Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle 230.4-15
created: This entry is taken from Chronicle 230.4-15 written by Theophanes the Confessor
edition published: 2023-06-30-05:00
language: grc; grc
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https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/59

Καισαρείᾳ τῆς Παλαιστίνης

, and

Caesarea Palestinae

are directly attested at Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle 230.4-15. This passage was written ca. ca. 810-814 C.E. possibly in Cyzicus. 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 555/6, he depends closely on the account of John Malalas (mid-6th century) concerning the Samaritan revolt at Caesarea.

κθʹ. λαʹ. ιηʹ. δʹ. ιαʹ. ζʹ. ιαʹ. Τούτῳ τῷ ἔτει μηνὶ Ἰουλίῳ, ἰνδικτιῶνος δʹ, ἐστασίασαν Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ Σαμαρεῖται ἐν Καισαρείᾳ τῆς Παλαιστίνης καὶ ποιήσαντες πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐν τάξει πρασινοβενέτων ἐπῆλθον τοῖς Χριστιανοῖς τῆς αὐτῆς πόλεως καὶ πολλοὺς ἀνεῖλον καὶ ἐκκλησίας κατέκαυσαν, Στέφανον δέ, τὸν ἔπαρχον τῆς αὐτῆς πόλεως, ἐν τῷ πραιτωρίῳ ἀνεῖλον καὶ τὴν ὑπόστασιν αὐτοῦ καθήρπαξαν. ἡ δὲ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ ἀνελθοῦσα ἐν τῇ πόλει προσῆλθε τῷ βασιλεῖ· καὶ ἐκέλευσεν Ἀμαντίῳ τῷ στρατηλάτῃ κατελθεῖν ἐν Παλαιστίνῃ καὶ τὸν φόνον τοῦ Στεφάνου ἐκζητῆσαι· ὅστις εὑρὼν τοὺς μὲν ἐφούρκισεν, τοὺς δὲ ἀπεκεφάλισεν, τοὺς δὲ ἠκρωτηρίασε καὶ ἐδήμευσεν. καὶ ἐγένετο φόβος μέγας ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἀνατολικοῖς μέρεσιν.

[Ed. de Boor 1883]

[A.M. 6048=555/6 C.E.] Justinian, 19th year Chosroes, 31st year Vigilius, 18th year Eutychios, 4th year Peter, 11th year Apolinarios, 7th year Domnus, 11th year In July of this year, the 4th indiction, the Jews and Samaritans staged a revolt at Caesarea Palestinae. Combining into a Green-Blue faction, they attacked the Christians of that city, killed many of them, burned their churches, murdered Stephan, the prefect of the city, in the praetorium and looted his property. His wife went up to Constantinople and approached the emperor. He ordered Amantius, the magister militum, to go down to Palestine and investigate Stephan's murder. Having found the culprits, Amantius hanged some, beheaded some, mutilated some, and fined others. So great fear prevailed in all the eastern parts.

[Rev. Mango, Scott, and Greatrex 1997] [Minor corr. (toponymy)]

Works Cited

[...] 230.4-15
[...] 337-338

[Chronicle of Zuqnin 2.863

Constantine Porpyhrogenitus, Plots 173.13-29

John Malalas, Chronography 487.10-488.14

Michael the Syrian II.262]

[Constantinople

Palestine]

[Amantius, magister militum

Jews

Justinian I, emperor

Samaritans

Stephen, prefect of Caesarea]

[Christianity

Death and Burial

Government and Law

Judaism

Military

Roman History

Urban Topography]