Apocalypse of Pseudo-Methodius

Pseudo - Methodius an anonymous author is known. This written in the late 7th century a work in Syriac, which is known as Revelationes ( " Revelations "). From the work was wrongly assumed that it had been written by the Bishop Methodius to 300.

The text is an outline of world history, whose content but differs greatly from historical facts, and finally ends in prophecies about the apocalypse: the establishment of the Christian empire by the emperor of peace and the coming of the Antichrist, after which the world court follows. Among the prophecies of the Book of Revelation elements from the Sibylline oracle collections join.

In modern research, it is assumed that the text represents an early Christian response to Islamic expansion, the anonymous author is processed contemporary fears about the end of the old world. Accordingly, the rule of the Arabs was only a brief period, after which the ( Eastern ) Roman empire will ( in line with the four- kingdom doctrine ) but continue to exist until the end of time.

In translation into Greek, Latin ( for the first time in the 8th century ), Slavic and other ethnic languages ​​Revelationes in the Middle Ages found many readers. The popular text also exerted a significant influence on the apocalyptic literature (eg, Adso of Montier -en-Der ) as well as on the general eschatological worldview of the time.

Editions and translations

• Benjamin Garstad (ed.): Apocalypse of Pseudo- Methodius / An Alexandrian World Chronicle. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass.. 2012 ( Edition with English translation).
• Gerrit Jan Reinink (ed.): The Syrian Apocalypse of Pseudo- Methodius. Louvain 1993 ( German translation ).