Writing

Sergius of Resafa was the son of John of Resafa, the Edessan nobleman who hosted the Persian king Kusraw as he was fleeing from the usurper Bahram in 590. Michael the Great found the story of his family in Dionysius of Tell Mahre and says, according to Chabot's translation of the passage, that Dionysius' chronicle went on for the length of six generations from Sergius onwards. Palmer (1993: 98-99, 134 n. 306, 135 n. 308) proposed a correction to Chabot's translation, reading instead 'From this important citizen Sergius is derived (a part of) the chronicle of the patriarch Dionysius of Tell Mahre (which extends) over six generations', and making thus of Sergius one of Dionysius' sources. Palmer's hypothesis is accepted by Hoyland (1997: 402-403; 2011: 16). His translation, though, stretches significantly the meaning of the Syriac text, which does not actually mention any (historical) work written by Sergius. Dionysius refers back to Sergius later on in his chronicle, when he tells how the family treasure concealed by Sergius' mother was found two centuries later by those who had inherited the house. Therefore Michael might just be saying that Dionysius' chronicle encompassed the fortunes of Sergius's family and properties for six generations (see Conterno 2014: 130-132).