Faculty Sponsor: Jesse Torgerson
Matthew Thomson
Matthew Thomson is a rising junior from Birmingham, Alabamaand a double major in Classical Studies and Computer Science. He is interested in applying computer science to Latin texts and is looking forward to studying abroad in Rome, Italy.
Abstract: The Comparing Chronicles Project develops new methods for studying medieval knowledge networks by treating historical events, rather than the texts that describe them, as the fundamental unit of analysis. Using the Annals of Fulda, we created an event-centered knowledge graph linking passages, events, people, places, and manuscript traditions while preserving each manuscript’s distinct narrative. Building on this model, we developed visualizations that compare chronicles under different definitions of similarity, from exact textual agreement to shared events and broader subject matter. These methods reveal patterns of shared historical knowledge, omissions, and narrative restructuring that are difficult to identify through traditional textual comparison and provide a foundation for future quantitative analysis of medieval chronicles and AI-assisted event identification across historical texts.
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