Joshua the Stylite
Encyclopedia
Joshua the Stylite is the attributed author of a chronicle
which narrates the history of the war between the Later Roman Empire and Persians in 502
- 506
, and which is one of the earliest and best historical documents preserved in Syriac.
The work owes its preservation to having been incorporated in the third part of the history of pseudo-Dionysius of Tell-Mahre
, and may probably have had a place in the second part of the Ecclesiastical History of John of Ephesus
, from whom (as Nau
has shown) pseudo-Dionysius copied all or most of the matter contained in his third part. The chronicle in question is anonymous, and Nau has shown that the note of a copyist
, which was thought to assign it to the monk Joshua of Zuqnin near Amida (Diyarbakir
), more probably refers to the compiler of the whole work in which it was incorporated. In any case, the author was an eyewitness of many of the events which he describes, and must have been living at Edessa
during the years when it suffered so severely from the Roman–Persian Wars. His view of events is everywhere characterized by his belief in overruling Providence; and as he eulogizes Flavian II
, the Chalcedon
ian patriarch of Antioch
, in warmer terms than those in which he praises his great Monophysite contemporaries, Jacob of Serugh
and Philoxenus of Mabbog
, he was probably an orthodox Catholic
.
The chronicle was first made known by Assemani's abridged Latin version (B O i. 260-283) and was edited in 1876 by Paulin Martin
and (with an English translation) by William Wright
in 1882. After an elaborate dedication to a friend the priest and abbot Sergius a brief recapitulation of events from the death of Julian
in 363
and a fuller account of the reigns of the Persian kings Peroz I (457-484) and Balash (484-488), the writer enters upon his main theme the history of the disturbed relations between the Persian and Greek Empires from the beginning of the reign of Kavadh I (489-531), which culminated in the great war of 502-506.
From October 494
to the conclusion of peace near the end of 506, the author gives an annalistic account, with careful specification of dates, of the main events in Mesopotamia
, the theatre of conflict such as the siege and capture of Amid by the Persians (502-503), their unsuccessful siege of Edessa (503), and the abortive attempt of the Greeks to recover Amida (504-505). The work was probably written a few years after the conclusion of the war. The style is graphic and straightforward, and the author was evidently a man of good education and of a simple, honest mind.
A modern German translation with a good historical commentary was published 1997.
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
which narrates the history of the war between the Later Roman Empire and Persians in 502
502
Year 502 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Avienus and Probus...
- 506
506
Year 506 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Messala and Dagalaiphus...
, and which is one of the earliest and best historical documents preserved in Syriac.
The work owes its preservation to having been incorporated in the third part of the history of pseudo-Dionysius of Tell-Mahre
Dionysius Telmaharensis
Dionysius Telmaharensis was a patriarch or supreme head of the Syrian Orthodox Church . He was born at Tell-Mahre near ar-Raqqa on the Balikh River....
, and may probably have had a place in the second part of the Ecclesiastical History of John of Ephesus
John of Ephesus
John of Ephesus was a leader of the non-Chalcedonian Syriac-speaking Church in the sixth century, and one of the earliest and most important of historians who wrote in Syriac.-Life:...
, from whom (as Nau
Nau
Nau or NAU may refer to:*Nau , an outdoor apparel company*Northern Arizona University*North American Union*National American University*National Aviation University *Lepidium oleraceum, a plant endemic to New Zealand...
has shown) pseudo-Dionysius copied all or most of the matter contained in his third part. The chronicle in question is anonymous, and Nau has shown that the note of a copyist
Copyist
A copyist is a person who makes written copies. In ancient times, a scrivener was also called a calligraphus . The term's modern use is almost entirely confined to music copyists, who are employed by the music industry to produce neat copies from a composer or arranger's manuscript.-Music...
, which was thought to assign it to the monk Joshua of Zuqnin near Amida (Diyarbakir
Diyarbakir
Diyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
), more probably refers to the compiler of the whole work in which it was incorporated. In any case, the author was an eyewitness of many of the events which he describes, and must have been living at Edessa
Edessa
Edessa may refer to:*Edessa, Greece*Edessa, Mesopotamia, now Şanlıurfa, Turkey*County of Edessa, a crusader state*Osroene, an ancient kingdom and province of the Roman Empire...
during the years when it suffered so severely from the Roman–Persian Wars. His view of events is everywhere characterized by his belief in overruling Providence; and as he eulogizes Flavian II
Flavian II of Antioch
Flavian II of Antioch , bishop or patriarch of Antioch, was chosen by the Emperor Anastasius I to succeed Palladius, most probably in 498....
, the Chalcedon
Chalcedon
Chalcedon , sometimes transliterated as Chalkedon) was an ancient maritime town of Bithynia, in Asia Minor, almost directly opposite Byzantium, south of Scutari . It is now a district of the city of Istanbul named Kadıköy...
ian patriarch of Antioch
Patriarch of Antioch
Patriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the Bishop of Antioch. As the traditional "overseer" of the first gentile Christian community, the position has been of prime importance in the church from its earliest period...
, in warmer terms than those in which he praises his great Monophysite contemporaries, Jacob of Serugh
Jacob of Serugh
Jacob of Serugh , also called Mar Jacob, was one of the foremost Syriac poet-theologians among the Syriac, perhaps only second in stature to Ephrem the Syrian and equal to Narsai. Where his predecessor Ephrem is known as the 'Harp of the Spirit', Jacob is the 'Flute of the Spirit'...
and Philoxenus of Mabbog
Philoxenus of Mabbog
Philoxenus of Mabbug was one of the most notable Syriac prose writers and a vehement champion of Miaphysitism.- Early life :...
, he was probably an orthodox Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
.
The chronicle was first made known by Assemani's abridged Latin version (B O i. 260-283) and was edited in 1876 by Paulin Martin
Paulin Martin
Paulin Martin was a French Catholic Biblical scholar.-Life:...
and (with an English translation) by William Wright
William Wright (orientalist)
William Wright was a famous British Orientalist, and Professor of Arabic in the University of Cambridge. Many of his works on Syriac literature are still in print and of considerable scholarly value, especially the catalogues of the holdings of the British Library and Cambridge University Library...
in 1882. After an elaborate dedication to a friend the priest and abbot Sergius a brief recapitulation of events from the death of Julian
Julian the Apostate
Julian "the Apostate" , commonly known as Julian, or also Julian the Philosopher, was Roman Emperor from 361 to 363 and a noted philosopher and Greek writer....
in 363
363
Year 363 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Iulianus and Sallustius...
and a fuller account of the reigns of the Persian kings Peroz I (457-484) and Balash (484-488), the writer enters upon his main theme the history of the disturbed relations between the Persian and Greek Empires from the beginning of the reign of Kavadh I (489-531), which culminated in the great war of 502-506.
From October 494
494
Year 494 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Rufius and Praesidius...
to the conclusion of peace near the end of 506, the author gives an annalistic account, with careful specification of dates, of the main events in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
, the theatre of conflict such as the siege and capture of Amid by the Persians (502-503), their unsuccessful siege of Edessa (503), and the abortive attempt of the Greeks to recover Amida (504-505). The work was probably written a few years after the conclusion of the war. The style is graphic and straightforward, and the author was evidently a man of good education and of a simple, honest mind.
A modern German translation with a good historical commentary was published 1997.