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Sanchoniatho

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

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(Σαγχουνιάθων ), The supposed author of a Phoenician history of Phoenicia and Egypt, called Φοινικκιά . He has been the subject of much discussion involving his place of birth, his works, and, indeed, his very existence. Our principal information respecting him is derived from Philo Byblius, a Greek writer at the beginning of the 2d century A.D. According to him, Sanchoniatho lived during the reign of Semiramis, and dedicated his book to Avibalus, king of Berytus. The general nature of the work is in itself sufficient to prove it to be a forgery, and yet the question remains whether the name Sanchoniatho was a pure invention of Philo or not. Movers supposes that it was the name of the sacred books of the Phoenicians and that its original form was San-Chon-iath, which might be represented in the Hebrew characters by כּוֹן יִהִת סִן, that is, "the entire law of Chon." On this etymology we offer no opinion. According to Suidas, he also wrote a book on the theology of the Egyptians.