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Paschal Chronicle

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PASCHAL CHRONICLE (Chronicum Paschale, also Chronicum Alexandrinum or Constantinopolitanum,. or Fasti Siculi), so called from being based upon the Easter canon, an outline of chronology from Adam down to A.D. 629, accompanied by numerous historical and theological notes. The work, which is imperfect at the beginning and end (breaking off in the year 627), is preceded by an introduction on the Christian methods of reckoning time and the Easter cycle. It was written during the reign of Heraclius (610-641), and is generally attributed to an unknown Byzantine cleric and friend of the patriarch Sergius, who is specially alluded to as responsible for the introduction of certain ritual innovations. The so-called Byzantine or Roman era (which continued in use in the Greek Church until its liberation from Turkish rule) was adopted in the Chronicum for the first time as the foundation of chronology, in accordance with which the date of the creation is given as the 21st of March, 5507. The author is merely a compiler from earlier works, except in the history of the last thirty years, which has the value of a contemporary record.

The chief authorities used were: Julius Sextus Africanus (3rd century); the consular Fasti; the Chronicle and Church History of Eusebius; John Malalas; the Acta martyrum; the treatise of Epiphanius, bishop of Constantia (the old Salamis) in Cyprus ( fl. 4th century), on Weights and Measures. Editions: L. Dindorf (1832) in Corpus scriptorum hist. byzantinae, with Du Cange's preface and commentary; J. P. Migne, Patrologia graeca, xcii.; see also C. Wachsmuth, Einleitung in das Studium der alien Geschichte (1895); H. Gelzer, Sextus Julius Africanus and die byzantinische Chronographie, ii. 1 (1885); J. van der Hagen, Observationes in Heraclii imperatoris methodum paschalem (1736, but still considered indispensable); E. Schwarz in Pauly-Wissowa, Realencyclopadie, iii., pt. 2 (1899); C. Krumbacher, Geschichte der byzantinischen Litteratur (1897).