Creative chronography in early Christianity: John Malalas on the deaths of King Cyrus of Persia

TY - JOUR

T1 - Creative chronography in early Christianity: John Malalas on the deaths of King Cyrus of Persia

AU - Djurslev, Christian Thrue

PY - 2025/1/6

Y1 - 2025/1/6

N2 - In this article, I use John Malalas' account of Cyrus' two deaths - which he claimed was based on Pythagoras of Samos and Julius Africanus - as a case study for historiographical creativity in early Christian chronography. First, I detect that one of Cyrus' deaths is calqued on Xerxes' death in the Greek historian, Ctesias of Cnidus, and thus an original interpretation of the event. Second, I place this death story in the greater context of Malalas' account, showing the great extent to which Malalas, or his source, has rewritten the story of Cyrus. Third, I test the death story's attribution to Julius Africanus, which I argue is false, based on the high level of chronographic accuracy required for Africanus' Chronographiae. Fourth and finally, I examine how Malalas was using Africanus' authority to authenticate the dubious death story of Cyrus.

AB - In this article, I use John Malalas' account of Cyrus' two deaths - which he claimed was based on Pythagoras of Samos and Julius Africanus - as a case study for historiographical creativity in early Christian chronography. First, I detect that one of Cyrus' deaths is calqued on Xerxes' death in the Greek historian, Ctesias of Cnidus, and thus an original interpretation of the event. Second, I place this death story in the greater context of Malalas' account, showing the great extent to which Malalas, or his source, has rewritten the story of Cyrus. Third, I test the death story's attribution to Julius Africanus, which I argue is false, based on the high level of chronographic accuracy required for Africanus' Chronographiae. Fourth and finally, I examine how Malalas was using Africanus' authority to authenticate the dubious death story of Cyrus.

KW - Daniel

KW - Greek history

KW - Herodotus

KW - Julius Africanus

KW - Pythagoras of Samos

KW - imperial Greek culture

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85206306527&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1163/15700720-bja10099

DO - 10.1163/15700720-bja10099

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0042-6032

VL - 79

JO - Vigiliae Christianae

JF - Vigiliae Christianae

IS - 1

ER -