcopus, Eutropius Episcopus, Tarra Monachus, Dinothus Abbas, Dynamus Patricius, Augustinus Apostolus Anglorum, SS Bonifacius IV, Concilium Romanum III, Bulgaranus, Paulus Emeritanus Diaconus, Tamaius De Vargas. Thomas, Gondemarus Rex Gothorum, Marcus Cassinensis, Warnaharius Lingonensis Episcopus, Columbanus Hibernus
- *Agathias
- *Evagrius Scholasticus
- Pahlavi literature
- *Borzūya
7th century
- Arabic language
- *Qur'an
- Sanskrit literature:
- *Bāṇabhaṭṭa, Kadambari
- *Bhagavadajjukam
- *Bhaṭṭikāvya
- *Bhartrihari
- *Bhāskara I
- *Brahmagupta
- *Harsha, Priyadarsika
- Byzantine literature
- *PG 87a-87b: Procopius of Gaza
- *PG 87c: Procopius of Gaza, Joannes Moschus, Sophronius, Alexander monk
- *PG 88: Cosmas Indicopleustes, Constantine the Deacon, Joannes Climacus, Agathias Myrinæ, Gregory Bishop of Antioch, Joannes Jejunator, Dorotheus the Archimandrite
- *PG 89: Anastasius Sinaita, Anastasius of Antioch, Anastasius Abbot of Euthymius, Anastasius IV Patriarch of Antioch, Antiochus of Sabe
- *PG 90: Maximus the Abbot
- *PG 91: Maximus the Confessor, Thalassius the Abbot, Theodore of Raithu
- *PG 92: Paschal Chronicle, George Pisides
- *PG 93: Olympiodorus Deacon of Alexandria, Hesychius, Leontius Bishop of Neapolis in Cyprus, Leontius of Damascus
- Latin literature
- *Chronicon Paschale
- *Origo Gentis Langobardorum
- *Patrologia Latina vols. 80-89: Aileranus Scoto Hibernus, Ethelbertus Anglorum, SS Adeodatus I, Sisebutus Gothorum, Bertichramnus Cenomanensis, Protandius Vesuntinus Archiepiscopus, SS Bonifacius V, Sonniatus Rhemensis Archiepiscopus, Verus Ruthenensis Episcopus, Chlotarius II Francorum Rex, SS Honorius I, Dagobertus Francorum Rex, Hadoinudus Cenomanensis Episcopus, Sulpicius Bituricensis Episcopus, Autbertus Cameracensis, SS Ioannes IV, Eutrandus Ticinensis Diaconus, Victor Carthaginensis Episcopus, Braulio Caesaraugustiani, Taio Caesaraugustianus Episcopus, Isidorus Hispalensis, Liturgia Mozarabica, Venantius Fortunatus, Crisconius Africanus, Sergius I, Joannes VI, Felix Ravennatensis, Bonifacius Moguntinus
- Middle Chinese
- * Bianji
- * Li Dashi
- * Yan Shigu
- * Chu Suiliang
- * Fang Xuanling
- * Li Qiao
- * Li Jing
- * Li Baiyao
- * Li Chunfeng
- * Liu Zhiji
- * Luo Binwang
- * Ouyang Xun
- * Sun Simiao
- * Yu Shinan
- * Wei Zheng
- * Sun Guoting
- Armenian
- *Sebeos
- *John Mamikonean
- *Anania Shirakatsi
- Ge'ez
- *Garima Gospels
8th century
- Sanskrit literature
- *Lalla
- Byzantine literature
- *PG 94–95: John of Damascus
- *PG 96: John of Damascus, John of Nicæa, Patriarch John VI of Constantinople, Joannes of Eubœa
- *PG 97: John Malalas, Andrew of Crete, Elias of Crete and Theodore Abucara
- *PG 98: Patriarch Germanus I of Constantinople, Cosmas of Jerusalem, Gregory of Agrigento, Anonymus Becuccianus, Pantaleon Deacon of Constantinople, Adrian monk, Epiphanius Deacon of Catania, Pachomius monk, Philotheus monk, Patriarch Tarasios of Constantinople
- *PG 99: Theodore of Studion
- Latin literature
- *Bede, Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum etc.
- *Stephen of Ripon, Vita Sancti Wilfrithi
- *Paulus Diaconus, Historia Langobardorum
- *John of Damascus
- *Patrologia Latina vols. 96-101 Hildefonsus Toletanus, Julianus Toletanus, Leo II, Carolus Magnus, Ludovicus I, Lotharius, Rudolphus I, Paulinus Aquileiensis, Theodorus Cantuariensis, Alcuinus
- *Navigatio sancti Brendani abbatis
- *'Codex Amiatinus', earliest surviving complete manuscript of the Vulgate, produced at Monkwearmouth–Jarrow Abbey and gifted in 716 to the Pope
- Celtic literature
- *Immram Brain
- *Immram Maele Dúin
- Arabic literature
- *Ibn Ishaq
- *Khalil ibn Ahmad
- *Wahb ibn Munabbih
- *Ibn al-Muqaffa'
- Middle Chinese
- * Du Huan
- * Du You
- * Li Bai
- * Liu Zhi
- * Lu Yu, The Classic of Tea
- * Qian Qi
- * Sima Zhen
- * Wang Wei
- * Yi Xing
- Japanese literature
- *Man'yōshū compiled by Ōtomo no Yakamochi
- Kannada: see Rashtrakuta literature
- Old Georgian: The Life of Saint Nino, The Martyrdom of Abo Tbileli
9th century
- Byzantine literature
- *PG 100: Patriarch Nikephoros I of Constantinople, Stephen Deacon of Constantinople, Gregory of Decapolis, Patriarch Christopher I of Alexandria, Patriarch Methodios I of Constantinople
- *PG 101–103: Photius of Constantinople
- *PG 104: Photius of Constantinople, Petrus Siculus, Peter bishop of Argos, Bartholomew of Edessa
- *PG 105: Nicetas of Paphlagonia, Nicetas Byzantius, Theognostus monk, Anonymous, Joseph the Hymnographer
- Latin literature
- *Carolingian minuscule calligraphy begins to be developed; Martianus Hiberniensis is among the pioneers
- *Stuttgart Psalter, Golden Psalter of St. Gallen
- *Annales Bertiniani, Abbey of Saint Bertin, Saint-Omer, France
- *According to history-book of Tāriḵ-e Sistān, the first Persian qasida is written by Moḥammad bin Wasif in praise of Ya'qub ibn al-Layth al-Saffar in c. 872.
- *De bellis Parisiacae urbis, in Latin, by Abbo Cernuus
- *Liber Pontificalis
- *Patrologia Latina vols. 102–132: Smaragdus S. Michaelis, Benedictus Anianensis, Sedulius Scotus, Agobardus Lugdunensis, Eginhardus, Claudius Taurinensis, Ludovicus Pius, Theodulfus Aurelianensis, Eigil Fuldensis, Dungalus reclusus, Ermoldus Nigellus, Symphosius Amalarius, Gregorius IV, Sergius II, Jonas Aurelianensis, Freculphus Lexoviensis, Frotharius Tullensis, Rabanus Maurus, Walafridus Strabo, the Glossa Ordinaria, Leo IV, Benedictus III, Eulogius Toletanus, Prudentius Trecensis, Angelomus Lexoviensis, Haymo Halberstatensis, Nicolaus I, Florus Lugdunensis, Lupus Ferrariensis, Paschasius Radbertus, Ratramnus Corbeiensis, Aeneas Parisiensis, Remigius Lugdunensis, Wandalbertus Prumiensis, Paulus Alvarus Cordubensis, Gotteschalcus Orbacensis, Johannes Scotus Eriugena, Ado Viennensis, Usuardus Sangermanii, Carolus II Calvus, Hincmarus Rhemensis, Anastasius bibliothecarius, Isidorus Mercator, Remigius Antissiodorensis, Notkerus Balbulus, Regino Prumiensis, Hucbaldus S. Amandi
- *Vita Brendani / Betha Brenainn / Life of St. Brendan
- *Nennius, Historia Brittonum
- *Asser, Vita Ælfredi regis Angul Saxonum
- *Book of Kells written and illuminated in a Columban monastery in the British Isles
- Old English literature
- *Alfred the Great's translations
- **Pope Gregory I's Pastoral Care, the first known book in English
- **Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy and an alliterative verse version, the Metres of Boethius
- **Blostman, an anthology partly based on the Soliloquies of Augustine
- **Portions of the Vulgate Book of Exodus and the first fifty poems of the Psalter
- *Werferth's translation of Pope Gregory I's Dialogues
- *Translation of Orosius' Histories against the Pagans incorporating the narrative of Ohthere of Hålogaland
- *Translation of Bede's Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum
- Arabic literature
- *Al-Kitāb al-muḫtaṣar fī ḥisāb al-ğabr wa-l-muqābala
- *Persian scholar Sibawayh writes the first Arabic grammar in 840.
- *Al-Baladhuri
- *Al-Jahiz
- **Kitab al-Hayawan
- **Kitab al-Bukhala
- **Kitab al-Bayan wa al-Tabyin
- **Risalat mufakharat al-sudan 'ala al-bidan
- *Ibn Sa'd – Kitab Tabaqat Al-Kubra
- *Abdallah ibn al-Mu'tazz
- *Al-Waqidi
- *Ya'qubi
- *The Book of One Thousand and One Nights, presumed to originate in this century
- Germanic
- *Þjóðólfr of Hvinir
- **Haustlöng
- **Ynglingatal
- *Þorbjörn Hornklofi
- **Glymdrápa
- **Hrafnsmál
- Sanskrit literature
- *Gunavarma I
- *Amoghavarsha I
- *868: May 11 – The Diamond Sutra, the oldest known surviving dated book, is printed in China.
- Middle Chinese
- *Duan Chengshi
- *Han Yu
- *Mo Xuanqing
- *Li Ao
- *Liu Yuxi
- *Liu Zongyuan
- *Yuan Zhen
- *Zhang Yanyuan
- Tamil: see Chola literature
- Kannada: see Rashtrakuta literature
- *Kavirajamarga, Royal path to poets in Kannada
- *Vaddaradhane
- *Govindsvamin
- *Shivakotiacharya
- Armenian
- *Tovma Artsruni
- Old Church Slavonic
- Turkic
- *Book of Dede Korkut