Cyril of Scythopolis on Relieving the Damage in Palestine Inflicted during the Samaritan Revolt (529–531)

The text analyses a short account by Cyril of Scythopolis concerning the imperial decision to finance the repair of the damages caused in Palestine by the Samaritan uprising of 529–531. A description of the alleged circumstances of this decision and information regarding the amount of the sum grante...

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Main Author: Ireneusz Milewski
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Lodz University Press 2022-12-01
Series:Studia Ceranea
Subjects:
Online Access:https://czasopisma.uni.lodz.pl/sceranea/article/view/15869
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author Ireneusz Milewski
author_facet Ireneusz Milewski
author_sort Ireneusz Milewski
collection DOAJ
description The text analyses a short account by Cyril of Scythopolis concerning the imperial decision to finance the repair of the damages caused in Palestine by the Samaritan uprising of 529–531. A description of the alleged circumstances of this decision and information regarding the amount of the sum granted are examined. According to Cyril’s account, the granted sum, 13 centenarii of gold, was to be set aside from the tax revenues of Palestine and then used to rebuild (only) the ecclesiastical and monastic infrastructure. It is not clear from the text whether the repair of the aforementioned damage was to be financed only in the area of Palaestina secunda (where the main fighting of the rebellion took place) or also in Palaestina prima. Moreover, there is no mention in the text in question (as well as in other sources of the period) of the financing of the repair of other damages, which undoubtedly were also caused by the Samaritan uprising. The issue that interested the author most was the amount of money that the Emperor Justinian allegedly allocated for the above-mentioned purpose. In order to verify the amount, the author compared it with other data showing the abundance of the imperial treasury at the time of Anastasius and Justinian, as well as reached for other information on the wealth of the cities at that time. After analysing this data, the author has come to the conclusion that, despite some doubts, the sum of 13 centenarii of gold (1,300 pounds) mentioned by Cyril and allegedly allocated by the imperial court to repair the damage caused by the Samaritan uprising seems quite reasonable.
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spelling doaj.art-9c2e1658dd17490b9c9bf9a00b0138892023-01-05T14:35:34ZdeuLodz University PressStudia Ceranea2084-140X2449-83782022-12-011272573710.18778/2084-140X.12.3115632Cyril of Scythopolis on Relieving the Damage in Palestine Inflicted during the Samaritan Revolt (529–531)Ireneusz Milewski0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5743-8060University of Gdańsk, Faculty of History, Institute of History, Department of Ancient History, ul. Wita Stwosza 55, 80-952 Gdańsk, Polska/PolandThe text analyses a short account by Cyril of Scythopolis concerning the imperial decision to finance the repair of the damages caused in Palestine by the Samaritan uprising of 529–531. A description of the alleged circumstances of this decision and information regarding the amount of the sum granted are examined. According to Cyril’s account, the granted sum, 13 centenarii of gold, was to be set aside from the tax revenues of Palestine and then used to rebuild (only) the ecclesiastical and monastic infrastructure. It is not clear from the text whether the repair of the aforementioned damage was to be financed only in the area of Palaestina secunda (where the main fighting of the rebellion took place) or also in Palaestina prima. Moreover, there is no mention in the text in question (as well as in other sources of the period) of the financing of the repair of other damages, which undoubtedly were also caused by the Samaritan uprising. The issue that interested the author most was the amount of money that the Emperor Justinian allegedly allocated for the above-mentioned purpose. In order to verify the amount, the author compared it with other data showing the abundance of the imperial treasury at the time of Anastasius and Justinian, as well as reached for other information on the wealth of the cities at that time. After analysing this data, the author has come to the conclusion that, despite some doubts, the sum of 13 centenarii of gold (1,300 pounds) mentioned by Cyril and allegedly allocated by the imperial court to repair the damage caused by the Samaritan uprising seems quite reasonable.https://czasopisma.uni.lodz.pl/sceranea/article/view/15869cyril of scythopolisearly byzantine hagiographyearly byzantine economymoney in hagiographic texts
spellingShingle Ireneusz Milewski
Cyril of Scythopolis on Relieving the Damage in Palestine Inflicted during the Samaritan Revolt (529–531)
Studia Ceranea
cyril of scythopolis
early byzantine hagiography
early byzantine economy
money in hagiographic texts
title Cyril of Scythopolis on Relieving the Damage in Palestine Inflicted during the Samaritan Revolt (529–531)
title_full Cyril of Scythopolis on Relieving the Damage in Palestine Inflicted during the Samaritan Revolt (529–531)
title_fullStr Cyril of Scythopolis on Relieving the Damage in Palestine Inflicted during the Samaritan Revolt (529–531)
title_full_unstemmed Cyril of Scythopolis on Relieving the Damage in Palestine Inflicted during the Samaritan Revolt (529–531)
title_short Cyril of Scythopolis on Relieving the Damage in Palestine Inflicted during the Samaritan Revolt (529–531)
title_sort cyril of scythopolis on relieving the damage in palestine inflicted during the samaritan revolt 529 531
topic cyril of scythopolis
early byzantine hagiography
early byzantine economy
money in hagiographic texts
url https://czasopisma.uni.lodz.pl/sceranea/article/view/15869
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