UDC: 94:355](=351.12)(495.02)"05"(093)DOI: 10.2298/ZRVI1350123I

SERGEY A. IVANOV(Higher School of Economics, Moscow)

THE AVAR-BYZANTINE WARS OF THE LATE SIXTH CENTURYAS DEPICTED BY NIKEPHOROS KALLISTOS XANTHOPOULOS:

A NEW SOURCE?

At least three fragments places in Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos narrative of the Avar wars have no parallels either in Theophylakt Simokatta or in Theophanes. The nature of the evidence cited in these passages cannot be a logical reconstruction based on the texts of either of the mentioned authors. This means that Xanthopoulos, the Church historian of the 14th century, had at his disposal a source on the 6th century which has not come down to us.

Keywords: Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos, sources, Avar wars, Theophylakt Simokatta, Theophanes

The history of the Byzantine-Avar war at the end of the 6th century was chronicled by two authors: Theophylakt Simokatta and Theophanes. The latter is a relatively late author who had some sources of his own but drew mainly on Theophylakt, the younger contemporary of the events. It is well known how diffi cult it is to use Simokatta: on the one hand, he had at his disposal a sort of a detailed diary of the Danube army staff, but on the other, he himself had a very vague idea of the theatre of war, of the distances and geographic settings of the region which had been already lost to the Empire at the time of his writing. What is even worse, he shortened the narrative of his source arbitrarily, made some additions, changed places of certain episodes. The situation is aggravated by Theophylakt unclear and complicated language. All this makes it a diffi cult task to line up the events he describes into a consequential narrative. His chronology is also obscure.

This is why later sources drawing on the writings that did not survive are so important. One such source is, quite unexpectedly, the Church History by Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos. Although he wrote in the 14th century, at his disposal he had

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many sources otherwise unknown to us. The picture of the Avar wars is one of the most complicated, as was pointed out by G. Gentz1 and F. Winkelmann.2

The problem looks even more diffi cult since Nikephoros was a talented editor: he summarized his data, drew his own conclusions etc. One always has to be on alert with him. He changes the Theophylacts Tourkoi into Persians, so that his reader would not be led astray by contemporary associations; he adds clarifi cations such as later, having crossed to Europe etc. Sometimes he makes calculations, adding up the numbers of the captives and those killed; he baldly changes the order of sentences within one paragraph or transposes paragraphs. Normally Nikephoros retells Simokatta in a quite free and relaxed manner, abridging him very radically. There is only one excerpt from Theophylact which is copied by Nikephoros more or less accurately it is a digression on the Turkic tribes,3 but even there he inserts a piece from quite another part of his History, one that deals with the customs of Indians.4

So, nearly all of Nikephoros information comes from Simokatta, which is convincingly demonstrated in the table below. There exists only one place where Nikephoros turns to Theophanes: surprisingly, it is a fi ctitious story told by the Byzantine ambassador Theodore, to the Khagan about the Egyptian king Sesostris and the wheel of fortune.5 Nikephoros narrative on the Emperor Maurices dream and his intentionally chosen martyrdom has some resemblance with the continuation of George the Monk.6 Yet, this story was so frequently retold in Byzantine sources of various kinds, historical, hagiographical as well as homiletic,7 that it is virtually impossible to identify the exact prototype.

Are there any hints of other, independent sources used by Nikephoros which would be unknown to us? I tend to think that there can be singled out at least three places in his narrative of the Avar wars which cannot be traced back to any known author.

The fi rst one is the following: - , , , , , . , . - , .8 After this the Khagan

1 G. Gentz, Die Kirchengechichte des Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopulos und ihre Quellen, Berlin 1966, 174, Am.3: Die Quellenverhltnisse liegen hier so kompliziert, dass man sicheres nicht sagen kann.

2 F. Winkelmann, Cerkovnaja istorija Nikifora Kallista Ksanfopula kak istoricheskij is to nik, VV 31 (1971) 40, 45; S. Panteghini. Die Kirchengeschichte des Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos, Ostkirchliche Studien 58 (2009) 248266.

3 Theophylacti Simocattae Historia III. 8, ed. C. de Boor, Stutgardiae 1972. 4 Theophylacti Simocattae Historia VII. 78.5 Theophanis chronographia, ed. C. de Boor, vol. 1, Leipzig 1883, 273.6 Georgius Monachus, Chronicon breve, PG 110, 820.7 F. Tinnefeld. Kategorien der Kaiserkritik in der byzantinischen Historiographie von Prokop bis

Niketas Choniates, Mnchen 1971, 5457.8 Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopoulus, Historia ecclesiastica, XVIII.28.5058, PG 147.

SERGEY A. IVANOV: The Avar-Byzantine wars of the late sixth century as depicted 125

crossed the Istros which overfl owed like a sea, and began to commit awful atrocities, turning everything into a Mysian booty, as is commonly said. Maurice in despair sent Comentiolus as a commander with numerous forces, to confront them. Yet, he achieved nothing and barely escaped danger, retreating to some fortress, one of the Western ones. Later Maurice sent an embassy and convinced the Khagan to think of a truce. There are no parallels to this excerpt either in Simokatta or in Theophanes. The details, like the fl ooding caused by the freshet of Danube, are nowhere to be found and cannot be logically deduced from these sources. It is clear that we have here an absolutely independent narrative with no pedigree. When could this episode happen? The fi rst frame of reference is Comentiolus presence in Europe, because since the fall of 589 he spent some time in the East, fi ghting the Persians. In 591 a peace treaty was signed and Comentiolus could have crossed to Europe any time since then. In general, the 18th book of Nikephoros Ecclesiastical History deals with the events of the 590s. The problem is that Simokatta fi rst mentions this commanders activity in the Balkans in 598, so, the cited war can be only vaguely dated between 592 and 598.

Another identifying detail of this episode is mention of aWestern fortress: near-ly all wars were waged by Khagan in the Eastern part of the Balkans. He invaded the Western side of the peninsula only once. Simokatta and Theophanes describe this invasion in different ways, but according to both of them, the Avars demolished forty fortresses; the only precise toponym mentioned by Simokatta is Bonkis, Theophanes calls it Balkis. Researchers differ concerning the identity of this place9 and the date of the invasion: from late 595 until 598. Anyway, it was the deepest intrusion into the southern part of Dalmatia.

Could Nikephoros mean the same expedition? On the one hand, it seems un-likely: the commander of the Roman forces is Priscus, not Comentiolus. On the other hand, the narrative of both Simokatta and Theophanes looks contradictory and dis-connected: they tell us that the huge Avar army equipped with siege machines cap-tured forty fortresses and all of a sudden our sources switch their attention from the main theatre of war to the adventures of a reconnaissance detachment of two thou-sand soldiers, led by Guduin, who defeated a small portion of impedimenta.10 Maybe Nikephoros describes the same war from another angle? This seems even more con-vincing since the next eighteen months in the Byzantine-Avar relations were peaceful, although Simokatta does not mention any truce agreement but Nikephoros does. Of course, this is not the only possible place for this episode: according to some hypoth-eses, Simokatta conceals a large gap in his chronology, the seam being situated at VI.2.10, where the historian glues together the events of 592 and 596.11 Maybe we should look for the above invasion in this lost part of Simokattas source.

9 W. Pohl, Die Awaren: ein Steppenvolk im Mitteleuropa, 567822 n. Chr. 2 Aufl ., Mnchen 2002, 385; P. Schreiner, Theophylaktes Simokates: Geschichte, Stuttgart 1985, 348.

10 Theophylacti Simocattae Historia VII.12.19; Theophanis Chronographia, 277.11 M. & and Mary Whitby (transl.), The History of Theophylact Simocatta, Oxford 1986, 331333;

A. Duket, A study in Byzantine historiography : an analysis of Theophanes' Chronographia and its re-lationship to Theophylact's History, the reign of Maurice and the seventh century to 711. Diss., Boston 1980, 2733.

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Be it as it may, we cannot but admit that the author of Ecclesiastical History was drawing on some independent source!

The second episode for which also we cannot establish any pedigree relates to the victorious campaign of the summer of 599. Priscus and Comentiolus, combining their efforts, completely defeated the army consisting of Avars and Slavs. After the description of this victory, both Simokatta and Theophanes concentrate their attention on Comentiolus and his risky march to the south across the Balkan mountain ridge. Meanwhile, we hear nothing of the second commander, Priscus. Nikephoros informs us on the matter: , Priscus dwelt in Thrace, intending to cut short any intrusions, if they happen.12 Lets note just in passing that in both the fi rst and the second episodes the author uses a rare form of Participium Futuri which suggests that they could have a common source with predilection for such grammatical extravagances.

The above evidence, though short, is extremely important for the earliest Slavic history: the defeat of 599 was infl icted on the Slavs from Pannonia and the Tisza region that were the Khagans subjects. Meanwhile, if Priscus remained in Thrace, preparing to repel possible intrusions across the Danube, it could only be from the side of the Danube Slavs who stayed out of the previous Byzantine war against the Avars and did not have to observe the peace treaty signed by the Khagan.

Finally, the third episode concerns the famous invasion of the Khagan (dated between 599 and 601) which culminated near the Long Walls of Constantinople with the massacre of thousands of Byzantine captives whom the Emperor Maurice refused to ransom. The actual bloodshed is mentioned in numerous sources since the episode became the beginning of the end of Maurice. Yet, we do not learn wherefrom the Avars approached the capital. Nikephoros fi lls in this gap as well: , - , The Khagan marched secretly and made his invasion into Macedonia; leading a huge force, he found himself not far from Byzantion.13

Summing up, we can be pretty sure that there existed a source at Nikephoros disposal that did not come down to us. Further investigation of the sources of the Ecclesiastical History which is now underway14 will defi nitely reveal many new interesting details, but one thing is obvious even from my short paper: the idea that all the texts that survived through 1204 are available to us as well, should be discarded.

12 Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopoulus, Historia ecclesiastica VIII.37,2527.13 Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopoulus, Historia ecclesiastica VIII.38.3639.14 Cf. http://www.oeaw.ac.at/byzanz/nkx.htm

SERGEY A. IVANOV: The Avar-Byzantine wars of the late sixth century as depicted 127

The tableThe words which are more or less coincinding between Nikeph oros and

Simokatta are marked in bold letters; the words which coincide between Nikephoros and sources other than Simokatta are marked in italics; underlined are the words to which no parallels are found as yet

Nicephoros(28.) . , (4) , , (5) , , (10) , .

, , , , -. , (15) , , , , .

Theophylact

V.16., (5) I.3.8 .(9 , .(10.) , (11.) . 13. VI.1.(1.) , , . , , , . , , ,

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- (20) -, , - , , . (25), ,

. , .

,

(5) - .. . ,VI.5.8 . ,.. (10.) . . - (11.) (12.) , . , ,

SERGEY A. IVANOV: The Avar-Byzantine wars of the late sixth century as depicted 129

, - , .

- , . , , . (40) , -. , , , . (45) , . , .

, .. , .VI.11.21 . .VII.1.1 , , . 5.10 , , (5) .VI.4.12. . . VII.14.11 (12.) @1 .15. 2.

L (2013) 123148130

(50) , -, , , , . , (55) . , .(29.) , , . -(4) , (5) , , , , ( - (10) ), -

, ,

, , (5) .

VI.11.3.

. (5). (4.) ( ), , , 8. - ,

, 9. . , , . (10.)

Theophanes 273, , . , , , (15) ,

SERGEY A. IVANOV: The Avar-Byzantine wars of the late sixth century as depicted 131

, - . , (20) - , ; , , . - (25) .

. 11. , , , , , (5) , (12.) , , .., (13.) . , ; ; (14.) . , .(15.) ... . , ,

. - , - (15) -, , .

, (20) , . , ; (25) , , , .

, , .

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(30) . .

- . , (35) . - , .

(30.) , . (7t) (8) , (10) , ,.

. (20.) . , . (21.) . VII.7.4. 5. , . , . (5)

(6.) , , (7.) .

SERGEY A. IVANOV: The Avar-Byzantine wars of the late sixth century as depicted 133

, , , , (15) . , - , - , - (20) , . , . , (25).

, . .

(30) ,

, ( ) (5)(9.) . . (5) , .(10.) , . , ( ) -(11.) . , . -, (12.) .

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.

- (35),

- . (40) , , . , , (45) , , , . (50) , .

- . , (5)(13.) . , . . (5), , -(14.) . .

7.8.(1.) , (2.) . . ,

SERGEY A. IVANOV: The Avar-Byzantine wars of the late sixth century as depicted 135

- . (55) , -. , . , - , - (60) -, - .

, . - (65) , , - . , , (70) , - . , ,

, , (5)(4.) . . , (5) (5.) . ( ) , -, . (6.) , . , (7.) . -, -

L (2013) 123148136

, (75). . , . (80) -. -, -, . (85) . . , , (90) , -

(8.) . , . , - , .(9.) -, , (10.) . , (5) .(11.) .

VII.7.8 .VII.8.11. (12.) .

SERGEY A. IVANOV: The Avar-Byzantine wars of the late sixth century as depicted 137

- (95) , . . -(100) . , , , , , , (105) .

, , (110) .

, , , , (115) , .

, , . (5)(13.) . , . (5) , (14.) . , , (15.) . , , (16.) .

III.18. 7. , (8.), .

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. , (120) . - , . -, (125) , . . (130) , - , . . (135) -. .

, , , (9.) , , , - , (5) , (10.) .

VII.8.16. ( ) (17.) . . 7.9.(1.) , , (2)

SERGEY A. IVANOV: The Avar-Byzantine wars of the late sixth century as depicted 139

, (140) , . , (145) , -, . . -(150) . . . . (155) . - , , .

. , . - -. , ,(3.) . , , .(4.) . (5.) , . , , , (5)(6.) . ,

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.

(37.) , . (5) , , , - (10) . - -, - , - - (15). , . , , .

- (20) , ,

- (8.) . -. .

VII.9.6. , .

VII.9.8. (5)(9.) . .

, (5)(10.) . .

SERGEY A. IVANOV: The Avar-Byzantine wars of the late sixth century as depicted 141

, - , - , . (25) , .

, , .

.. (38.) - , -. (5) , - , , , . (30) , . http://www.tlg.uci.edu/help/BetaManual/online/AT

(11.) . , , , (12.) . , .

VIII.1.11. . 2.(1.) (2.). , .

Georgius Monachus, 659 , , , (20)

Theophanes, 280 .

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1.html , -, - (35) . -, , . (40), - , , , , - .

(45) , - , . , . (50) , .

(5)(5.) , 3.12. (5)(13.)

VIII.3.15 , , , ..4.(1.) , (2.) . .(3.) (5)(4.) .. , - (5) 7. (8.) . . -

. . (10)

Georgius Monachus. Chronicon breve, 820 , (10) . - , . ; . , (15) .

SERGEY A. IVANOV: The Avar-Byzantine wars of the late sixth century as depicted 143

, . , , , . - , .(39.) , , . - (4) , (5) , , , , . (10) . , , , , (15) , , ,

. 9.) . (10.) .5.5. (5.) , . (5) (6.) .

VIII.6.(3.) . ,

VIII.6. (2.) , - ,

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(5) , , @1 , (3.) . , . (10.) .8.7.(1.) . .. , . - (5) . , (11.) .

, . , (20) . , , . , , . (25) , . - . . -(30) , , , - (35) . , , , (40) - ,

SERGEY A. IVANOV: The Avar-Byzantine wars of the late sixth century as depicted 145

. .., , (5)(5.) , .. (6.) . . - (8.) . - , , (5) (12.) . - . , (13.) .

, . , - (45) , - - (50) . ,

, , (55)

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(5) .8.9.. . (5)(2.) . . . (5)(4.) . , , (5.) . , (6.) . -,

. . , (60) -, . , (65) . , , .

SERGEY A. IVANOV: The Avar-Byzantine wars of the late sixth century as depicted 147

LIST OF REFERENCES

Primary Sources

Georgius Monachus, Chronicon breve, Patrologia Graeca 110.Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopoulus, Historia ecclesiastica, Patrologia Graeca 145147.Schreiner P., Theophylaktes Simokates: Geschichte, Stuttgart 1985.Theophanis chronographia, ed. C. de Boor, vol. 1, Leipzig 1883.Theophylacti Simocattae Historia, ed. C. de Boor, Stutgardiae 1972.Whitby M. & and Mary (transl.), The History of Theophylact Simocatta, Oxford 1986.

Secondary Works

Duket A., A study in Byzantine historiography: an analysis of Theophanes Chronographia and its relationship to Theophylacts History, the reign of Maurice and the seventh century to 711. Diss., Boston 1980.

Gentz G., Die Kirchengechichte des Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopulos und ihre Quellen, Berlin 1966.http://www.oeaw.ac.at/byzanz/nkx.htmPanteghini S., Die Kirchengeschichte des Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos, Ostkirchliche Studien 58

(2009) 248266.Pohl W., Die Awaren: ein Steppenvolk im Mitteleuropa, 567822 n. Chr. 2 Aufl , Mnchen 2002.Tinnefeld F., Kategorien der Kaiserkritik in der byzantinischen Historiographie von Prokop bis Niketas

Choniates, Mnchen 1971.Winkelmann F., Cerkovnaja istorija Nikifora Kallista Ksanfopula kak istoricheskij istonik, Vizantijskij

Vremennik 31 (1971) 3847.

, , .

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. ( , )

- VI : ?

. . , XIV , VI .