Article contents
Initial Byzantine Reactions to the Arab Conquest
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 July 2009
Extract
Numerous competent studies have appeared on Christian apologetics—both Byzantine and Western Medieval—against Islam. A significant gap, however, remains. The Byzantines, of course, first encountered Islam because of the Arab conquest in the second and third quarters of the seventh century. Yet the earliest known Byzantine apologist against Islam is Saint John Damascene in the eighth century. But what initial impression did the Arab conquest and Islam make upon seventh-century Byzantine contemporaries? The seventh-century Byzantine sources on Byzantine reactions to the Arab conquest are scarce, inconveniently located, and insufficiently studied. There is no known individual Byzantine tract of the seventh century devoted specifically to the problem of Islam and/or the Arab conquest. But even though seventh-century sources are relatively rare—on any subject—by a close reading of those which are available one can glean some interesting and, in my opinion, important indications concerning Byzantine reactions to the Arab conquest. Obviously such a major historical event as the loss of Egypt, Palestine and Syria would greatly have impressed the Byzantines and would have caused them to ponder its significance.
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © American Society of Church History 1969
References
1. On western medieval views of Islam: Daniel, N.A., Islam and the West: Making of an Image (Edinburgh, 1958)Google Scholar; Southern, R. W., Western Views of Islam in the Middle Ages (Cambridge, Mass., 1962).CrossRefGoogle Scholar hyzantium and Islam: Güterbock, C., Der Islam im Lichte der byzantinischen Polemik (Berlin, 1912)Google Scholar; Eichner, D., “Die Nachrichten über den Islam bei den Byzantinern,” Der Islam, XXIII (1936) 133–244Google Scholar; Meyendorff, J., “Byzantine Views of Islam,” Dumbartom Oaks Papers, 18 (1964), 115–132Google Scholar; Palaeologus, Manuel II, Entrétiens avec un Musulman. 7e controverse, ed., tr. Khoury, Th. (Sources Chrétiennes, No. 115, Paris, 1966).Google Scholar On the Arab conquest: Butler, A. J., The Arab Conquest of Egypt (Oxford, 1902)Google Scholar; Hitti, P. K., The Origins of the Islamic State (reprinted, Beirut, 1966)Google Scholar; and DeGoeje, M. J., Mémoire sur la conquête de la Syrie (Mémoires d'histoire et de géographie orientales, II, Leiden, 1900).Google Scholar
2. Sophronius, , “Weihnachtspredigt des Sophronos,” ed. Usener, H., Bheinisches Museum für Philologie, N.F. 41 (1886), 506–507.Google Scholar On Sophronius: Impellizzeri, S., La letteratura bizantina da Costantino agli Iconoclasti (Bari, 1965), pp. 208–209, 357Google Scholar; Altaner, B., Patrologie (7th ed.; Freiburg, 1966), pp. 520–521Google Scholar; Bardenhewer, G.Geschichte der alt- kirchlichen Literatur (Freiburg, 1932) V, 36–41Google Scholar; Beck, H.-G., Kirche und Theologische Literatur im byzantinischen Reich (Munich, 1959), pp. 434–436Google Scholar; cf. also, Usener, H., Religionsgeschichtliche Untersuchungen, I: Das Weihnachtspredigt (2nd ed.; Bonn, 1911), 335–336.Google Scholar
3. Sophronius, , “Weihnachtspredigt” 507.Google Scholar Cf. Gen. iii. 24.
4. Sophronius, , “Weihnachtspredigt” 513.Google Scholar
5. Sophronius, , “Weihnachtspredigt” 514.Google Scholar
6. Sophronius, , “Weihnachtspredigt” 514–515.Google Scholar Cf. Luke ii. 14.
7. Doctrina Jacobi nuper baptizati, ed. N. Bonwetsch (Abhandlungen der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, Philologisch-historiche Kiasse, N.F. Bd. XII, Nr. 3 [1910]), 62.
8. Doctrina Jacobi nuper baptizati, 63. Cf. Dan. vii. 17–27. On the fourth beast: Rowley, H. H., Darius the Mede and the Four World Empires in the Book of Daniel (reprinted, Cardiff, 1964)Google Scholar; Swain, J. W., “The Theory of the Four Monarchies. Opposition History under the Roman Empire,” Classical Philology, xxxv (1940), 1–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9. Doctrina Jacobi nuper baptizati, 86–87.
10. Confessor, Maximus, epist. 14,Google Scholarad Petrum illustrem, PG 91. 540. Date: Sherwood, P., An Annotated Date-list of the Works of Maximus the Confessor (Studia Anselmiana, fasc. 30, Rome, 1952), 40.Google Scholar In general: Bardenhewer, O., Geschichte der altkirchlichen Literatur (Freiburg im Breisgau, 1932) V, 28–36Google Scholar; Altaner, B., Patrologie7, pp. 521–524Google Scholar; Beck, , Theologie und Kirche, pp. 436–442.Google Scholar
11. Sinaita, Anastasius, Sermo 3,Google ScholarPG 89, 1156. Cf. Beck, , Theologie und Kirche, pp. 442–443Google Scholar; De Sa, F., “Anastasius Sinaita, St.” New Catholic Encyclopedia I (1967), 481.Google Scholar
12. Sinaita, Anastasius, PG 89. 1156–1157.Google ScholarYarmuk, : Hitti, Baladhuri /P. K., Origins of the Islamic State, pp. 207–212Google Scholar; Theophanes, , Chronographia, A.M. 6126, ed. Boor, C. De (Leipzig, 1883, I, 338–339)Google Scholar; Bury, J. B., History of the Later Roman Empire (1st ed.; London, 1889) II, 263–265Google Scholar; Goeje, De, Mémoire sur la conquéte de Syrie, pp. 31–34, 103–136.Google Scholar
13. Cf. Kaegi, W. E. Jr, Byzantium and the Decline of Rome (Princeton, 1968), chapters 4–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14. Otkrovenie Mefodiia Patarskago i Apokrificheskiia Videnia Daniela v Vizantiiski i Slaviano-Russkoi Literaturakh, ed. V. M. Istrium, Chtenlia v Imperatorskom Obshchestvie Istorii i Drevnostei Rossiiskikh pri Moskovskom Universitetie, No. 193 (Moscow, 1897), Teksty, 26–27.Google Scholar Cf. brief discussion in the valuable article by Alexander, P. J., “Medieval Apocalypses as Historical Sources,” American Historical Review LXXIII (1968), 1000–1002.Google Scholar
15. Otkrovenie Mefodiia Patarskago 27–28.
16. Otkrovenie Mefodiia Patarskago 28–33.
17. Otkrovenie Mefodiia Patarskago 40–43.
18. Sebêos, , Histoire d'Héraclius, tr. Macler, F. (Paris, 1904), 104–105.Google Scholar Cf. Dan. vii. 3–24.
19. Sebêos, , Histoire d'Héraclius 129–130.Google Scholar Cf. Dan. vii. 23.
20. Sebêos, , Histoire d'Héraclius 147.Google Scholar Cf. Matth. xxiv. 35.
21. The Chronicle of John, Bishop of Nikiu, ch. 116. 13–14, tr. R. H. Charles (Oxford, 1916), p. 186Google Scholar; cf. Jones, A. H. M., “Were Ancient Heresies National or Social Movements in Disguise?,” Journal of Theological Studies, N. S. 10 (1959), 289.Google Scholar
22. John, of Nikiu, , Chronicle 117. 4Google Scholar (187 Charles); on the siege of Babylon (= Cairo): Butler, , Arab Conquest of Egypt, pp. 249–274.Google Scholar
23. Nikiu, John, Chronicle 121. 7Google Scholar (201 Charles); on the siege and surrender of Alexandria:
24. Nikiu, John, Chronicle 121. 10Google Scholar (201 Charles). Butler, , Arab Conquest of Egypt, pp. 310–327.Google Scholar
25. Critical editions: Theophanes Confessor, Chronographia, ed. Boor, C. de (2 vos. Leipzig 1883; reprinted Hildesheim 1963)Google Scholar; Nicephori Archiepiscopi Constantinopolitani Opuscula Historica (Leipzig, 1880)Google Scholar, Cf. Moravesik, G., Byzantinoturcica (2nd ed.; Berlin 1958), I, 531–587, 456–459,Google Scholar and the thorough study of Nicephorus by Alexander, P. J., The Patriarch Nicephorus of Constantinople (Oxford, 1958), esp. pp. 157–162.Google Scholar
26. Kaegi, W. E. JrByzantium and the Decline of Rome (Princeton, 1968), pp. 218–223, 254.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
27. The Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius, ed. J. Bidez and L. Parmentier (London, 1898). See esp. 3. 41Google Scholar (141–144 Bidez-Parmentier). Cf. Altaner, B., Patrologie7, 229Google Scholar; Moravesik, , Byzantinotourcica, I, 257–259.Google Scholar
- 16
- Cited by