The topic of this paper will be to discuss the mode of historical narration in the work of Constantine Manasses (c.1130- c.1187), his attitude to sources, not only strictly historical but also literary, and his use of religious writings. I will attempt to analyse the style and poetics of the Chronicle, because the text, however fitting into historiographical genres, is composed in metre and this matter raises the question of the aim and purpose of such a work. A Chronicle, as Manasses understands it, is a description of the history of the world from its beginning, according to the biblical account, through the mythical histories of Greece and Rome, right up to his almost contemporary times (up to c. 1081). This kind of chronography is popular in Byzantium; Manasses‘ predecessor is John Malalas, who writes his chronicle in prose - Manasses’ innovative idea is to write down history in a poetic way and to treat the ancient tragedies and epics as source material.