The Chronicle of Pseudo-Zachariah Rhetor

Book excerpt: Among the most important sources for the history of the church from the Council of Chalcedon in 451 to the early years of the reign of Justinian is the chronicle attributed to Zachariah of Mytilene. Though Zachariah's Ecclesiastical History was just one of a range of sources cited by this later compiler, so great was its influence that the resultant text bears his name. The chronicle covers both church and secular affairs and includes a wealth of important information about the fifth and sixth centuries, including a history of theological controversies, a catalog of the world's regions based on Ptolemy's Geography, and many eyewitness accounts of key historical events. The Chronicle of Pseudo-Zachariah Rhetor is the first translation of this seminal text to a modern language in over one hundred years, and the new edition benefits from improvements in Syriac lexicography and expanded research on the source. Contributions from two eminent Syriac scholars—Sebastian P. Brock and Witold Witakowski—and a detailed commentary further enhance the value of this book, as does the substantial bibliography. Beyond a mere translation, this book is a key resource for understanding the development of the modern dynamics of Christianity in Turkey, Iraq, and the Near East.