Theophilus of Edessa’s Chronicle and the Circulation of Historical Knowledge in Late Antiquity and Early Islam

380 Pages·2011·22.1 MB·English

by  Theophilus of Edessa

Translated Texts for Historians
300-800 AD is the time of late antiquity and the early middle ages: the
transformation of the classical world, the beginnings of Europe and of Islam,
and the evolution of Byzantium. TTH makes available sources translated
from Greek, Latin, Syriac, Coptic, Arabic, Georgian, Gothic and Armenian.
Each volume provides an expert scholarly translation, with an introduction
setting texts and authors in context, and with notes on content, interpretation
and debates.
Editorial Committee
Sebastian Brock, Oriental Institute, University of Oxford
Averil Cameron, Keble College, Oxford
Marios Costambeys, University of Liverpool
Cariotta Dionisotti, King's College, London
Peter Heather, King’s College, London
Robert Hoyland, University of Oxford
William E. Klingshim, The Catholic University of America
Michael Lapidge, Clare College, Cambridge
John Matthews, Yale University
Neil McLynn, Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Richard Price, Heythrop College, University of London
Claudia Rapp, Institut für Byzantinistik und Neogräzistik, Universität Wien
Judith Ryder, University of Oxford
Raymond Van Dam, University of Michigan
Michael Whitby, University of Birmingham
Ian Wood, University of Leeds
General Editors
Gillian Clark, University of Bristol
Mark Humphries, Swansea University
Mary Whitby, University of Oxford

Translated Texts for Historians
300-800 AD is the time of late antiquity and the early middle ages: the
transformation of the classical world, the beginnings of Europe and of Islam,
and the evolution of Byzantium. TTH makes available sources translated
from Greek, Latin, Syriac, Coptic, Arabic, Georgian, Gothic and Armenian.
Each volume provides an expert scholarly translation, with an introduction
setting texts and authors in context, and with notes on content, interpretation
and debates.
Editorial Committee
Sebastian Brock, Oriental Institute, University of Oxford
Averil Cameron, Keble College, Oxford
Marios Costambeys, University of Liverpool
Cariotta Dionisotti, King's College, London
Peter Heather, King’s College, London
Robert Hoyland, University of Oxford
William E. Klingshim, The Catholic University of America
Michael Lapidge, Clare College, Cambridge
John Matthews, Yale University
Neil McLynn, Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Richard Price, Heythrop College, University of London
Claudia Rapp, Institut für Byzantinistik und Neogräzistik, Universität Wien
Judith Ryder, University of Oxford
Raymond Van Dam, University of Michigan
Michael Whitby, University of Birmingham
Ian Wood, University of Leeds
General Editors
Gillian Clark, University of Bristol
Mark Humphries, Swansea University
Mary Whitby, University of Oxford
A full list of published titles in the Translated Texts for Historians
series is available on request. The most recently published are
shown below.
Bede: On Genesis
Translated with introduction and notes by CALVIN B. KENDALL
Volume 48: 371pp.. 2008. ISBN 978-1-84631-088-1
Nemesius: On the Nature of Man
Translated with introduction and notes by R. W. SHARPLES and P. J. VAN DER EUK
Volume 49: 283pp.. 2008. ISBN 978-1-84631-132-1
Sources for the History of the School of Nisibis
Translated with introduction and notes by ADAM H. BECKER
Volume 50: 217pp.. 2008. ISBN 978-1-84631-161-1
Acts of the Council of Constantinople of 553:
with related texts on the Three Chapters Controversy
Translated with an introduction and notes by RICHARD PRICE
Volume 51. 2 vols. 384pp + 360pp. 2009. ISBN 9781846311789
Three Political Voices from the Age of Justinian: Agapetus - Advice to the Emperor,
Dialogue on Political Science, Paul the Silentiary - Description of Hagia Sophia
Translated with notes and an introduction by PETER N. BELL
Volume 52: 249pp. ISBN 978-1-84631-209-0
History and Hagiography from the Late Antique Sinai
DANIEL F. CANER, with contributions by SEBASTIAN BROCK, RICHARD M. PRICE
and KEVIN VAN BLADEL
Volume 53: 346pp. ISBN 978-1 -84631-216-8
Orosius: Seven Books of History against the Pagans
Translated with introduction and notes by A. T. FEAR
Volume 54: 456pp.. 2010: ISBN 978-1-84631-473-5 cased. 978-1-84631-239-7 limp
The Chronicle of Pseudo-Zachariah Rhetor: Church and War in Late Antiquity
Translated by GEOFFREY GREATREX. with ROBERT PHENIX and CORNELIA HORN;
introductory material by SEBASTIAN BROCK and WITOLD WITAKOWSKI
Volume 55: forthcoming 2010: ISBN 978-1-84631-493-3 cased. 978-1-84631-494-0 limp
Bede: On the Nature of Things and On Times
Translated with introduction and notes by CALVIN B. KENDALL and FAITH WALLIS
Volume 56: 371pp.. 2010. ISBN 978-1-84631-495-7
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Translated Texts for Historians
Volume 57
Theophilus of Edessa’s
Chronicle
and the Circulation of Historical
Knowledge in Late Antiquity
and Early Islam
Translated with an introduction and notes by
ROBERT G. HOYLAND
Liverpool
University
Press
First published 2011
Liverpool University Press
4 Cambridge Street
Liverpool, L69 7ZU
Copyright © 2011 Robert Hoyland
TThe right of Robert Hoyland to be identified as the author of this book
has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or
by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A British Library CIP Record is available.
ISBN 978-1-84631-697-5 cased
978-1-84631-698-2 limp
Set in Tunes by
Koinonia, Manchester
Printed in the European Union by
Bell and Bain Ltd, Glasgow
CONTENTS
Preface and Acknowledgements vii
List of Abbreviations viii
Introduction 1
Translation of Theophilus of Edessa’s Chronicle 43
Appendix 1 : Unique Notices in Theophanes about Affairs in Syria
and Palestine 310
Appendix 2: The Common Source of Theophilus’ Chronicle and
Chron 819 316
Appendix 3: The Missing Sections of Agapius from Ms Laurenziana
Or 323 319
Gazetteer 324
Maps
1. The Near East in Late Antiquity 334
2. Provinces of the Early Islamic Middle East 335
3. Syro-Mesopotamia in the Sixth-Eighth Centuries 336
Figures
1. Transmission to and from Theophilus of Edessa 337
2. The Tribe of Quraysh 338
3. The Umayyad Caliphs 339
Bibliography 340
Index 358
For Sarah and Kylie