Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle 52.7-10
https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/267
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 362/3, he depends on the account of
Socrates of Constantinople for the case of the pagan Porphyrius of Tyre, who was attacked at
Caesarea.
Text
Πορφύριος δέ, ὁ καθ’ ἡμῶν λυττήσας, Τύριος μὲν ἦν τῷ γένει, Χριστιανὸς
δὲ τὸ πρὶν ὁ ἄθλιος· τυφθεὶς δὲ ὑπὸ Χριστιανῶν ἐν Καισαρείᾳ τῆς
Παλαιστίνης κατ’ ὀργὴν μετῆλθεν εἰς τὸν ἑλληνισμόν, καὶ τότε γράψαι κατὰ
τῆς ἀληθείας ὁ κύων ἐτόλμησεν.
1
Textual Note
Ed. de Boor 1883Translation
[A.M. 5855=362/3 C.E.]
Porphyrius, the man who raged against us, a Tyrian by birth, a wretched fellow who had
earlier been a Christian. He was beaten up by the Christians in Caesarea
Palestinae and in anger converted to Hellenism, and then the dog dared to
write an attack on the truth.
2
Translation Note
Rev. Mango, Scott, and Greatrex 1997Discussion Note
"Hellenism" here connotes paganism, or Greek polytheism.Works 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: 52.7-10.
- 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: 83.
How to Cite This Entry
Joseph L. Rife, “Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle 52.7-10,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published June 30, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/267.
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Bibliography:
Joseph L. Rife, “Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle 52.7-10.” 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/267.About this Entry
Entry Title: Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle 52.7-10
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 52.7-10”
- Joseph L. Rife, entry contributor, “Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle 52.7-10”
Additional Credit:
- TEI encoding by William L. Potter
- Electronic text added by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonia identified by Joseph L. Rife