, composed in Iceland, most likely in the fourteenth century, is preserved in at least forty-five manuscripts of varying dates. The most substantial group of witnesses consists of fifteenth-century vellum manuscripts, although only one of these (AM 593 a 4to) preserves the saga’s prologue. In terms of genre, the text has been studied both as a “suðræn fornaldarsaga” [southern
fornaldarsaga], due to its setting in a fictional ancient Syria, and as an indigenous
riddarasaga– that is, a chivalry saga composed in Iceland with no continental source. While the former definition is due to Gottskálk Jensson (135), the latter is provided by Geraldine Barnes, who emphasizes the author’s fascination with learned Latin literature and, more broadly, the pervasive presence…
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Citation: Micci, Michael. "Adonias saga". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 26 June 2025 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=41264, accessed 08 July 2025.]
