The Istoria Veneticorum, a chronicle attributed to John the Deacon, chaplain and ambassador of the Venetian Duke Peter Orseolo II (991-1008), is of fundamental importance for the reconstruction of early medieval Venetian history. In addition to being the only historical narrative of that period, it covers the entire early Middle Ages, from the invasion of the Lombards in 569, an action that forced a part of the Veneto's population to seek refuge on the islands of the Venetian lagoon, to the beginning of the eleventh century. Its importance is further emphasized by the limited number of the surviving early medieval Venetian sources. Berto's study of the political and social vocabulary of this work analyses the chronicler's use and contextualization of key words and provides the reader with an enhanced understanding of the Istoria Veneticorum. The attentive and skilful use of terminology by the chronicler confirms that the author was, in all likelihood, a member of the Orseolo entourage, that he was acquainted with the art of diplomacy, and that he was, in fact, John the Deacon. Furthermore, he did not limit himself to a mere recording of dates and events; rather, by a careful use of terminology-probably in order to avoid reopening recent wounds-he was able to express his opinions about the dukes who had ruled his country.

This volume unites a wide range of papers given at the international conference «Italy and Europe's Eastern Border. 1204-1669» in Rome in November 2010. Its content reflects the manifold research topics of a European scholarly community united in the joint endeavor to shape new aspects and to promote innovative fields of Mediterranean Studies. Therefore, various approaches to the overall topic can be found in this volume, be it from the viewpoint of war and religion, frontier and border studies, the union of churches, diplomacy, theology, economic history, humanism, diplomatics, historiography, prosopography, or genealogy. This is the first volume of the series «Eastern and Central European Studies» and at the same time an incentive for volumes to follow, which will guide the reader on his journey through space and time to hitherto unknown shores of Eastern European and Mediterranean Studies.