John of Nikiû: Difference between revisions

'''John of Nikiû''' ([[floruit|fl.]] 680-690) was an [[Egyptians|Egyptian]] [[Copt]]ic [[bishop]] of [[Nikiû]] (Pashati) (now [[Zawyat Razin]]) in the [[Nile Delta]] and general administrator of the [[monasteries]] of [[Upper Egypt]] in 696. He is the author of a ''Chronicle'' extending from [[Adam and Eve|Adam]] to the end of the [[Muslim conquest of Egypt]]. John of Nikiû's ''Chronicle'' contains important historical details otherwise unknown.

AccordingThere toare two main sources for John's life. The first is the ''[[Severus of Al'Ashmunein (Hermopolis): History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria|History of the Patriarchs]]'' by [[Severus Ibn al-Muqaffa|Severus]], Bishop of Al-Ashmunyn ([[Heliopolis (Ancient Egypt)|Heliopolis]]),. JohnThis ofdraws Nikiûon livedtwo underoriginally theindependent [[Popebiographies ofthat themention CopticJohn: Orthodox Churchthose of Alexandria|Patriarchs]] [[Pope John IIIIsaac of Alexandria|John III]], (690-692 CE) and [[Pope IsaacSimeon I of Alexandria|Isaac]], and(692-700 CE). The second source is the Life of [[Pope SimeonIsaac of Alexandria|SimeonIsaac of Alexandria]]. Butcomposed whenby John's ofsuccessor Nikiûas disciplinedbishop aof monkNikiu, guilty[[Mena of someNikiu]], moralbetween offense697 soand severely700 thatCE.<ref>Felege-Selam theSolomon monkYirga, died'[http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1594681955418996 tenThe daysChronicle later,of theJohn Patriarchof SimeonNikiu: removedHistorical JohnWriting fromin hisPost-Roman officeEgypt]' (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Ohio State University, 2020).</ref>{{rp|6}}

The original editor of this text, Zotenberg, argued that John of Nikiû's ''Chronicle'' was originally written mostly in [[Greek language|Greek]], theorizingtheorising that some of the name forms indicate that John wrote the sections concerning Egypt in [[Coptic language|Coptic]]. Scholarly opinion has shifted, however, to the belief that this chronicle was originallyprobably written in Coptic.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Booth |first1=Phillip |title=Shades of Blues and Greens in the Chronicle of John of Nikiu |journal=Byzantinische Zeitschrift |date=2011 |volume=104 |issue=2 |page=557 |doi=10.1515/byzs.2011.013 |s2cid=154173454 }}</ref> The work survives only in a [[Ge'ez]] translation.<ref>The 1883 translation by Zotenberg into French states, less precisely, <nowiki>''</nowiki>translated from the Ethiopic<nowiki>''</nowiki>.</ref> made inIn 1602 of, an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] translation of the original was made. Sections of the text are obviously corrupted with accidental omissions. Most notably, a passage covering thirty years (from 610 to 640) is missing. The narrative, especially the earlier sections up until the reign of Constantine, has many obvious historical errors. These may be due to mistakes by the copyist, or to a policy of deliberate negligence towards Pagan history. There are also many instances of myth and less a reliance on pure history, for instance, Julius Caesar's mother being cut open to birth him, resulting in a Caesarian section. This is a fable made up by later historians and bears no evidence to historical fact. The author, a catholic bishop, is more interested in telling moralising tales and history from a religious perspective, than relating pure history. {{Dubious|date=February 2024}}

Perhaps the most important section of John's ''Chronicle'' is that which deals with the invasion and conquest of Egypt by the Muslim armies of [[Amr ibn al-Aas]]. Though probably not an eyewitness, John was most likely of the generation immediately following the conquest, and the Chronicle provides the only near-contemporary account. John describes the major events of Amr's campaign, such as the taking of the Roman fortress at [[Babylon, the capture of [[AlexandriaFortress]], and the murdercapture of [[HypatiaAlexandria]]. Though the timeline is occasionally confusing, its narrative details are often vivid.

The main English translation of John's Chronicle is that of R.H. Charles. In it, John vividly records the fear that gripped Egypt during the MuslimsMuslim invasions: "<blockquote>Then a panic fell on all the cities of Egypt, and all their inhabitants took to flight, and made their way to Alexandria, abandoning all their possessions and wealth and cattle."<ref>{{cite book|last1= Charles|first1= Robert H|title= The Chronicle of John, Bishop of Nikiu: Translated from Zotenberg's Ethiopic Text, Chapter CXIII: paragraph 6|date= 1913|}}</ref></blockquote> He also makes several mentions of the Muslimalleged atrocities committed against the Copts by the Arabs: ″And<blockquote>And these Ishmaelites came and slew without mercy the commander of the troops and all his companions. And forthwith they compelled the city to open its gates, and they put to the sword all that surrendered, and they spared none, whether old men, babe or woman.″<ref>{{cite book|last1= Charles|first1= Robert H|title= The Chronicle of John, Bishop of Nikiu: Translated from Zotenberg's Ethiopic Text, Chapter CXI: paragraph 10|date= 1913|}}</ref></blockquote> Also: "<blockquote>And thereupon the Moslem made their entry into Nakius, and took possession, and finding no soldiers (to offer resistance), they proceeded to put to the sword all whom they found in the streets and in the churches, men, women, and infants, and they showed mercy to none."<ref>{{cite book|last1= Charles|first1= Robert H|title= The Chronicle of John, Bishop of Nikiu: Translated from Zotenberg's Ethiopic Text, Chapter CXVIII: paragraph 8|date= 1913|}}</ref></blockquote> John also reports the prohibitive new taxes placed on the native population. In some cases, the taxes were so burdensome that families were forced to sell their children into slavery. He also admonishes Egyptians who abandoned Christianity in favorfavour of Islam.

Writing from a [[miaphysite]] point of view — at odds with the [[diophysitedyophysite]] Christology affirmed at the [[Council of Chalcedon]] in 451 — John describes the Islamic invasion of his homeland as divine punishment for the [[Chalcedonian Christianity|Chalcedonian]] beliefs which held sway in the [[Byzantine Empire]]. At the close of his ''Chronicle,'' John describes the despair felt by the conquered Alexandrians, writing: "<blockquote>None could recount the mourning and lamentation which took place in that city....And they had none to help them, and God destroyed their hopes and delivered the Christians into the hands of their enemies."<ref>{{cite book|last1= Charles|first1= Robert H|title= The Chronicle of John, Bishop of Nikiu: Translated from Zotenberg's Ethiopic Text, Chapter CXXI: paragraph 7|date= 1913}}</ref></blockquote> However, the account ends on a note of hope and faith: "<blockquote>But the strong beneficence of God will put to shame those who grieve us, and He will make His love for man to triumph over our sins, and bring to naught the evil purposes of those who afflict us, who would not that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords should reign over them, (even) Jesus Christ our true God. As for those wicked slaves, He will destroy them in evil fashion: as saith the holy Gospel: 'As for Mine enemies who would not that I should reign over them, bring them unto Me.'"<ref>{{cite book|last1= Charles|first1= Robert H|title= The Chronicle of John, Bishop of Nikiu: Translated from Zotenberg's Ethiopic Text, Chapter CXXI: paragraph 8–9|date= 1913}}</ref></blockquote>

{{reflist|1|liststyle colwidth= |close = 40em}}

* {{Cite book|ref=harv|last=Charles|first=Robert H.|authorlinkauthor-link=Robert Charles (scholar)|title=The Chronicle of John, Bishop of Nikiu: Translated from Zotenberg's Ethiopic Text|year=1913|location=London, UK|publisher=Williams & Norgate|}}

* {{Cite book|ref=harv|last=Charles|first=Robert H.|authorlinkauthor-link=Robert Charles (scholar)|title=The Chronicle of John, Bishop of Nikiu: Translated from Zotenberg's Ethiopic Text|year=2007|origyearorig-year=1916|location=Merchantville, NJ|publisher=Evolution Publishing|isbn=978-1-889758-87-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KgZ-DOr77OQC}}; [http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/nikiu1_intro.htm Introduction] and [http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/nikiu2_chronicle.htm English translation] from Tertullian.org; [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/fathers/nikiu1_intro.html Introduction] and [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/fathers/nikiu2_chronicle.html English translation] from earlychristianwritings.com.

==ExternalFurther linksreading==

[[Category:7th-century Coptic Orthodox bishops]]