John of Biclaro, Biclar, or Biclarum (circa 540 – after 621), also Iohannes Biclarensis, was a Visigoth chronicler born in Santarem in Portugal (Scallabis). He was educated in Constantinople. Upon his return to Lusitania, the locals tried to draft him for the Arian Church. When he refused, he was banished by Leovigild, the King of the Visigoths. After Leovigild’s death in 586, John founded the Benedictine monastery of Biclar(o) where he became abbot. Thereafter, he became a bishop of Gerona/Girona.
He took part in many church synods. His chronicle covering the years 567 to 591 is arranged according to the reigns of Byzantine Emperors and Visigothic kings and is a continuation of the chronicle of Victor of Tunnuna (Chronicon continuans Victorem Tunnunensem). Various editions exist:
- Hendrik Canisius (Ingolstadt, 1600) (pictures below are from that version);
- Scaliger in “Thesaurus Temporum” (Leyden, 1606);
- Migne, P.L., LXXII (1849);
- Mommsen in “Mon. Germ. Hist.: Auct. ant.”, XI (1893), 211-220;
The table below is from Mommsen as are the dates (though, admittedly, they are not exact) – which refer to reigns of the Visigothic King Leovigild (568-586) and the Byzantine Emperors Justin II (565-574) and Tiberius II (574-582)).
Chronicle of John of Biclar
YEAR 576?
ANNO X IVSTINI IMP. QVI EST LIVVIGILDI REGIS VIII
ANNVS
1. Badurius gener Iustini principis in Italia a Longobardis praelio vincitur, et non multo plus post inibi vitae finem accepit.
2. Romanus filius Anagasti Patricii magister militiae gentis Suanorum regem vivum cepit, quem cum suo thesauro, uxore et filiis Constantinopolim adducit et provinciam eius in Romanorum
dominium redigit.
3. Liuuigildus (Leovegildus) rex in Gallaecia Suevorum fines conturbat: et a rege Mirone per legatos rogatus pacem eis pro parvo tempore tribuit.
4. Sclavini in Thracia multas urbes Romanorum pervadunt, quas depopulatas vacuas reliquary
[The Sclavini took many Roman cities in Thrace which they have left depopulated and empty or (if you prefer Joan Rowe Ferry’s translation) The Sclavanians spread through many Roman cities in Thrace, which they leave ravaged and deserted]
Whoever made the side notes obviously disagrees with Mommsen’s timing
5. Abares (Avares) litora maris captiose obsident et navibus litora Thraciae navigantibus satis infesti sunt.
6. Post Benedictum Romanae ecclesiae Pelagius iunior ordinatur episcopus: praeest annis XI.
YEAR 581
ANNO V TIBERII, QVI EST LIVVIGILDI (LEOVEGILDI) XIII ANNVS
1. Longobardi in Italia regem sibi ex suo genere eligunt vocabulo Autharic, cuius tempore et milites Romani omnino sunt caesi et terminos Italiae Longobardi sibi occupant.
2. Sclavinorum gens Illyricum et Thracias vastat.
[The nation of the Sclavenes laid waste to Illyria and Thrace or (as per Rowe Ferry) The people of the Sclavanians ravage Illyrica and Thrace]
3. Liuuigildus (Leovegildus) rex partem Vasconiae occupat et civitatem, quae Victoriaco (Victroriacum) nuncupatur, condidit.
4. Tiberius imperator Mauricio Magistro militum Orientis filiam suam in coniugium tradit.
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