Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, Plots 171.6-34
https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/502
Context
Constantine VII Flavius Porphyrogenitus (“born in the purple”) ruled
the Byzantine Empire as a member of the Macedonian dynasty in 913-959 C.E. Beyond the
challenges he faced in managing Imperial authority and international relations
throughout his reign, Constantine VII devoted considerable energy to his scholarly
pursuits. Among his many writings is the collection Excerpts from
Historians, in which he quotes from or epitomizes earlier writers on topics
chiefly relating to statecraft and leadership. In this passage from the book on plots
against the government (de insidiis), the emperor paraphrases the
earlier accounts of John Malalas on the Samaritan uprising of 529-531 C.E.
Text
Ὅτι ἐπὶ Ἰουστινιανοῦ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν Καισαρείᾳ τῆς Παλαιστίνης συνέβη τι
τοιοῦτον γενέσθαι. ἐν πόλει λεγομένῃ Νεαπόλει ἔστεψαν ἑαυτοῖς βασιλέα ὄνομα Ἰουλιανὸν
τοῦ λεγομένου Σαβάρωνος. καὶ ἐπελθόντες τοῖς χριστιανοῖς τοῖς ἐκεῖσε οἱ αὐτοὶ Σαμαρεῖται
πολλοὺς κατέκοψαν τῷ τρόπῳ τούτῳ. ἔθος ἐκράτει ἐν τῇ Παλαιστινῶν χώρᾳ καὶ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ
ἀνατολῇ. τῇ σαββάτου ἡμέρᾳ μετὰ τὸ ἀναγνωσθῆναι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐξήρχοντο
τὰ παιδία τῶν χριστιανῶν καὶ ἤρχοντο παίζοντα εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν καὶ
ἐλίθαζον τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν· εἶχον γὰρ ἔθος τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὑπαναχωρεῖν καὶ ἰδιάζειν. καὶ
τῷ χρόνῳ ἐκείνῳ οὐκ ἠνέσχοντο δοῦναι τόπον τοῖς χριστιανοῖς, καὶ ἐξελθόντα τὰ παιδία
μετὰ τὸ ἅγιον εὐαγγέλιον ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν καὶ ἐλίθαζον,
ἐξελθόντες δὲ οἱ Σαμαρεῖται κατὰ τῶν παιδίων μετὰ ξιφῶν πολλοὺς ἀπέκτειναν. καὶ πολλὰ
παιδία ἔφυγον ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ τραπέζῃ τοῦ ἁγίου Βασιλείου τοῦ ὄντος ἐκεῖσε, καὶ κατεδίωξαν
αὐτά τινες τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν καὶ κατέσφαξαν ὑποκάτω τῆς ἁγίας τραπέζης. μαθὼν δὲ ταῦτα
Ἰουστινιανὸς ἔπεμψεν Εἰρηναῖον τὸν ἀπὸ ἐπάρχων τὸν Πενταδίας, δεδωκὼς αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν ὥστε
γράψαι τοῖς κατὰ τόπον ἄρχουσιν. καὶ ἀγαγὼν αὐτοὺς μετὰ βοηθείας ἤγαγε Θεόδοτον δοῦκα
Παλαιστίνης τὸν ἐπίκλην Μάγαλαν μετὰ πολλοῦ πλήθους καὶ ἑτέρους πολλούς, ὥστε ὁπλίσασθαι
κατὰ τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν. καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν κατέσφαξαν, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς πραιδεύσαντες
πεπράκασιν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ χώρᾳ τῆς Παλαιστίνης διαρπάσαντες τοὺς οἴκους καὶ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα
αὐτοῖς. ἐν οἷς ἔλαβον καὶ τὸν Ἰουλιανὸν τὸν Σαβάρωνα, καὶ ἀποκεφαλίσαντες αὐτὸν ἔπεμψαν
τὴν αὐτοῦ κεφαλὴν μετὰ τοῦ διαδήματος καὶ τῆς λοιπῆς αὐτοῦ βασιλικῆς φορεσίας τῷ
βασιλεῖ. καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν πάνυ οἱ τὴν Παλαιστίνην οἰκοῦντες Σαμαρεῖται.1
Textual Note
Ed. de Boor 1905Translation
It happened during the reign of the emperor Justinian that the
following situation came about at Caesarea Palestinae. In the city called Neapolis (the
Samaritans) crowned for themselves an emperor named Julianus, son of a man called
Sabaron. The same Samaritans attacked the Christians there and cut down many in this
manner. A practice held sway in the countryside of the Palestinians and all the East. On
the day of the Sabbath, after the Gospel was read, the Christian children left the
church and went in play to the Samaritan synagogues, and they threw stones at their
houses; it was also their custom on the same day to go away quietly and to mind their
own business. At that time (the Samaritans) would not grant a place to the Christians.
The children departed after the Holy Gospel and went to the Samaritan synagogues and
threw stones, but the Samaritans came out against the children and killed many of them
with swords. Many children fled to the holy altar of St. Basil that was there, and some
Samaritans pursued them and slaughtered them on the holy altar. When he learned about
this, the emperor Justinian sent Eirenaios, one of the duces, son of
Pantadia, after granting him the authority to write to those who held offices in the
region. And having brought them together with assistance, he led Theodotus the
dux of Palestine, so-called Magalas, with a great multitude and
many others to raise arms against the Samaritans. And they slaughtered many (Samaritans)
and took the rest captive, and in the whole region of Palestine they succeeded in
plundering their homes and possessions. Among them they also seized Julianus son of
Sabaron, decapitated him, and sent the head with his diadem and the rest of his royal
outfit to the emperor. And most of the Samaritans living in Palestine were killed.
Translation Note
Trans. J. L. RifeWorks Cited
- 1 Constantine Porphyrogenitus, Excerpta historica iussu imp. Constantini Porphyrogeniti confecta III: Excerpta de insidiis, ed. Carl de Boor, repr. Hildesheim: Weidmann, 2003 (Berlin: Weidmann, 1905), p: 171.6-34.
How to Cite This Entry
Joseph L. Rife, “Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, Plots 171.6-34,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published June 30, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/502.
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Bibliography:
Joseph L. Rife, “Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, Plots 171.6-34.” 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/502.About this Entry
Entry Title: Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, Plots 171.6-34
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, “Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, Plots 171.6-34”
- Joseph L. Rife, entry contributor, “Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, Plots 171.6-34”
Additional Credit:
- Testimonium edited by Joseph L. Rife
- TEI record created by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium translated by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium transcribed by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium identified by Joseph L. Rife
- Editorial review by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium edited by Joseph L. Rife
- TEI record created by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium translated by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium transcribed by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium identified by Joseph L. Rife
- Editorial review by Joseph L. Rife