Ancient Histories

This section contains two categories of documents: general histories by ancient writers covering whole eras, and primary source biographies of historical figures who are not generally considered to be saints by any major religion but who have significance for religious history. See also the Saints' Lives page.

General (World/Christendom/Pan-Islam)

Eusebius: Ecclesiastical History: Apart from the New Testament, probably the single most essential document for the study of Church history before Constantine. --- CCEL

Theodoret of Cyrrhus: Ecclesiastical History: Jackson translation. --- CCEL

Athanasius the Great: History of the Arians: --- CCEL

Gennadius of Marseilles: History of Ecclesiastical Persons: Collection of biographies; a major primary source of church history. --- NA

Sulpitius Severus: Sacred History: A history of the world from Creation to the End Times. Portions of this work were heavily criticized by other Christian writers for factual errors, and the authenticity of the prophecies ascribed to St. Martin has often been questioned. --- CCEL

Sozomen: Ecclesiastical History: A history of the Church up to 425 C.E. Hartranft translation. --- CCEL

Socrates Scholasticus: Ecclesiastical History: A continuation of Eusebius, covering the period 305 - 439 CE. --- CCEL

T'ovma: History of Tamerlane and His Successors: Describes the impact of the Mongol invasions on Armenia and the Armenian Church. -- AHS

Armenia:

Sebeos: History: History of Armenia in the VI and VII Centuries. Bedrosian translation, 1979.

Mamikonean, John: The History of Taron: A medićval story about Armenian knights battling the Persians in a religiously motivated war. Although ostensibly describing events of the VII Century, it seems far closer in spirit to the era of the Turkish invasion of Asia Minor much later. Bedrosian translation, 1985. --- AHS

Aristakes: History Regarding the Sufferings Occasioned by Foreign Peoples Living Around Us Armenia's troubles in the XI Century. Includes information about the Tondraka Movement in the Church. --- AHS

Kirakos of Gandzak: History of the Armenians: A general history of Church and state, with particular emphasis on the XII and XIII Centuries, including the Mongol invasions. Bedrosian translation, 1986. --- AHS

T'ovma: History of Tamerlane and His Successors: Describes the impact of the Mongol invasions on Armenia and the Armenian Church. -- AHS

Asia Minor/Syria/Palestine
(see also Judća, Byzantium, Armenia, and General):

History of St. Gabriel's Monastery at Midyat (Turkey) --- D. JOHNSON

British Isles, including Ireland:

British Isles:

Bede: Ecclesiastical History of the English People: (Under construction -- barely begun!) The famous history of the Anglo-Saxon Church from its earliest days until the VIII Century, by the most famous of the English Church Fathers. Hurst translation, 1814: --- SPL

Bede: Lives of the Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow Giles translation, 1910. --- MSBP

Byzantium:

Eusebius: Ecclesiastical History: Apart from the New Testament, probably the single most essential document for the study of Church history before Constantine. --- CCEL

Socrates Scholasticus: Ecclesiastical History: A continuation of Eusebius, covering the period 305 - 439 CE. --- CCEL

Sozomen: Ecclesiastical History: A history of the Church up to 425 C.E. Hartranft translation. --- CCEL

Theodoret of Cyrrhus: Ecclesiastical History: Jackson translation. --- CCEL

Egypt:

Severus of Al-Ushmunain: History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria --- SPL

Awlaad al-Assal: Pages from Church History. Hanna translation, 1996. Under ongoing construction. --- CN

France/Gaul:

Einhard: Life of Charlemagne. Einhard was one of the Emperors court intellectuals. Turner translation, 1880. --- MSBP

Georgia:

Juansher: Concise History of the Georgians: History of Georgia from Tower of Babel to XII Century. Translated from an Armenian (but apparently diophysite) version. Bedrosian translation, 1991.

Germanic World, including Scandinavia:

Einhard: Life of Charlemagne. Einhard was one of the Emperors court intellectuals. Turner translation, 1880. --- MSBP

Snorri Sturlesson: Heimskringla: The Chronicle of the Kings of the Norway, a compilation of historical sagas. S. Laing translation, 1844. --- OMACL

Jewish People:

Josephus: Antiquities Whiston translation. --- NNC

Josephus: Jewish Wars Whiston translation. --- NNC

Josephus: Autobiography Whiston translation. --- NNC

Persia:

Firdowsi: Shah-nameh: A legendary history of pre-Islamic Persia; the national epic of Iran. Zimmern translation. --- Virginia Tech

Copyright Š 1996, Karen Rae Keck and Norman Hugh Redington.

Histories