The copy originally belonged to Frangiskos Vasileiou Kampanis of Paros, likely born around 1860. It was later passed down through the generations to his son Vasileios, his grandson Frangiskos (born 1933), and his great-grandson Dimitris, a historian. Dimitris, in turn, decided to donate the volume to the Gennadius Library, ensuring its preservation and accessibility for the scholarly community and all interested readers. The existence of this copy was first announced by historian Triantaphyllos E. Sklavenitis.[1].

The book— the only known copy of the second edition of the first volume of Konstantinos M. Koumas's twelve-volume work—is in small octavo format (21 × 24 cm) and consists of nineteen 16-page gatherings (1–19) and one 8-page gathering, totaling 312 numbered pages: [2] + β΄ + λθ΄ + 1l. + [1] + 1l. + 264 + 2l. The printed text on each full-page measures 16.5 × 10.7 cm, with 38 lines of text and 65 typographic characters per line, including spaces. The book is half-leather bound, with the spine bearing the title ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑΙ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΙΝΩΝ ΠΡΑΞΕΩΝ [HISTORIES OF HUMAN ACTIONS] and the initials of its first owner, Φ.Β.Κ. [F.V.K.].

The first edition of Ιστορίαι των ανθρωπίνων πράξεων από των αρχαιοτάτων χρόνων έως των ημερών μας, εκ παλαιών απανθισθείσαι και τα νεώτερα εξ αρίστων Γερμανών ιστοριογράφων ελευθέρως μεταφρασθείσαι υπό Κ. Μ. Κούμα [Histories of Human Actions from Antiquity to Our Days, Compiled from Ancient Sources and Freely Translated from the Best German Historians by K. M. Koumas] was published in Vienna in 1830 by the printing house of Anton V. Haykul. The first volume is in small octavo format and comprises a total of 606 pages: [4] + π΄ + [1] + 1l. + 518 + 2l. Each full page of printed text contains 30 lines with 43 typographic characters per line, including spaces.

                                                                                  

P. Gōgos, the publisher of the book who also edited and adapted the original text, omitted footnotes and condensed certain sentences or paragraphs. His linguistic choices made the text more rigid compared to the original, maintaining a “smooth phraseology and clear meaning” in line with the archaising tendencies observed during the first fifty years of the Greek state. P. Gōgos published four of his own works in Constantinople’s printing houses, among them Ιστορία της Λέσβου [The History of Lesbos] in 1887 [2].

Leonidas I. Stylianopoulos, a printer based in Smyrna, printed this book as the first work in his career. He went on to publish at least 45 additional works by the end of the century. He also operated a bookstore in Smyrna and issued a printed book catalog in 1886 [3].

  1. «Ιστοριογραφία και εθνικές συνειδητοποιήσεις στο τέλος του 18ου αιώνα» [Historiography and National Consciousness at the End of the 18th Century], Λόγος και χρόνος στη νεοελληνική γραμματεία (18ος-19ος αιώνας) [Speech and Time in Modern Greek Literature (18th-19th Century)], Πρακτικά Συνεδρίου προς τιμήν του Αλέξη Πολίτη, Ρέθυμνο, 12-14 Απριλίου 2013 [Conference Proceedings in Honor of Alexis Politis, Rethymno, April 12-14, 2013], Edited by: Stefanos Kaklamanis, Alexis Kalokerinos, Dimitris Polychronakis, University of Crete Press, Heraklion 2015, p. 101, footnote 8..
  2. Iliou, Philippos and Popi Polemi. Ελληνική Βιβλιογραφία, 1864-1900. Συνοπτική αναγραφή, τ. Α΄-Γ΄ [Greek Bibliography, 1864-1900. Concise Listing, Vol. A–C], Athens: Philippos Iliou Bibliology Workshop Hellenic Literary and Historical Archive, 2006. 1871. 507–510, 1882. 903, 1884. 671, 1887. 402.
  3. [Iliou & Polemi]. 1886. 102.