Malalas and the Representationof Justinian’s Reign: a Few Remarks

79

offers a focus on the length of time: it reiterates the assertion that the sixth millen-
nium was long consumed and the seventh far from complete.6 He logically combined
this insistence with a real will of de-eschatologisation in its narrative and preserved a
strong interest for monarchy from a bureaucratic perspective.7 Malalas also paid real
consideration to public and civic order (involving, riots and rebellions, uprisings...)
while restricting confessional causes of such events in my opinion.8 A special impor-
tance was given to imperial buildings, also to imperial legislation (with an interesting
allusion to the contemporary ideological edification of patriarchal pentarchy).9 Taxes,
military defense, hierarchy in the army, relations with foreign states and rulers, from
treaties to the baptism of certain kings are also a constitutive part of the tale. Atten-
tion to the physical world and to signs (droughts, plagues) that may indicate Gods
feelings (as earthquakes) is also significant.10 Finally, one can notice a special taste for
supplications and processions and, on a more general level, a real interest for daily life.
All this material is especially centered on Antioch.
If we concentrate on the continuation then, which might begin after the Nika Riot
(XVIII 71),11 eternal peace of 532 (XVIII 76),12 or with the corresponding break in the
Chronicon Paschale (533, XVIII 78),13 the main feature is a high attraction for Constan-
tinople with the possible help of the acta urbis (its churches, statues, and baths, but also
the urban impact of victories, embassies ...). The tale is also characterized by a less de-
6 Chronographia XVIII i. Centered, in both senses of the word, on the Christ (the Annunciation being
addressed at the end of Book IX), his chronology also aims to present the succession of past kingdoms
(Achaeans, Trojans, Assyrians, Macedonians) to better emphasize the Christian Empire. It shows a
ternary logic of distribution: the first six books based on the history of the Hebrews (but with a strong
emphasis given to the Trojan War and its consequences in Book V, including Rome), six books interes-
ted in domination of Roman pagans (barely considering the Republic it seems) and six books on
Constantine and his successors. The general structure of the book thus enters into relation with the
consistency of Justinian’s purpose. See also Whitby, “The Biblical Past in John Malalas”, pp. 285-289.
7 See Croke, “Malalas, the Man and his Work”, p. 10.
8 Blaudeau, “Ordre religieux”, pp. 254-256.
9 This point is made in two sequences: first with the creation of major sees and their first holders (be they
apostles or not) as in Antioch (Evodios) and Alexandria (Marc, see Chronographia IX 32), then Rome
(Peter IX 35), Jerusalem (with James and his first successor Symeon, IX 42) and Ephesus (with John, X
2 as the see is probably considered as forerunner of Constantinople one). Then, we have to wait till
Peter the Fuller in 470’s to find the word patriarch again (XV i).Then it is used for successions (often
dramatic) of bishops in Antioch (XV 5; XV 6, XVI11; XVII 5; XVII 7; XVII 22; XVIII 27) and Cons-
tantinople (XVI11; XVIII 83; XVIII113; XVIII149); see Alpi, “L’orientation christologique”, pp. 232-
234. The word is also employed for Alexandria (XVIII113), but not for Rome - probably not to press too
much an employment popes didn’t share, as the author knows apparently (see note 51) - nor for Jerusa-
lem (in this case unnecessary in the tale). This kind of narrative procedure roots Justinian’s creation of
Pentarchy in the most ancient tradition (first step) and then shows its appliance for the contemporary
situation, beginning early enough not to be a recent reappraisal, but a fundamental base of the ecclesi-
astical hierarchy. On Justinian’s promotion of Pentarchy order, see Blaudeau, “Giustiniano”, pp. 300-302.
10 See especially Scott, “Writing the Reign of Justinian. Malalas versus Theophanes”, p. 28 and Meier, Das
andere Zeitalter, p. 32.
11 Jeffreys, “The Transmission of Malalas’ Chronicle”, p. 253; ead. “Malalas’ Sources”, p. 169.
12 Jeffreys, “Malalas’ World Vlew”, p. 55
13 On this term, see Μ. and Μ. Whitby, in Chronicon Paschale, p. XIX and p. 128, note 373.