The Chronicle of Pseudo-Zachariah Rhetor
Church and War in Late Antiquity
Published on 31. January 2011
Book
Hardback
576 pages
978-1-84631-493-3 (ISBN)
Description
The Chronicle attributed to Zachariah of Mytilene is one of the most important sources for the history of the church from the Council of Chalcedon in 451 to the early years of the reign of Justinian (527-565). The author who compiled the work in Syriac in A.D. 568/9 drew extensively on the Ecclesiastical History of Zachariah the Rhetor, who later became bishop of Mytilene and ended up giving his name to the whole work. But Zachariah's Ecclesiastical History, which forms books iii to vi of Pseudo-Zachariah's work and covers the period from 451 to 491, is just one of a range of sources cited by this later compiler. For the period that follows, he turned to other well-informed sources, which cover both church and secular affairs. His reporting of the siege of Amida in 502-3 clearly derives from an eye-witness account, while for the reign of the Emperor Justinian he offers not only numerous documents, but also an independent narrative of the Persian war, as well as notices on the Nika riot and events in the West.
This translation (of books iii-xii) is the first into a modern language since 1899 and is equipped with a detailed commentary and introduction, along with contributions by two eminent Syriac scholars, Sebastian Brock and Witold Witakowski.
This translation (of books iii-xii) is the first into a modern language since 1899 and is equipped with a detailed commentary and introduction, along with contributions by two eminent Syriac scholars, Sebastian Brock and Witold Witakowski.
Reviews / Votes
... I would recommend this book very highly to those interested in Christian history or those who are wishing to investigate every nuance of the history of the Later Roman Empire, and I would like to put on record my thanks to LUP for making this volume available. * UNRV * ... Greatrex et al. accomplish their purpose of making PZ's work more accessible to scholars and students, in no small part by distinguishing so carefully PZ's work from that of his namesake. The incredible level of detail and high standard of editing are characteristic of the Translated Texts for Historians (TTH) series more generally. * The Medieval Review 12.09.32 *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Liverpool
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 210 mm
Width: 146 mm
Weight
833 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84631-493-3 (9781846314933)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Sebastian Brock is Professorial Fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford.
Content
Preface amd Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
A General overview
B Zachariah of Mytilene
(1) Life and career
(2) Zachariah's works
(i) The Life of Isaiah and a Life of Peter the Iberian
(ii) A Vita Paralii
(iii) Ammonius or De mundi opificio (disputatio)
(iv) The Ecclesiastical History
(v) The Life of Severus
(vi) Capita vii contra Manichaeos
(vii) The Antirrhesis (Adversus Manichaeos)
(3) Zachariah's Ecclesiastical History
(i) Introduction
(ii) Composition and nature of the work
(iii) Sources
(iv) The relation between PZ and Zach.'s HE
(v) Conclusion
C Pseudo-Zachariah of Mytilene
(1) Pseudo-Zachariah himself
(2) The work of PZ
(3) PZ's sources
(i) The Ecclesiastical History of Zachariah of Mytilene
(ii) A chronicle
(iii) Bishop lists
(iv) Church historians
(v) Written records of church councils
(vi) Dossiers of correspondence
(vii) Self-standing accounts
(viii) An account of the reign of Anastasius
(ix) A Justinianic source, covering books viii-x
(x) An apocalyptic source
(4) The transmission of PZ
(5) PZ's literary style and interests (R.P., C.H.)
(6) The manuscript basis of PZ, editions, translations and research to date (W.W., revised by G.G.)
(7) Conclusion
D Historical Introduction
E Text and translation
F Analysis and partial translation of books i-ii (S.B., commentary revised by G.G.)
Book iii
Book iv
Book v
Book vi
Book vii
Book viii
Book ix
Book x
Book xii
Appendix 1 Works circulating in the early sixth century about the council of Chalcedon
Appendix 2 Patriarchs, 440-570
Glossary
Maps
(1) Constantinople in the sixth century
(2) Amida and its environs
(3) The eastern frontier region
(4) The Mesopotamian frontier
(5) The Arabian peninsula (viii.3)
(6) Monasteries of the eastern provinces (viii.5)
(7) The Caucasus region (xii.7)
(8) The Caucasus region (xii.7)
Bibliography
Indices
(1) Biblical references
(2) References to CPG/CPL
(3) Persons and places mentioned in xii.7
(4) Persons and places
Abbreviations
A General overview
B Zachariah of Mytilene
(1) Life and career
(2) Zachariah's works
(i) The Life of Isaiah and a Life of Peter the Iberian
(ii) A Vita Paralii
(iii) Ammonius or De mundi opificio (disputatio)
(iv) The Ecclesiastical History
(v) The Life of Severus
(vi) Capita vii contra Manichaeos
(vii) The Antirrhesis (Adversus Manichaeos)
(3) Zachariah's Ecclesiastical History
(i) Introduction
(ii) Composition and nature of the work
(iii) Sources
(iv) The relation between PZ and Zach.'s HE
(v) Conclusion
C Pseudo-Zachariah of Mytilene
(1) Pseudo-Zachariah himself
(2) The work of PZ
(3) PZ's sources
(i) The Ecclesiastical History of Zachariah of Mytilene
(ii) A chronicle
(iii) Bishop lists
(iv) Church historians
(v) Written records of church councils
(vi) Dossiers of correspondence
(vii) Self-standing accounts
(viii) An account of the reign of Anastasius
(ix) A Justinianic source, covering books viii-x
(x) An apocalyptic source
(4) The transmission of PZ
(5) PZ's literary style and interests (R.P., C.H.)
(6) The manuscript basis of PZ, editions, translations and research to date (W.W., revised by G.G.)
(7) Conclusion
D Historical Introduction
E Text and translation
F Analysis and partial translation of books i-ii (S.B., commentary revised by G.G.)
Book iii
Book iv
Book v
Book vi
Book vii
Book viii
Book ix
Book x
Book xii
Appendix 1 Works circulating in the early sixth century about the council of Chalcedon
Appendix 2 Patriarchs, 440-570
Glossary
Maps
(1) Constantinople in the sixth century
(2) Amida and its environs
(3) The eastern frontier region
(4) The Mesopotamian frontier
(5) The Arabian peninsula (viii.3)
(6) Monasteries of the eastern provinces (viii.5)
(7) The Caucasus region (xii.7)
(8) The Caucasus region (xii.7)
Bibliography
Indices
(1) Biblical references
(2) References to CPG/CPL
(3) Persons and places mentioned in xii.7
(4) Persons and places