John Phocas, Short Description of the Holy Places 30
created: This entry is taken from Short Description of the Holy Places 30 written by John
edition published: 2023-06-30-05:00
language: grc; grc
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https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/298

Καισάρεια

, and

Caesarea

are directly attested at John Phocas, Short Description of the Holy Places 30. This passage was written ca. 1175-1195 C.E. possibly in Palestine. John Phocas wrote an account of his pilgrimage to the Holy Land during the last quarter of the 12th century. He was an educated priest probably from the eastern Aegean islands who had occasionally served the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I as a special envoy. The earliest manuscript of the “Description” (Ἔκφρασις) that we can securely assign to this author dates from the 15th century. John recounts his journey from Syrian Antioch down the Phoenician coast to Acre, and from there to Galilee, the Jordan Valley, Judaea, and eventually the coastal route north past Caesarea to Mount Carmel. Here he has blatantly confused Caesarea Philippi with Caesarea Maritima.

Μετὰ τήv χώραν ταύτην ἐστιν ἡ Πιλίππου Καισάρεια, πόλις μεγάλη καὶ πολυάνθρωπος, ἥτις περὶ τὸ χεῖλος τῆς θαλάσσης ἴδρυται, ἐν ᾗ καὶ λιμὴν ὑπάρχει πάνυ θαυμάσιος, τέχνῃ γεγονὼς ἀνθρωπίνῃ, δαψιλείᾳ χρημάτων ἡ τοῦ Ἡρώδου ἐπαρκέσασα χεὶρ τῇ τούτου κατασκεύῃ. ἐν ταύτῃ Χρίστος τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἠρώτα, “Τίνα με λέγουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου;” καὶ ὁ Πέτρος “σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ” πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀπεκρίντο, τὸ τῆς ἀγάπης ἐντεῦθεν διάπυρον ἐνδεικνύμενος.

[Ed. Allatius 1875] [Bibliotheca Vallicelliana Romae 158 (Chios, 15th century)]

Beyond this region (sc. around Ramla) is Caesarea Philippi, a large and populous city, founded on the seashore. In it is a most wondrous harbor, a product of human skill, an enormous expenditure having been incurred by Herod for its construction. Here Christ asked the Apostles, “ Whom do people say that I, the Son of man, am?” And Peter answered him, “You are the Christ, the Son of God,” demonstrating thereby the fervor of his love.

[Adapted from Stewart 1896]

Works Cited

[...] 30 557
[...] 35

Additional Bibliography

[...]

[Matthew 16:13-20]

[Caesarea Philippi (Paneas, Banias)

Ramla (Rama, Ramleh)]

[Herod I, King

Jesus Christ

Peter the Apostle]

[Christian Bible

Christianity

Economy

Geography

Maritime Activity

Medieval History

Pilgrimage

Roman History

Urban Topography]