Eutychius of Alexandria facts for kids

Eutychius of Alexandria was an important leader of the Melkite (or Greek Orthodox) Church in Alexandria, Egypt. His Arabic name was Sa'id ibn Batriq. He lived from 877 to 940 AD.

Eutychius was one of the first Christian writers in Egypt to use the Arabic language. He wrote a famous history book called Nazm al-Jawhar, which means "Row of Jewels". It is also known as Eutychii Annales.

Who Was Eutychius?

Eutychius was born in Fustat, which is now part of old Cairo, Egypt. For most of his life, he worked as a doctor. He lived around the same time as another historian named Agapius of Hierapolis, but they didn't know each other.

Eutychius did not speak Greek. However, he could read Greek texts because they had been translated into Syriac.

Becoming a Patriarch

In 932, when he was 60 years old, Eutychius became the Melkite Patriarch of Alexandria. A patriarch is a very high-ranking bishop and a spiritual leader in some Christian churches.

This was unusual because Eutychius had never been a priest or held any church job before. Many people were against his appointment, and this opposition lasted for the rest of his life. He likely got the job because the Muslim rulers at the time supported him.

Eutychius's Writings

Eutychius's history book, Nazm al-Jauhar, written in French.

Eutychius's most important book is Nazm al-Jauhar. This book is a world history that he started writing before he became Patriarch. He dedicated it to his brother.

The book begins with the Creation of the world and continues up to his own time. Nazm al-Jauhar is a valuable source of information about events in Persia before the rise of Islam. It also tells us about the later Sassanid rulers.

For events after the rise of Islam, Eutychius used information from Muslim writers. He also included some legendary stories and tales about saints in his work.

The Journey of His Book

Eutychius's history was later updated and continued by another writer named Yahya ibn Sa'id up to the year 1028. This updated version became well-known in Antioch and then in Europe.

Many copies of the book were made over time. Recently, the original handwritten copy was found at Mount Sinai. Some parts of the beginning and end of this original copy are missing, but they can be put back together using other copies.

Other Works by Eutychius

Eutychius also wrote a book about medicine and another book defending Christian beliefs. The medicine book's original copy has been found in Aleppo, but it hasn't been published yet. The other book has not been found.