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ARMENIA PRIMA AND ARMENIA SECUNDA IN THE ORIGINAL EPIPHANIUSВ’ NOTITIA EPISCOPATUUM

Ionut Holubeanu

Abstract

A recent investigation of the ecclesiastical organization at lower Danube during the 4th-7th centuries has revealed that a Notitia episcopatuum was drawn up under Patriarch Epiphanius of Constantinople (520-535), in the first decade of Justinian I’s reign (527-565). The aim of the present investigation is to identify the provinces that the metropolitan sees of Sebasteia (in the civil Armenia Prima, then Armenia Secunda) and Melitene (in the civil Armenia Secunda, then Armenia Tertia) were assigned to in that old (now-lost) document. The investigation is of no less of importance given that Sebasteia is referred to as metropolis of Armenia Secunda and Melitene of Armenia Prima in the existing Notitiae. To achieve this purpose, the author first sets forth the evolution of the civil organization in the north-eastern part of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 4th-7th centuries. Actually, there had been in existence two Roman provinces with the name Armenia – i.e. Prima and Secunda – until 536. At that time, Justinian I reorganized the provincial administration there, establishing four new provinces with this name – i.e. Armenia Prima, Secunda, Tertia and Quarta. However, the ecclesiastical organization was not altered. In the second part of the article, the author examines the provinces that the metropolitan sees of Sebasteia and Melitene (and their suffragan bishoprics) were assigned to in the existing documents (others than Notitiae) in the 4th-7th centuries. This survey reveals that the see of Sebasteia was referred to as metropolis of Armenia Prima and Melitene of Armenia Secunda, even after the administrative reorganization in 536. On the basis of this evidence, it is concluded that the line of Sebasteia in the list of the metropolitan sees under Patriarchate of Constantinople was ??????? ???????? ?’ - ? ??????????, and that of Melitene ??????? ???????? ?’ - ? ?????????, in the original Epiphanius’ Notitia.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgemsocial2018/2.2/S08.028

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