John of Epiphania

John of Epiphania (Greek: Ιωάννης Επιφανεύς) was a late sixth century Byzantine historian.

John records Khosrau's restoration to the Persian throne by Maurice. However, Khosrau would use Maurice's murder in 602 as an excuse to resume war with the Byzantines. Khosrau is seen here, finally defeated by Heraclius in the Battle of Nineveh.

John was born in Epiphania (modern Hama, Syria). He was a Christian and served as a legal counselor to the Patriarch of Antioch, Gregory (ca. 590). John was also a cousin of the church historian Evagrius Scholasticus.

John obviously received good training. In his role as legal adviser, he was a witness to the Persian king, Khosrau Parvez's retreat into Roman territory, and may have even met the king. Khosrau was restored to the Persian throne by the Roman emperor Maurice. John may have also visited Persia (cf. Fragment 1)

John wrote a history of the Byzantine-Persian wars; from the campaigns of Khosrau I against Justin II, to the flight of his grandson Khosrau II to the Byzantines. The work is lost, but a fragment is preserved. The history was used by Evagrius and Theophylact Simocatta. As with many other Byzantine works, it is written in an archaic form of Greek, meant to imitate the classical style (e.g. Thucidydes).

External links

Carl Müller: Fragmenta historicorum graecorum. Bd. 4. Paris 1851, pp. 272–276 (online).
Translation of the fragment (Tertullian.org)

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Byzantine historians
5th century	Annianus of Alexandria Eunapius John Rufus Malchus Olympiodorus of Thebes Panodorus of Alexandria Philostorgius Priscus Sabinus of Heraclea Socrates of Constantinople Sozomen Theodoret
6th century	Agathias Cyril of Scythopolis Eustathius of Epiphania Evagrius Scholasticus Hesychius of Miletus John Diakrinomenos John of Ephesus John of Epiphania Pseudo-Joshua the Stylite Pseudo-Zacharias Rhetor Jordanes John Malalas Liberatus of Carthage Marcellinus Comes Menander Protector Nonnosus Peter the Patrician Procopius Theodorus Lector Theophanes of Byzantium Zacharias Rhetor Zosimus
7th century	John of Antioch Trajan the Patrician Theophylact Simocatta
8th century	Hippolytus of Thebes
9th century	Theophanes the Confessor George Syncellus Nikephoros I of Constantinople George Hamartolos Scriptor Incertus
10th century	Constantine VII Joseph Genesius John Kaminiates Leo the Deacon Pseudo-Simeon Symeon Logothete Theophanes Continuatus
11th century	Michael Attaleiates George Kedrenos Michael Psellos John Skylitzes John Xiphilinus Yahya of Antioch
12th century	Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger Niketas Choniates Eustathius of Thessalonica Michael Glykas Anna Komnene John Kinnamos Constantine Manasses Joannes Zonaras
13th century	George Akropolites Theodore Skoutariotes
14th century	Nicephorus Gregoras Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos John VI Kantakouzenos George Pachymeres Michael Panaretos
15th century	John Anagnostes John Cananus Laonikos Chalkokondyles Michael Critobulus Doukas George Sphrantzes Pseudo-George Kodinos

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