Late Antique Historiography

Paradise

Title(s):
  • Paradise
  • الفردوس
    (al-fardūs, The paradise/The fruitful garden)
Author:
Period covered:
At least the 4th c.
Language:
Arabic
State of Preservation:
Fragmentary
Genre:
  • Secular history (general)
Remarks:
Ibn al-Nadim and Ibn Abi Usaibiah ascribe to Qusta ibn Luqa a work of history entitled The Paradise. Qusta ibn Luqa is mentioned as a source in the Chronicle of Seert four times, for events related to Constantine the Great (Scher 1908: 265-266, 267, 273-274, 295). Although the anonymous chronicler does not say so explicitly, Sako (1987: 160-161) assumes that the quotes come from Qusta's history. Likewise, without specifying from which one of Qusta’s works he got the information, Bar Ebroyo quotes him in reference to the transfer of the apostle Thomas’ body to Edessa (Abbeloos – Lamy 1872-1877: 11).
Edition - Translation:
Fragments:
  • Ibn al-Nadim, Kitāb al-Fihrist [Sayyid 2009: 292-294; Dodge 1970: 694-695]
  • Ibn Abi Usaibiah, History of physicians [Müller 1884: 244-245; Kopf 1971: 469-472]
  • Bar 'Ebroyo, Ecclesiastical history [Abbeloos-Lamy 1877: 11]
Users:
Sources:
Bibliography:
  • J.B. Abbeloos, T.J. Lamy (1872-1877) (ed.-tr.) Gregorii Barhebræi Chronicon ecclesiasticum. Paris e.a.
  • M. Debié (2015) L'écriture de l'histoire en syriaque: Transmissions interculturelles et constructions identitaires entre hellénisme et Islam (Late antique history and religion, 12). Leuven - Paris - Bristol: 631-632.
  • B. Dodge (1970) The Fihrist of Ibn al-Nadīm: A tenth-century A.D. survey of Islamic culture. New York.
  • L. Kopf (1971) Ibn Abi Usaibiah: History of physicians. Jerusalem.
  • A. Müller (1884) Ibn Abī Usaibiah: Kitāb 'uyūn al-anbā' fī ṭabaqāt al-aṭibbā'. Köningsberg.
  • L.R. Sako (1987) 'Les sources de la Chronique de Séert'. Parole de l'Orient 14: 155-166.
  • A.F. Sayyid (2009) Ibn al-Nadim: Kitāb al-Fihrist. Volume Two. London.
  • A. Scher (1908) Histoire nestorienne inédite (Chronique de Séert). Première partie, Fasc. 1 (Patrologia Orientalis, 4.3). Paris: 215-312.