Title(s):
- Ecclesiastical history (Long Socrates)
- Սոկրատայ Սքոլաստիկոսի Պատմութիւն եկեղեցական(Sokratay Sk῾olastikosi Patmut‛iwn ekełec῾akan, Ecclesiastical history of Socrates Scholasticus.)
Period covered:
305-439
Language:
Armenian
State of Preservation:
Full
Genre:
- Ecclesiastical history
- Form (translation)
Remarks:
This is a full translation of Socrates of Constantinople, except for a series of documents that have been left out. It was the product of the so-called Hellenizing school, a movement of translation from Greek into Armenian, flourishing between the fifth and the eighth century. There are two colophons regarding the Armenian versions of Socrates: one is preserved in the Jerusalem manuscript, while the other one is preserved in both manuscripts (Matenadaran 1531 and Jerusalem 2014). In both colophons, Philo of Tirak is said to be the author of the Armenian version of Socrates’ Ecclesiastical history. The colophon only transmitted by manuscript Jerusalem 2014 mentions a date (695/696) and specifies that the author (Philo) omitted to ‘translate’ several parts of the original version (documents, letters, …). According to Thomson (2001: 9-10), the colophon attached to manuscript Jerusalem 2014 refers to the composition of the second Armenian version of Socrates’ Ecclesiastical history (Short Socrates), and not to the first version, which should be dated earlier. Shirinian (2003-2004) agrees with him and even suggests another author for the first version (Esaya).
Sources: