Ancroia

Ancroia

Italy First edition 1479       Ancroia     Under the conventional name Ancroia it is possible to group several works, both in prose and in verse, which recount—under various titles—the adventures of the warrior-queen Ancroia and Guidone Selvaggio, the son of...
The Book of Dede Korkut

The Book of Dede Korkut

Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Oral tradition: 9th-10th century CEEarliest written versions: late 13th century – 14th century CE The Book of Dede Korkut In the history of world epics, The Book of Dede Korkut stands out not only for its...
Huon d’Auvergne

Huon d’Auvergne

Italy Earliest known manuscript dated 1341 Huon d’Auvergne Huon d’Auvergne is one of the few dated epics in chanson de geste format (rhymed laisses, fixed-length lines with varying strophe lengths) and one of the few Franco-Italian epics with multiple versions....
Alpamish

Alpamish

Central Asia earliest written version in 14th/15th century CE; continues to be performed orally     Anonymous, Alpamish The epic of Alpamish is the main heroic epic of the Uzbeks, but is also found in the oral tradition of other ethnic groups speaking Turkic...
Three Kingdoms (Sanguo yanyi)

Three Kingdoms (Sanguo yanyi)

China Written: ca. 1315-1400First published: 1522 Three Kingdoms (Sanguo yanyi) Three Kingdoms (Sanguo yanyi) can be read as a study of values in conflict, such as righteousness (yi) against loyalty (zhong), and filial piety (xiao) against brotherhood (xiongdi). In a...