Jedi historians, who were also known as Jedi chroniclers, were members of the Jedi Order who chose to follow the teachings of the Consular path, with a specialization as a Lore Keeper. The main focus of these Jedi was the in-depth study of the Jedi Order's history.
Within the role of a Lore Keeper, a Jedi could focus their efforts in one or more of three specific areas: Jedi archivist, Jedi librarian, or Jedi historian. Even though all Lore Keepers were part of the Librarian's Assembly located at the Coruscant Jedi Temple, historians had the specific duty of deeply examining historical events, particularly those related to the Order's past. Historians were not limited to Coruscant; they were frequently assigned to satellite training centers, most notably the academies on Kamparas, Telos, and Obroa-skai.
The number of historians was highest during times of relative peace. During periods of war, the Jedi Councils required as many Jedi as possible to be active in the field, which meant fewer Jedi could remain at the academies. During the peak of the Galactic Republic, large groups of these Jedi would gather to share and analyze their most recent theories and discoveries. Many historians joined the Exploration Corps on expeditions to the edges of known space to investigate newly discovered areas and find lost and forgotten artifacts such as holocrons and fragments of ancient texts. Furthermore, the Council of First Knowledge consisted of Jedi historians who offered advice on matters that needed the use of ancient Jedi knowledge.
While most historians chose to wear the standard robes of the Order, some of the most notable historians from the Old Republic, such as Masters Atris and Jocasta Nu, wore robes designed in the style of Ansata. Tionne Solusar later revived this design after the Order was resurrected following the Great Jedi Purge.
Although many historians existed throughout the Order's history, only a select few are remembered today. It is known that during the Jedi Civil War, Master Dorak held the position of Chronicler at the enclave on Dantooine, and he also served on the Council there. Dorak was in the process of training his apprentice, Deesra Luur Jada, to take over as Chronicler, but he was killed in the Devastation of Katarr before he could finish Jada's training. However, the Twi'lek was able to complete his training and helped recover important information during the rest of the war.
Around the same time, Master Kreia worked as a historian at the Coruscant Temple under the supervision of Chief Librarian Atris. In addition to her duties on the High Council and in the Archives, Atris was responsible for building the input locks on Telos IV, where she secretly kept stolen holocrons for safekeeping. One of her Echani handmaidens, Brianna, eventually took over her role in maintaining the Telosian Academy, ensuring that the knowledge remained under the Order's control.
Following the Great Galactic War and the Sacking of Coruscant, the Order lost the Archives within the Temple and had to rebuild on Tython. The High Council appointed Master Gnost-Dural to oversee the reconstruction of the databanks, creating an updated timeline of the events that led up to the war. Centuries later, after the Ruusan Reformations of the Republic, Restelly Quist, who was both Chief Librarian and Caretaker of First Knowledge, was a historian who helped to refocus the academy's teachings. During the Golden Age of the Old Republic, many individuals filled the role of historian, including Master Thame Cerulian, a Corellian who was interested in studying the inner workings of the Sith holocrons stored in the Holocron Vaults. Masters Tahl and Rachi Sitra were among the last historians of the Order, with Master Sitra surviving well into the Galactic Civil War. The final Chief Librarian was Master Jocasta Nu, who managed the Archives for three decades before her death among her cherished books during Operation: Knightfall.