Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle 341.18-23
https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/136
Context
Theophanes, born to noble parents in Constantinople, was raised in the
Palace under Constantine V (740-775 C.E.) He spent much of his career as a member and
leader of monastic communities around the Sea of Marmara, before his condemnation and
exile to Samothrace in 817 C.E. by Leo V the Armenian during the controversies over
Iconoclasm. At the request of George Syncellus, Theophanes wrote a continuation of his
chronicle from Diocletian down to Michael I Rhangabes (284-813 C.E.), in the usual dry
style and format of Byzantine chronography. In his entry for the year 640/1, he recorded
the fall of Caesarea to the Arab general Muawiya, who was then governor of Syria. As is
often the case, the chronology is erroneous: Michael the Syrian (see Related Texts)
recorded a six-month siege from December to May; and we do not know exactly when it
occurred between 639-641.
Text
Ῥωμαίωνʹ βασιλεὺς Ἡρακλωνᾶς μῆνας ϛʹΚωνσταντινουπόλεως ἐπίσκοπος
Παῦλος ἔτη ιβʹαʹ ηʹ αʹ θʹΤούτῳ τῷ ἔτει παραλαμβάνει Μαυΐας Καισάρειαν
τῆς Παλαιστίνης μετὰ ἑπταετίαν τῆς πολιορκίας αὐτῆς· καὶ κτένει ἐν αὐτῇ
Ῥωμαίους χιλιάδας ἑπτά.
1
Textual Note
Ed. de Boor 1883Translation
[A.M. 6133=640/1 C.E.]Heraklonas, emperor of the Romans, (6
months)1st year Oumaros8th year Paul, bishop of Constantinople (12 years), 1st
yearCyrus, 9th yearIn this year Mauias takes Caesarea
Palestinae after a seven-year siege and kills 7,000 Romans in it.
2
Translation Note
Rev. Mango, Scott, and Greatrex 1997Works Cited
- 1 Theophanes the Confessor, Theophanis Chronographia I, ed. Karl de Boor, 2 vols., Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana (Leipzig: B. G. Teubner, 1883), p: 341.18-23.
- 2 Theophanes the Confessor, The Chronicle of Theophanes Confessor: Byzantine and Near Eastern History, A.D. 284-813, trans. Cyril Mango and Roger Scott (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1997), p: 474-475.
How to Cite This Entry
Joseph L. Rife, “Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle 341.18-23,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published June 30, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/136.
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Bibliography:
Joseph L. Rife, “Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle 341.18-23.” In Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, edited by Joseph L. Rife., edited by Joseph L. Rife. Caesarea City and Port Exploration Project, 2023. Entry published June 30, 2023. https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/136.About this Entry
Entry Title: Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle 341.18-23
Authorial and Editorial Responsibility:
- Joseph L. Rife, general editor, Vanderbilt University
- Joseph L. Rife, editor, Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia
- David A. Michelson, Daniel L. Schwartz, and William L. Potter, technical editor, “Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle 341.18-23”
- Joseph L. Rife, entry contributor, “Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle 341.18-23”
Additional Credit:
- TEI encoding by William L. Potter
- Electronic text added by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonia identified by Joseph L. Rife