The Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius Scholasticus - Coptic ...

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of material and composition of the complete work does not seem inappropriate.
24
Sources
Ecclesiastical documents
EVAGRIUS
Evagrius was described by Bury as ‘a valuable source’, though it is his
preservation of some top-quality source material which has been identi-
¢ed as his greatest virtue; 25 even if this judgement belittles the interest of
his own contributions, its positive aspect is valid. Ecclesiastical documents
provided the basis for the main subject matter of his work. He
made use of the acta of the Ecumenical Councils of First Ephesus, Chalcedon
(which contained the acta of Second Ephesus) and Constantinople,
and of the synod at Rome in 484 which marked the start of the
Acacian schism. These major collections are well known, though on
occasions Evagrius records the Greek text of material which is otherwise
only preserved in Latin (Leo’s Encyclical: ii.9). He also incorporated
some major imperial pronouncements on doctrinal matters: the Encyclical
and Counter-Encyclical of Basiliscus, the Henoticon of Zeno, and
the attempted new Henoticon of Justin II. Again, these texts are known,
though Justin’s edict (v.4) is otherwise preserved only in Syriac, where
one crucial sentence is omitted, 26 and Evagrius’ text of Basiliscus’ Encyclical
(iii.4) represents an interesting stage in the doctrinal developments
when pressure from Patriarch Acacius had forced the usurper to reinstate
the privileges of the Constantinopolitan see. 27 Important evidence which
is not recorded elsewhere includes extracts from the writings of Nestorius
(i.7), and the letter of the Palestinian monks to Alcison of Nicopolis (ii.5,
iii.31, 33). We are also indebted to Evagrius for the letters of Symeon
24 Relatively rapid composition might also explain Evagrius’ failure to obtain a copy of
Agathias’ text, which was not apparently available in Antioch for him to read (v.24, with n.
89 below). He had the resources and contacts to have had a copy made in Constantinople, if
he was su⁄ciently interested in the evidence and time had permitted. I have suggested a
comparably short period of composition for Theophylact’s Historiae (Whitby, Maurice
39^51).
25 Bury, History II. 182; Allen, Evagrius 6; in addition to the discussion of sources at
ibid. 6^11, note also the introductory remarks to the survey of individual books: 72, 95^6,
119^20, 142^4, 171^2.
26 See v. n. 16 below.
27 See iii. n. 9 below.