The Suavs of the Chronicle of Michael the Syrian

Michael the Syrian (circa 1126 – 1199) was Syrian Orthodox Church patriarch for over 30 years (1166 – 1199). He is the author of a giant, medieval world chronicle found in a single Syriac manuscript (dated to 1598) last located in Aleppo, though portions of the chronicle (some earlier than the Syriac language manuscript) exist in other languages.

The Chronicle contains several mentions of the Suavs, though much of this material comes from earlier, already known sources (for example, John of Ephesus). Nevertheless, the Chronicle version may be of interest so here are the Suavic passages.

This comes from the French translation by Jean-Baptiste Chabot who first had the Syriac manuscript copied in 1888. Note that there is an English translation (“The Syriac Chronicle of Michael Rabo (the Great)” by Matti Moosa, previously a professor at Gannon University but the below does not come from that.

Book IX
Chapter 33
(On the time of the end of the life of Justinian I, on the church which he built, on the bones of the martyrs which were discovered in his time, and on the other heretics which appeared in this time)

“In the 27th year of the reign of Justinianus… then came the armies of the Huns [Avars] and Slavs who besieged the imperial city. The broke through the exterior wall. They pillaged and burned all the suburbs, took captive all those they found there, and departed.”

“They came back a second and a third time. So the Romans [Byzantines] prevailed against them. They destroyed them and killed them all in battle. The small number of those who had fled was no longer seen anywhere. —And so they were delivered from them.”

Book X
Chapter 18
(On the time of Tiberius and on that which happened between the kings and in the churches)

“Then the Romans experienced new difficulties from this barbaric people, with uncultivated hair, who were called the Avars. They moved and came out of the confines of the East. Then, the western peoples of the Slavs, and others who were called Longobards, having all passed under the domination of Khagan, king of the Avars, they threw another bridge over the Danube.” 

“In the 3rd year of Tiberius’ reign, the cursed people of the Slavs came out and traveled through Hellade, the region of the Thessalonians, and Thrace, which they ravaged and set on fire. They invaded the region and spread there, they seized the troops of horses of the emperor: these barbarian men who (until then) could not show themselves outside the forests and the remote places, and who did not know armor, aside from [carrying] two or three small spears or javelins, learned the art of war. They dominated for a long time in the countries of the Romans [Byzantines].”

“The people of the Avars sent word to Tiberius saying, ‘Give us the city of Sirmium peacefully so that we may protect its people and their riches; or else we will take the city by war and we will destroy the population.’ Then Tiberius set about delaying them day by day with promises, because he thought of bringing the people of the Longobards against them from behind. But when these did not come, (the Romans) were compelled to deliver the city to them [the Avars], after it had suffered for two years from famine, so that the city people had eaten cats and other animals as a result of the shortages which were as great as those of the Samaritans.”

“When the Barbarians entered the city, they took pity on the unfortunate tormented by hunger: which should serve as an example and a reprimand to Christians who have no pity on their fellows. They [Avars] gave them bread and wine. But these, because of the ravages of a two-year famine, they ate greedily and died quickly. Those who survived took all they could and left the city, which now these barbarians came to inhabit.”

“After a year a fire fell on her [the city of Sirmium] and she was completely consumed. The barbarians fled naked and it remained deserted. Then the Romans [Byzantines] moderated their wrath a little, seeing what had happened to Sirmium.”

Book X
Chapter 20
(On the time of the death of Tiberius and on the wars of the Persians and Barbarians)

“At that time, while the Roman armies were moving into Persia, the barbarian peoples of the Avars and the Slavs were ravaging the countries of the Romans; and while the Romans were fighting in Persia, the marzbān [or marzpān, literally ‘marchwarden’] Adarmôn [Adarmahān] again invaded the territory of the Romans and reached Edessa. He set fire to the eastern region of the city and burned the churches, monasteries and villages up to the distance of 15 miles, He camped north of the city and burned all that side, and the church of the Confessors. On the fourth day, the Persians killed all the prisoners and burned the corpses. They made such dust and smoke that (the brightness) of the sun was darkened.”

Book X
Chapter 21
(On the time of the beginning of the reign of Marcianus, the second Emperor of the Greeks)

“The people of the Slavs took captives everywhere. They removed objects of worship from the churches. Using great chariots they took a large ciborium from a church in Corinth and their king caused it to be fixed in place and used it lieu of a tent, and he sat underneath it. Then the Romans [Byzantines] paid off the people of the Antes, who then threw themselves on the country of the Slavs, which country they seized and plundered. They took away its riches  and set it on fire. Their country was west of the river called the Danube.”

“When the Slavs learned that their country was devastated, they roared like a lion over its prey. They gathered together by the thousands, and began to plunder without end. They could not advance so far as to besiege the imperial city. Instead they turned to the city of Anchiales and to the baths there. Many of them had been slain by the army there. In the end, they knocked down the walls. There they found the purple vestments which Anastasia, wife of Tiberius, had given as a vow to the church, when she went to the baths. The Khagan put then on, saying: ‘Whether the Emperor of the Romans wishes it or not, the kingdom has been given to me.’ Soon afterwards though he was frightened by the news that the people of the Turks were pursuing him. They retreated to Sirmium, fearing that (the Turks) would pillage the inhabitants and all its wealth. After 8 tons of gold were sent (by the Emperor Mauricius) to the Khagan, they withdrew.”

Book XI
Chapter 15
(On the time of the death of Mo’avia, the king of the Arabs, whose empire was divided again; on that of the Romans. On the ordination of Athanasius of Antioch)

“Justinian II, emperor of the Romans, who was full of insolent pride, did not allow Cyprus to be shared between the Romans and the Taiyaye [Arabs]; he removed its inhabitants in the 7th year of his reign. On learning this, Abd el-Malik [ibn Marwan ibn al-Hakam] strongly reproached him for having broken the peace and for not having waited until the end of the (ten) years. This is why Mohammed, emir of Jezireh, invaded the Beit Roumaye. The Romans gave him battle near Caesarea in Cappadocia [Battle of Sebastopolis]. The Slavs took the side of the Taiyayê [Arabs] and went with them to Syria, to the number of about seven thousand. These [Arabs] established them at Antioch and at Cyrrhus, gave them wives, and shared with them tribute and provisions.”

Book XI
Chapter 16
(On the age of Justinian II, the Emperor of the Romans who was deposed. On Athanasius bar Gumayye, who was honored during this time by ‘Abd al-Malik, the king of the Ṭayyaye. On the ecclesiastical matters which were addressed during this time by the Pontiffs)

“This Apsimar was a general, surnamed Tiberius [Byzantine Emperor Tiberius III]. When the Slavs revolted against the Romans [Byzantines], as Leontius [previous Emperor] paid no attention to them, they pillaged and laid waste the country of the Romans [Byzantines]; then Apsimar marched against them, overcame them, and subdued them. This is why he became powerful, revolted and dethroned Leontius [Byzantine Emperor after Justinian II], saying: ‘Justinian II, because of his bad conduct towards the empire of the Romans, especially for having plundered Cyprus and broken the peace with the Taiyayê [Arabs] and having thus caused the ruin of a great number of countries of the Romans [Byzantines], and for other similar reasons, was deprived of the empire; likewise Leontius, who was one of his great men who was made to rule [Leontius overthrew Justinian II after first having been imprisoned (then released) as a result of Leontius’ defeat at the Battle of Sebastopolis], having fallen in his turn into the same madness, was driven out because of it.’”

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