DOCSLIB.ORG

Mutasim's March Through Cappadocia in A. D. 838 Author(S): J

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Mutasim's March Through Cappadocia in A. D. 838 Author(S): J Mutasim's March Through Cappadocia in A. D. 838 Author(s): J. B. Bury Source: The Journal of Hellenic Studies, Vol. 29 (1909), pp. 120-129 Published by: The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/624648 . Accessed: 12/01/2015 03:14 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Journal of Hellenic Studies. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Mon, 12 Jan 2015 03:14:34 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions MUTASIM'S MARCH THROUGH CAPPADOCIA IN A.D. 838. IN the warfare between the Eastern Empire and the Caliphate in the ninth century, one of the most famous passages is the expedition of Mutasim, which was signalised by the siege and capture of Amorion, in A.D. 838. The best, in fact the only full, narrative of the campaign is preserved in the Chronicle of Tabari (A. H. 223).' His account of the opening operations of the invading armies is beset with certain geographical difficulties which I propose to consider in this paper, with the help of material supplied in the writings of Professor Ramsay, and in the hope that he may be able to throw further light on the subject. The Caliph 2 invaded Asia Minor with three armies. His objective was in the first instance Ancyra. His general, Afshin, in command of what we may call the Eastern army, crossed the Taurus by the pass of IHadath (Adata),3 and presumably his route was by Arabissos, Tzamandos, and Sebastea.4 The two divisions of the Western army, under the Caliph himself and Ashnas, started from Cilicia and crossed by the Cilician gates. The plan was that the armies should meet in the neighbourhood of Ancyra, and as the Saracens were well acquainted with the roads of central Asia Minor, they were able to calculate the distances and arrange the times of starting for the Eastern and Western armies respectively,5 so that they could hope to arrive at the same time at Ancyra, if nothing untoward occurred. Ashnas set out from Cilicia on June 19, and was directed to await the arrival of the Caliph's army at Lulon, the great fortress which commanded 1 De Goeje, iii. 1236 sqq. I have used the must be inferred from the fact that his battle Russian r translation of Vasil'ev, Vizantiia i with the army of Theophilus was fought in the Araby, i. Prilozhenie, 30 sqq. and my refer- neighbourhood of Dazimon (Tokat). Vasil'ev ences are to it. So far as I know, Vasil'ev is probably right in supposing (op. cit. 121) is the only modern critic who has worked up that it was part of the plan that Afshin should the relation of Tabari. join another army, from Armenia and Melitene 2 He left Samarra early in April, Yakubi, in (perhaps -rs E 'ApAevL'wv o-pa-aris of Genesios Vas. Pril. 9 ; cp. Masudi, Golden Mcadows, ib. 67). The westward roads from Melitene and 68 de vii. 3(Barbier Meynard, 135). Armenia met at Sebastea. The fertile plain of He started from Saruja (Tabari 31) Dazimon (Kaz-ova) lay on the right (north) of Surghi. the route Sebastea - Sebastopolis - Ancyra. 4 The most direct route to Ancyra was by Cp. Anderson's map of Asia Minor (1903). Caesarea. But that Afshin marched by Sebastea 5 Tabari, ib. This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Mon, 12 Jan 2015 03:14:34 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions MUTASIM'S MARCH THROUGH CAPPADOCIA IN A.D. 838 121 the northern approach of the Pass of Podandos or Cilician Gates.6 Lulon was at this time in the possession of the Moslems; it had been captured by a general of Mamun in the autumn of A.D. 832.7 In the meantime Mutasim himself had encamped in Western Cilicia near the river Lamos, which was the boundary between Roman and Saracen territory. For what reason he went to the Lamos is not stated, and I mention the fact only because it has a bearing on the subsequent narrative of Tabari. Mutasim set out two days after Ashnas (June 21) and crossed the Taurus by the Pass of Podandos, in his footsteps.8 In a manner very common in the Arabic chronicles, Tabari, without referring to the arranged meeting at Lulon, leaps abruptly to a further stage of the march of the invaders. The two armies have again se- parated. Ashnas, evidently in advance, is at Marj-uskuf. and Mutasim in Matamir. Mutasim r sends Ashnas a letter of which the tenor, as reproduced by Tabari, is unintelligible. 'The Emperor is in front of you and B Xazianzos intends to throw his army across RC NaziaMalakopaea. the Lamos. Remain where you MATA IR are, at Marj-uskuf.' Koron. Sasima. Now we know the general Mt Argaeus. locality of Matamir, a name which Andabalis. frequently occurs in the Arabic Nigde. chronicles. It was a district in TYANA. southern Cappadocia, north of Tyana, marked by subterranean t strongholds, which are described (Pashmakji) by Ramsay.9 This is the mean- Lulo (Takhta Keupreu) ing of the word Matamir. The . _ road from Tyana to Soandos, by Podandos. Sasima and traverses 20 30 40 Malakopaia, 10 t 0,.KM. this district. Now the route which, we may suppose, the Caliph would naturally have chosen, in order to reach Ancyra, would have been by Soandos (Nev Sheher), Parnassos, and 6 Lulon and al-Safsaf are names for the same of Podandos (Darb as-Salam), Afshin by the fortress as Ramsay has shown. For the identi- Pass of Hadath, and other armies by other fication of the fortress and a full description of routes. The last words must refer not to the Pass, see Ramsay, Geographical Journal, Ashnas, but to the forces from Melitene and Oct. 1903. Armenia. 7 Yakubi, in Vas. Pril. 8 ; Tabari, ib. 25. Historical 293; 356 the 8 9 Geography, (' plain Tabari says that Mutasim sent the advance. of Venasa, about Sasima and Malokopaia; guard of his own army in the steps of Ashnas, great underground residences are a special and and started himself on June 21. Masudi peculiar feature of this plain, which lies on the (ib. 68) says that Mutasim marched by the Pass direct road north from the Gates '). This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Mon, 12 Jan 2015 03:14:34 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 122 J. B. BURY Akharbuts. Thus the first part of his march would have been through the region of Matamir. As Ashnas was in advance of Mutasim, who was in Matamir, it seems to follow that Marj-uskuf must be sought north of Sasima. This place is. mentioned in a route from Podandos to Dorylaion, described by Ibn Khurdadhbah 10 and Idrisi,11 and discussed by Ramsay in his article on Lycaonia.12 The first stations are Podandos - al-Karm - an-Nawba- al-Kanais-Wafra-Balisa-Marj al-Uskuf.'3 Ramsay thinks that this route (in which Lulon and Tyana do not occur) corresponds, in its first part, to 'the modern horse-road from Podandos by Takhta-Keupreu and Pashmakji to Nigde,' and that thence it proceeded 'through Hassa-Keui and Nenizi (Nazianzos) to Ak-Serai (Archelais).' This view certainly seems best to suit the data. Nigde lies north of Tyana on the main road from Tyana to Sasima. But may it not be that the ninth-century road from Podandos to Sasima lay further to the east than the present horse-road, and joined the Tyana-Sasima road not at Nigde, but at Andabalis ? However this may be, we may, I suggest, identify Ibn Khurdadhbah's an-Nawba with Andabalis. As Sasima (Hassa-Keui) could not well be omitted in the itinerary, it is an obvious conjecture that it should be sought in the next station al-Kanais ('the churches ').14 This place is described by Ibn Khurdadhbah 'on the right of Kawkab.' It seems possible that Kawkab means Malakopaia, and if so, the description 'to the south of Malakopaia' would exactly apply to Sasima. The next important station on the route to Dorylaion, via Archelais, would be Nazianzos, and I propose to identify Nazianzos with Ibn Khurdadhbah's Marj al-Uskuf. I may point out that Nazianzos, rendered illustrious by its famous bishop Gregory, presents a motif for the name Marj al-Uskuf, 'bishop's meadow.' We may now return to the message of the Caliph to his general. They are in southern Cappadocia, marching to Ancyra, and Ashnas is warned of the imminent danger of an attack from a Roman army which the Emperor Theophilus is ready to throw across the river-Lamos. If the Emperor were on the banks of the Lamos, he was no more dangerous to the northward march of the Saracens than if he had been on the banks of a river in Europe. In few places could he have been more safely out of the way than in the kleisurarchy of Seleucia.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Hadrian and the Greek East
    HADRIAN AND THE GREEK EAST: IMPERIAL POLICY AND COMMUNICATION DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of the Ohio State University By Demetrios Kritsotakis, B.A, M.A. * * * * * The Ohio State University 2008 Dissertation Committee: Approved by Professor Fritz Graf, Adviser Professor Tom Hawkins ____________________________ Professor Anthony Kaldellis Adviser Greek and Latin Graduate Program Copyright by Demetrios Kritsotakis 2008 ABSTRACT The Roman Emperor Hadrian pursued a policy of unification of the vast Empire. After his accession, he abandoned the expansionist policy of his predecessor Trajan and focused on securing the frontiers of the empire and on maintaining its stability. Of the utmost importance was the further integration and participation in his program of the peoples of the Greek East, especially of the Greek mainland and Asia Minor. Hadrian now invited them to become active members of the empire. By his lengthy travels and benefactions to the people of the region and by the creation of the Panhellenion, Hadrian attempted to create a second center of the Empire. Rome, in the West, was the first center; now a second one, in the East, would draw together the Greek people on both sides of the Aegean Sea. Thus he could accelerate the unification of the empire by focusing on its two most important elements, Romans and Greeks. Hadrian channeled his intentions in a number of ways, including the use of specific iconographical types on the coinage of his reign and religious language and themes in his interactions with the Greeks. In both cases it becomes evident that the Greeks not only understood his messages, but they also reacted in a positive way.
    [Show full text]
  • Cappadocia and Cappadocians in the Hellenistic, Roman and Early
    Dokuz Eylül University – DEU The Research Center for the Archaeology of Western Anatolia – EKVAM Colloquia Anatolica et Aegaea Congressus internationales Smyrnenses X Cappadocia and Cappadocians in the Hellenistic, Roman and Early Byzantine periods An international video conference on the southeastern part of central Anatolia in classical antiquity May 14-15, 2020 / Izmir, Turkey Edited by Ergün Laflı Izmir 2020 Last update: 04/05/2020. 1 Cappadocia and Cappadocians in the Hellenistic, Roman and Early Byzantine periods. Papers presented at the international video conference on the southeastern part of central Anatolia in classical antiquity, May 14-15, 2020 / Izmir, Turkey, Colloquia Anatolica et Aegaea – Acta congressus communis omnium gentium Smyrnae. Copyright © 2020 Ergün Laflı (editor) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission from the editor. ISBN: 978-605-031-211-9. Page setting: Ergün Laflı (Izmir). Text corrections and revisions: Hugo Thoen (Deinze / Ghent). Papers, presented at the international video conference, entitled “Cappadocia and Cappadocians in the Hellenistic, Roman and Early Byzantine periods. An international video conference on the southeastern part of central Anatolia in classical antiquity” in May 14–15, 2020 in Izmir, Turkey. 36 papers with 61 pages and numerous colourful figures. All papers and key words are in English. 21 x 29,7 cm; paperback; 40 gr. quality paper. Frontispiece. A Roman stele with two portraits in the Museum of Kırşehir; accession nos. A.5.1.95a-b (photograph by E.
    [Show full text]
  • GLOBAL HISTORY and NEW POLYCENTRIC APPROACHES Europe, Asia and the Americas in a World Network System Palgrave Studies in Comparative Global History
    Foreword by Patrick O’Brien Edited by Manuel Perez Garcia · Lucio De Sousa GLOBAL HISTORY AND NEW POLYCENTRIC APPROACHES Europe, Asia and the Americas in a World Network System Palgrave Studies in Comparative Global History Series Editors Manuel Perez Garcia Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai, China Lucio De Sousa Tokyo University of Foreign Studies Tokyo, Japan This series proposes a new geography of Global History research using Asian and Western sources, welcoming quality research and engag- ing outstanding scholarship from China, Europe and the Americas. Promoting academic excellence and critical intellectual analysis, it offers a rich source of global history research in sub-continental areas of Europe, Asia (notably China, Japan and the Philippines) and the Americas and aims to help understand the divergences and convergences between East and West. More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/15711 Manuel Perez Garcia · Lucio De Sousa Editors Global History and New Polycentric Approaches Europe, Asia and the Americas in a World Network System Editors Manuel Perez Garcia Lucio De Sousa Shanghai Jiao Tong University Tokyo University of Foreign Studies Shanghai, China Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan Pablo de Olavide University Seville, Spain Palgrave Studies in Comparative Global History ISBN 978-981-10-4052-8 ISBN 978-981-10-4053-5 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4053-5 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017937489 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018, corrected publication 2018. This book is an open access publication. Open Access This book is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.
    [Show full text]
  • Byzantine Missionaries, Foreign Rulers, and Christian Narratives (Ca
    Conversion and Empire: Byzantine Missionaries, Foreign Rulers, and Christian Narratives (ca. 300-900) by Alexander Borislavov Angelov A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (History) in The University of Michigan 2011 Doctoral Committee: Professor John V.A. Fine, Jr., Chair Professor Emeritus H. Don Cameron Professor Paul Christopher Johnson Professor Raymond H. Van Dam Associate Professor Diane Owen Hughes © Alexander Borislavov Angelov 2011 To my mother Irina with all my love and gratitude ii Acknowledgements To put in words deepest feelings of gratitude to so many people and for so many things is to reflect on various encounters and influences. In a sense, it is to sketch out a singular narrative but of many personal “conversions.” So now, being here, I am looking back, and it all seems so clear and obvious. But, it is the historian in me that realizes best the numerous situations, emotions, and dilemmas that brought me where I am. I feel so profoundly thankful for a journey that even I, obsessed with planning, could not have fully anticipated. In a final analysis, as my dissertation grew so did I, but neither could have become better without the presence of the people or the institutions that I feel so fortunate to be able to acknowledge here. At the University of Michigan, I first thank my mentor John Fine for his tremendous academic support over the years, for his friendship always present when most needed, and for best illustrating to me how true knowledge does in fact produce better humanity.
    [Show full text]
  • ASD-Covert-Foreign-Money.Pdf
    overt C Foreign Covert Money Financial loopholes exploited by AUGUST 2020 authoritarians to fund political interference in democracies AUTHORS: Josh Rudolph and Thomas Morley © 2020 The Alliance for Securing Democracy Please direct inquiries to The Alliance for Securing Democracy at The German Marshall Fund of the United States 1700 18th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 T 1 202 683 2650 E [email protected] This publication can be downloaded for free at https://securingdemocracy.gmfus.org/covert-foreign-money/. The views expressed in GMF publications and commentary are the views of the authors alone. Cover and map design: Kenny Nguyen Formatting design: Rachael Worthington Alliance for Securing Democracy The Alliance for Securing Democracy (ASD), a bipartisan initiative housed at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, develops comprehensive strategies to deter, defend against, and raise the costs on authoritarian efforts to undermine and interfere in democratic institutions. ASD brings together experts on disinformation, malign finance, emerging technologies, elections integrity, economic coercion, and cybersecurity, as well as regional experts, to collaborate across traditional stovepipes and develop cross-cutting frame- works. Authors Josh Rudolph Fellow for Malign Finance Thomas Morley Research Assistant Contents Executive Summary �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1 Introduction and Methodology ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
    [Show full text]
  • The Geodetic Sciences in Byzantium
    The geodetic sciences in Byzantium Dimitrios A. Rossikopoulos Department of Geodesy and Surveying, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki [email protected] Abstract: Many historians of science consider that geodeasia, a term used by Aristotle meaning "surveying", was not particularly flourishing in Byzantium. However, like “lo- gistiki” (practical arithmetic), it has never ceased to be taught, not only at public universi- ties and ecclesiastical schools, as well as by private tutors. Besides that these two fields had to do with problems of daily life, Byzantines considered them necessary prerequisite for someone who wished to study philosophy. So, they did not only confine themselves to copying and saving the ancient texts, but they also wrote new ones, where they were ana- lyzing their empirical discoveries and their technological achievements. This is the subject of this paper, a retrospect of the numerous manuscripts of the Byzantine period that refer to the development of geodesy both in teaching and practices of surveying, as well as to mat- ters relating to the views about the shape of the earth, the cartography, the positioning in travels and generally the sciences of mapping. Keywords: Geodesy, geodesy in Byzantium, history of geodesy, history of surveying, history of mathematics. Περίληψη: Πολλοί ιστορικοί των επιστημών θεωρούν ότι η γεωδαισία, όρος που χρησι- μοποίησε ο Αριστοτέλης για να ορίσει την πρακτική γεωμετρία, την τοπογραφία, δεν είχε ιδιαίτερη άνθιση στο Βυζάντιο. Ωστόσο, όπως και η “λογιστική”, δεν έπαψε ποτέ να διδά- σκεται όχι μόνο στα κοσμικά πανεπιστήμια, αλλά και στις εκκλησιαστικές σχολές, καθώς επίσης και από ιδιώτες δασκάλους. Πέρα από το ότι οι δύο αυτοί κλάδοι είχαν να κάνουν με προβλήματα της καθημερινής ζωής των ανθρώπων, οι βυζαντινοί θεωρούσαν την διδα- σκαλία τους απαραίτητη προϋπόθεση ώστε να μπορεί κανείς να παρακολουθήσει μαθήμα- τα φιλοσοφίας.
    [Show full text]
  • ROUTES and COMMUNICATIONS in LATE ROMAN and BYZANTINE ANATOLIA (Ca
    ROUTES AND COMMUNICATIONS IN LATE ROMAN AND BYZANTINE ANATOLIA (ca. 4TH-9TH CENTURIES A.D.) A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY BY TÜLİN KAYA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SETTLEMENT ARCHAEOLOGY JULY 2020 Approval of the Graduate School of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Yaşar KONDAKÇI Director I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Prof. Dr. D. Burcu ERCİYAS Head of Department This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lale ÖZGENEL Supervisor Examining Committee Members Prof. Dr. Suna GÜVEN (METU, ARCH) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lale ÖZGENEL (METU, ARCH) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ufuk SERİN (METU, ARCH) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayşe F. EROL (Hacı Bayram Veli Uni., Arkeoloji) Assist. Prof. Dr. Emine SÖKMEN (Hitit Uni., Arkeoloji) I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last name : Tülin Kaya Signature : iii ABSTRACT ROUTES AND COMMUNICATIONS IN LATE ROMAN AND BYZANTINE ANATOLIA (ca. 4TH-9TH CENTURIES A.D.) Kaya, Tülin Ph.D., Department of Settlement Archaeology Supervisor : Assoc. Prof. Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Notes and Documents Downloaded From
    728 BYZANTINES AND ARABS IN THE Oct. Notes and Documents Downloaded from BYZANTINES AND ABABS IN THE TIME OF THE EABLY ABBASIDS. THE Arabic historians Al Baladhuri (circ. 868), Ibn Wadhih, otherwise known as Al Ta'kubi (878), and Al Tabari (915), http://ehr.oxfordjournals.org/ and the work known as ' Kitab Al 'Uyun,' or ' Book of Springs' (of the latter half of the eleventh century) contain much impor- tant information upon the wars, treaties, and other relations between the Byzantine and Arab empires, which even to Arabic scholars is only accessible by laborious 'search through matter relating to quite different subjects. In Weil's 'Geschichte der Chalifen' many valuable extracts and citations from Arabic authors are given; but none of the writers above mentioned was accessible at National University of Singapore on June 28, 2015 to Weil,1 whose information was drawn from the often corrupt epitome of Al Tabari given by Ibn Al Athir (1224) and from other inferior writers. I have therefore given below translations with a commentary and comparisons with Greek, Syriac, and Armenian writers of all passages in the above Arabic chronicles relating to the frontier wars of Arabs and Byzantines from the accession to power of the Abbasid dynasty in 750 down to the death of the Caliph Al Amin in 818, after which time there was a long cessation of hostilities. In Ibn Wadhih, Al Tabari, and the ' Kitab Al 'Uyun' the events are related in chronological order with dates,2 and I have therefore arranged the extracts under the years of the Higra.
    [Show full text]
  • Aspects of St Anna's Cult in Byzantium
    ASPECTS OF ST ANNA’S CULT IN BYZANTIUM by EIRINI PANOU A thesis submitted to The University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Centre for Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Greek Studies Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity College of Arts and Law The University of Birmingham January 2011 Acknowledgments It is said that a PhD is a lonely work. However, this thesis, like any other one, would not have become reality without the contribution of a number of individuals and institutions. First of all of my academical mother, Leslie Brubaker, whose constant support, guidance and encouragement accompanied me through all the years of research. Of the National Scholarship Foundation of Greece ( I.K.Y.) with its financial help for the greatest part of my postgraduate studies. Of my father George, my mother Angeliki and my bother Nick for their psychological and financial support, and of my friends in Greece (Lily Athanatou, Maria Sourlatzi, Kanela Oikonomaki, Maria Lemoni) for being by my side in all my years of absence. Special thanks should also be addressed to Mary Cunningham for her comments on an early draft of this thesis and for providing me with unpublished material of her work. I would like also to express my gratitude to Marka Tomic Djuric who allowed me to use unpublished photographic material from her doctoral thesis. Special thanks should also be addressed to Kanela Oikonomaki whose expertise in Medieval Greek smoothened the translation of a number of texts, my brother Nick Panou for polishing my English, and to my colleagues (Polyvios Konis, Frouke Schrijver and Vera Andriopoulou) and my friends in Birmingham (especially Jane Myhre Trejo and Ola Pawlik) for the wonderful time we have had all these years.
    [Show full text]
  • Aspects of Iconography in Byzantine Cappadocia
    RESEARCH ARTICLE European Journal of Theology and Philosophy www.ej-theology.org Aspects of Iconography in Byzantine Cappadocia E. Ene D-Vasilescu ABSTRACT The main novelty my article brings concerns a particular iconographic motif: that known as the ‘trial by the water of reproach’. In the few cases Published Online: August 17, 2021 where this is rendered, usually only Mary is presented as undergoing this ISSN: 2736-5514 test, but in Cappadocian art Joseph is also subjected to it. DOI :10.24018/theology.2021.1.4.35 Additionally, to this visual topic, another one that is rarely depicted will be introduced and commented upon: that known as ‘Christ’s first bath’. E. Ene D-Vasilescu* I will provide a particular example: the fresco which constitutes part of (e-mail: elena.ene-yahoo.co.uk) the decoration that embellishes the walls of Karabaş Kilise/ ‘The Big Church’ in Soğanlı Valley, southern Cappadocia. *Corresponding Author A few images – one of them never published before – have been included within this publication. Keywords: Byzantium, Byzantine frescoes, Cappadocia, Constantine VII Porphyrogenetus. Karabaş church in the Soğanlı Valley, Phocas family, the Old and New Tokalı churches in Göreme. Cappadocians occupied a region from Mount Taurus (Fig. 1) I. INTRODUCTION to the vicinity of the Pontus Euxine (the Black Sea) [1]. The current piece is concerned with two rare visual motifs Therefore, the province was bordered in the south by the that can be found among other images which decorate Taurus Mountains that separate it from Cilicia to the east by churches established in Cappadocia under Byzantine rule.
    [Show full text]
  • Pauline and Other Studies
    PAULINE AND OTHER STUDIES IN EARLY CHRISTIAN HISTORY BY W. M. RAM SAY, HoN. D.C.L., ETC. PROF~~SOR OF HUMANITY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN HODDER AND STOUGHTON LONDON MCMVI VI THE PERMANENCE OF RELIGION AT HOLY PLACES IN WESTERN ASIA II Tomb of a Christian Virgin of the Third Cent).lry (see p. 298). VI THE PERMANENCE OF RELIGION AT HOLY PLACES IN WESTERN ASIA IN the preceding article in this volume, describing the origin of the Ephesian cult of the Mother of God, the permanent attachment of religious awe to special localities was briefly mentioned. In that cult we found a survival or revival of the old paganism of Ephesus, viz., the worship of the Virgin Mother of Artemis. The persistence of those ancient be­ liefs and rites at the chief centres of paganism exercised so pro­ found an influence on the history of Christianity in Asia Minor, that it is well to give a more detailed account of the facts, though even this account can only be a brief survey of a few examples selected almost by chance out of the in­ numerable cases which occur in all parts of the country. I shall take as the foundation of this article a paper read to the Oriental Congress held at London in autumn, 1902, and buried in the Transactions of the Congress, developing and improving the ideas expressed in that paper, and enlarging the number of examples. The strength of the old pagan beliefs did not escape the attention of the Apostle Paul; and his views on the subject affected his action as a missionary in the cities of Asia Minor; and can be traced in his letters.
    [Show full text]
  • (PART I) Pantelis CHARALAMPAKIS* This Paper1 Is the Outcome
    2016 2 / 2 (1-17) 12 SHORT NOTES ON THE PROSOPOGRAPHY OF THE BYZANTINE THEME OF KOLONEIA (PART I) * Pantelis CHARALAMPAKIS *Research Fellow, Centre for This paper1 is the outcome of a preliminary study re- Advanced Study, Sofia. lated to the TAKTIKON database developed at the [email protected] 2 Academy of Athens, Greece. The history and proso- pography of the Byzantine theme of Koloneia in the Pontos area have been so far discussed in a very few – yet important – works only, and this is not because of lack of interest, but because of the limited infor- mation provided by literary sources and the small number of seals discovered. The main objective is to publish two so far unknown lead seals issued by officials who served in the theme of Koloneia, as well as to provide the reader with up- dated prosopographical lists of the thematic offi- cials. Needless to say, the prosopographical lists pre- sented in this paper are incomplete, because there are more unpublished collections of seals – some of them hard to access – that have to be examined. In a future second part of this study we shall present the remaining offices, together with discussion on some -------------------------------------------------------- 1 I would like to thank Dr. Osman Emir for encouraging me to write for KAREN Studies and also for his warm hospitality in Trabzon in May 2016. Moreover, I am indebted to Dr. Harald Schulze (Archäologische Staatssammlung München) and Dr. Vassa Kontouma (IFEB), for granting me permission to publish the seals, and, of course, to Prof. Jean-Claude Cheynet, who shared information and provided me with photos of the IFEB and BnF specimens.
    [Show full text]