Priscus
Priscus of Panium (
Biography
Priscus was born in
After an interlude in Rome, Priscus traveled to Alexandria and the Thebaid in Egypt.[1][2] He last appeared in the East, circa 456, attached to the staff of Euphemios as Emperor Marcian's (r. 450–457) magister officiorum.[1] He died after 472 AD.[1]
History of Byzantium
Priscus was the author of an eight-volume historical work, written in Greek, entitled the History of Byzantium (Greek: Ἱστορία Βυζαντιακή), which was probably not the original title name.
Priscus account of a dinner with Attila the Hun
Priscus recounted the story of a dinner with Attila the Hun which took place at one of Attila's many houses. This house was said to be greater than the rest (having been made for celebration) due to it being constructed of decorative polished wood, with little thought to making any part of the place for defense. The dinner was at three o’clock; Priscus entered the house bearing gifts to Attila's wife; her name was Kreka and she had three sons. Priscus and the embassy of Eastern Romans were placed at the end of the table farthest from Attila but still in his presence; this was meant to show that he was greater than the Roman guests, and that Attila considered his people to be more important than Priscus and the Roman embassy. As Priscus and the Eastern Roman embassy stood, they followed the cultural tradition of being served tea from the cupbearers; they were to pray and have a drink before having a seat at the table. The seats were arranged parallel to the walls; Attila sat on the middle couch. The right side of Attila was reserved for his honored Chiefs, and everyone else including Priscus and the Roman embassies sat on the left. After being seated, everyone raised a glass to pledge one another with wine. Once the cupbearers left another attendant came in with a platter of meat, followed by bread and other foods of the time. All of the food was served onto plates of silver and gold. Priscus also notes that Attila didn't use any silver or gold plates but instead used a cup made of wood; also, his attire was not very grand. Once the first round was finished, they stood and drank again to the health of Attila. When evening arrived torches were lit and songs that were about Attila's victories were sung.[7][9][10]
Priscus in fiction
Priscus is an important character in Slave of the Huns by Geza Gardonyi. He is depicted as a kindly master and scholar, and part of the novel is based on his account of his visit to Attila.
He is not to be confused with Priscus of Epirus, who lived in the 4th century and is one of two main interlocutors in Gore Vidal's novel Julian.
Remaining works
The remaining works of Priscus are currently published in four collections:
- Given, John (2014). The Fragmentary History of Priscus. Merchantville, New Jersey: Evolution Publishing. ISBN 978-1-935228-14-1.
- Blockley, Roger C. (2009). The Fragmentary Classicising Historians of the Later Roman Empire. Vol. II. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Francis Cairns. ISBN 978-0-905205-51-9.
- Gordon, Colin Douglas (1966). The Age of Attila: Fifth-century Byzantium and the Barbarians. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press. ISBN 9780472061112.
- Dindorfius, Ludovicus (1870). Historici Graeci Minores (Volume 1). Leipzig, Germany: B. G. Teubneri.
References
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Kazhdan 1991, "Priskos", p. 1721.
- ^ a b c d e f g Chisholm 1911, p. 361.
- ^ Toynbee & Myers 1948, p. 14: "The renegade Greek business man from Viminacium whom the Greek historian and Roman diplomatist Priscus encountered in Attila's ordu on the Alföld in A.D. 449 has already come to our notice."
- ^ a b Christophilopoulou 1986, p. 209: "For information about Attila, his court and the organization of life generally in his realm we have the authentic and reliable evidence of contemporary Greek historian Priscus, who accompanied Maximinus, the head of the Byzantine embassy, in 448."
- ^ Halsall 1996; Kelly 2004, p. 176; Toynbee & Myers 1948, p. 14.
- ^ a b Jones 1964, p. 866: "Priscus of Panium met one of these in Attila's camp. He was, he said, a Greek who had settled at Viminacium on the Danube and prospered in trade and married a rich wife. He was wealthy enough to be allotted as a special prize to Onegesius, one of the Hunnic nobles, when the town was captured."
- ^ a b Halsall 1996.
- ^ Given 2014, p. xvii.
- ^ Robinson 1905.
- ISBN 978-1317466031.
Sources
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 22 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 361.
- Christophilopoulou, Aikaterinē (1986). Byzantine History (Volume 1). Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Adolf M. Hakkert. ISBN 90-256-0836-1.
- Given, John (2014). The Fragmentary History of Priscus. Merchantville, New Jersey: Evolution Publishing. ISBN 978-1-935228-14-1.
- Halsall, Paul (March 1996). "Priscus at the Court of Attila". Retrieved 4 December 2011 – via Fordham University, Internet Medieval Source Book.
- Jones, Arnold Hugh Martin (1964). The Later Roman Empire, 284-602 (Volume Two). Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0-8018-3354-X.
- ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6.
- Kelly, Christopher (2004). Ruling the Later Roman Empire. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-01564-9.
- Robinson, J. H. (1905). "Priscus describes the court of Attila king of the Huns (448)". Readings in European History. Boston: Ginn. pp. 46–49. Retrieved 2 December 2016 – via Fordham University, Internet Medieval Source Book.
- Toynbee, Arnold Joseph; Myers, Edward DeLos (1948). A Study of History (Volume 8). Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Further reading
- Gordon, Colin Douglas (1964). "Fifth Century Chronology of in the Fragments of Priscus". New Review. IV (2–3).
- Thompson, E. A. (July–October 1945). "Priscus of Panium, Fragment I b". The Classical Quarterly. 39 (3/4). Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press: 92–94. JSTOR 637017.
External links
- Media related to Priscus at Wikimedia Commons
- Georgetown University: "Priscus at the Court of Attila" (Translation by J. B. Bury)