Byzantine monk, Michael Psellus, or Psellos, was an important biographer and historian of the 11th century. His most important work is the "Chronographia," a history of the reigns of fourteen Byzantine emperors and empresses during the century leading up to Psellus' own time. Beginning with Ramanos II in the middle of the 10th century and concluding with Michael VII in the late 11th century, the "Chronographia" is an important document of the lives of the rulers of the Byzantine Empire. The work focuses on describing the personal character of its subjects over particular details of political and military events, as was common with other similar historical works. The work also contains a great depth of autobiographical content which paints the author as an incredibly learned man who believed in the importance of classical study especially with regard to the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. This work is an invaluable scholarly history of the Byzantine Empire in the 10th and 11th century.