John of Amida and Ephesus

Hartmut Leppin has an overview of John "of Ephesus". John was actually a Syrian from Amida, not a Greek; and the history bearing his name was in Edessene Syriac.

John was, however, able to speak the Greek and in that capacity he was bishop in Ephesus, site of Theodosius Junior's two Miaphysite Councils.

John's history came out on three parts. The first part was swiftly ignored, possibly for being redundant. The second part survived at Zuqnin, whose Chronicler used it as basis for his own world history; historically when you see "Pseudo-Dionysius" bruited about, you are dealing with this revision of John. The third part survives more-or-less in full for its own sake, in six books. Which is in any case best for hearing John's own voice, which is where Leppin steps in.

Leppin argues that John was a pro-Imperial historian, like Eusebius; but, as a dissident, opposed to certain Imperial decisions. One might compare him to Socrates the Novatian. I could easily see John signing on with the Monotheletism under Heraclius. I can also see how Zuqnin, who seems a tolerant sort himself, figured John's history for the best available, spurning the also-Syriac historiography of the Orient. Although Zuqnin was on better terms with the Jews than John had been.

As for Coptic I don't think the Copts ever supplied a pro-Roman historian. I hear mainly of John of Nikiu and of the Patriarchs' biographers ... and a lot of apocalyptic. Where pro-Romans wrote in Egypt, they are Melkites like Eutychius writing in Greek or even in Arabic.

CORRECTIONS 7/5/21: Pace Leppin, at least one other Syrian had antiquarian interest in both Amida and Ephesus: British Library Add MS 17202. Pseudo-Zacharias #12.7 further approves Justinian who still reigned AD 561-5, the time of authorship. Although: since this time falls under the Zuqnîn paraphrase, not for its own sake, and since MS 17202 is in fragments, and since John was an independent eyewitness to Amidene events; it can be difficult to see if John even read this thing. But I'm pretty sure he'd read of it.

Likewise I don't know if John bothered with the Orient - at all. Although Zuqnîn makes me less certain of that than I was in April.