Sebeos

Sebeos was a living in the 7th century Armenian bishop and historian.

Work

Was Sebeos, that's for sure, the author of an Armenian historical work of the 7th century with the title story of Heraclius. There is disagreement, however, whether this is in fact the work obtained, which since the first modern edition ( Macler 1904) is associated with his name - but not in the manuscripts. This work focuses to a large extent with the rulers of Armenia; Although it also contains information about events in the neighboring society of the Eastern Roman Empire under Emperor Heraclius, but focuses primarily on the Persian Sassanid Empire in the late late antiquity. So says the text, in particular about the wars of the Sassanid Khosrau II In addition, the work depicts the beginning of the Arab expansion and the downfall of the Sassanian Empire. Because apart from a few inscriptions and saints there are hardly any contemporary sources on the Armenian and Persian history from the 6th and 7th centuries, is now attributed considerable significance as an important witness of the outgoing Late Antiquity the long work barely noticed. Also for the crucial first years of Islamic expansion, the plant is a source of the first rank, especially the Arab tradition at this time is usually encountered in today's research with increasing skepticism, since this was only written down long after the events.

The author begins his story with the revolt of Vahan Mamikonean that rose into the 480s - years in Persarmenien against the Sassanids. However, after he leaves the majority of the 6th century, then ramp again only with the revolt of Vardan II Mamikonean in the year 572 and continued then focuses on the years from 590 ( ascension to the throne Chosraus II ). The work ends with the year 661

Since you can not really be described as a history of Heraclius the text, there are now significant doubt as to the authorship of the Sebeos; so the work of James Howard - Johnston about is rather referred to as the history of Chosroes and also specified with pseudo - Sebeos. The other two parts of the work were anyway until much later, probably in the 10-11. Century written.

Editions and translations

• G. V. Abgarian: Parmut'iwn Sebeosi. Yerevan 1979. ( Critical Edition)
• Robert W. Thomson (Translator), James Howard - Johnston (Comment ): The Armenian History Attributed to Sebeos. 2 vols Translated Texts for Historians. Liverpool University Press, Liverpool 1999, ISBN 0-85323-564-3. ( English translation with extensive introduction and a detailed historical commentary, but with new chapters count. )