Excerpta Latina Barbari
Encyclopedia
Excerpta Latina Barbari is a Latin
translation of a 5th or early 6th century Greek chronicle.
during the reign of Zeno
(474-491) or Anastasius
(491-518).
The original Greek chronicle was a variation of the Chronica Alexandrina. It was translated into Latin during the mid 8th century (c. 750 BC) by an anonymous Merovingian author. Excerpta Latina Barbari derives its name since the late Merovingian translator made many mistakes in translating the Greek into Latin, it is also now known the that translator included some alterations to the original chronicle. These alterations include the insertion of a linage linking the Merovingian kings to the ancient Trojans (see Francus
) as popularised in the Liber historiae Francorum
.
Joseph Justus Scaliger
took the first scholarly interest in the chronicle in his Thesaurus temporum (1606) and first named the chronicle Barbarus Scaligeri, which subsequently later became Excerpta Latina Barbari based on its poor mistakes of Greek into Latin. However some modern scholars have criticised this name, but nonetheless it still remains.
The 8th century Latin translation of the original manuscript is now housed in the Bibliothèque nationale de France
.
, a list entitled "high priests and kings of the Jews" and an entry for Macedonian kings). The king's lists start by including some mythological kings, for example the entry for Assyrian rulers starts from Belus
dated c. 2206 BC. Menelaus
is also considered a historical king of Sparta
.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
translation of a 5th or early 6th century Greek chronicle.
Origin
The Excerpta Latina Barbari is a Latin translation of a Greek chronicle composed in AlexandriaAlexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
during the reign of Zeno
Zeno (emperor)
Zeno , originally named Tarasis, was Byzantine Emperor from 474 to 475 and again from 476 to 491. Domestic revolts and religious dissension plagued his reign, which nevertheless succeeded to some extent in foreign issues...
(474-491) or Anastasius
Anastasius I (emperor)
Anastasius I was Byzantine Emperor from 491 to 518. During his reign the Roman eastern frontier underwent extensive re-fortification, including the construction of Dara, a stronghold intended to counter the Persian fortress of Nisibis....
(491-518).
The original Greek chronicle was a variation of the Chronica Alexandrina. It was translated into Latin during the mid 8th century (c. 750 BC) by an anonymous Merovingian author. Excerpta Latina Barbari derives its name since the late Merovingian translator made many mistakes in translating the Greek into Latin, it is also now known the that translator included some alterations to the original chronicle. These alterations include the insertion of a linage linking the Merovingian kings to the ancient Trojans (see Francus
Francus
Francus, the invention of Merovingian scholars, is a legendary eponymous king of the Franks, a descendant of the Trojans, founder of the Merovingian dynasty and forefather of Charlemagne. In the Renaissance, Francus was generally considered to be another name for the Trojan Astyanax saved from...
) as popularised in the Liber historiae Francorum
Liber Historiae Francorum
Liber historiae Francorum is a book that briefly starts as secondary source for early Franks in the time of Marcomer, and it gives a short breviarum of events until the time of the late Merovingians, where it becomes an important primary source of the contemporaneous history...
.
Joseph Justus Scaliger
Joseph Justus Scaliger
Joseph Justus Scaliger was a French religious leader and scholar, known for expanding the notion of classical history from Greek and Ancient Roman history to include Persian, Babylonian, Jewish and Ancient Egyptian history.-Early life:He was born at Agen, the tenth child and third son of Italian...
took the first scholarly interest in the chronicle in his Thesaurus temporum (1606) and first named the chronicle Barbarus Scaligeri, which subsequently later became Excerpta Latina Barbari based on its poor mistakes of Greek into Latin. However some modern scholars have criticised this name, but nonetheless it still remains.
The 8th century Latin translation of the original manuscript is now housed in the Bibliothèque nationale de France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
.
Contents
The chronicle contains two main sections: (a) the history of the world from the creation to Cleopatra and (b) a list of kings or rulers from Assyria to the consuls of Rome (including the Ptolemaic dynastyPtolemaic dynasty
The Ptolemaic dynasty, was a Macedonian Greek royal family which ruled the Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 BC to 30 BC...
, a list entitled "high priests and kings of the Jews" and an entry for Macedonian kings). The king's lists start by including some mythological kings, for example the entry for Assyrian rulers starts from Belus
Belus (Assyrian)
Belus or Belos in classical Greek or classical Latin texts in an Assyrian context refers to one or another purportedly ancient and historically nonexistent Assyrian king, such king in part at least a euhemerization of the Babylonian god Bel Marduk.Belus most commonly appears as the father of...
dated c. 2206 BC. Menelaus
Menelaus
Menelaus may refer to;*Menelaus, one of the two most known Atrides, a king of Sparta and son of Atreus and Aerope*Menelaus on the Moon, named after Menelaus of Alexandria.*Menelaus , brother of Ptolemy I Soter...
is also considered a historical king of Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
.