Queen Mavia and Moses, Bishop of the Saracens

About this time the king of the Saracens died, and the peace that had existed between that nation and the Romans came to an end. Mavia, the widow of the late king, took over the government of her people and led her troops into Phoenicia and Palestine, as far as the regions of Egypt that lie on the left as one sails up toward the source of the Nile, which are commonly called Arabia. This war was by no means a contemptible one, though a woman led it. It is said that the Romans thought it so hard and so dangerous that the general of the troops in Phoenicia asked for help from the general of all the cavalry and infantry of the East. This commander laughed at the request and undertook to give battle by himself. So he attacked Mavia, who was leading her own troops in person, and he was rescued with difficulty by the general of the troops of Palestine and Phoenicia. Seeing how extreme the danger was, this general judged that there was no need to obey the orders he had been given to keep out of the fight. So he charged the barbarians and gave his superior the chance to retreat safely, while he himself gave ground, shooting at those who fled and driving back with his arrows the enemies who were pressing on him. This event is still remembered among the people of that country, and the Saracens celebrate it in songs. [a]

As the war was still being pressed hard, the Romans found it necessary to send an embassy to Mavia to ask for peace. It is said that she refused the embassy’s request unless they agreed to have a certain man named Moses, who practiced philosophy in a nearby desert, ordained bishop over her subjects. This Moses was a man of virtuous life, and known for performing divine and miraculous signs. When these terms were reported to the emperor, the army commanders were ordered to seize Moses and take him to Lucius. In the presence of the officials and the assembled people the monk cried out: “I am not worthy of the honor of bearing the name and rank of chief priest. But if, in spite of my unworthiness, God appoints me to this office, I call him who created the heavens and the earth to witness that I will not be ordained by the laying on of the hands of Lucius, which are stained with the blood of holy men.” Lucius at once replied: “If you do not know what my creed is, you do wrong to judge me before you know all the facts of the case. If you have been prejudiced by the slanders spread about me, at least let me tell you what I believe, and you be the judge of it.” Moses answered: “Your creed is already well known to me, and its nature is testified by bishops, presbyters and deacons who are suffering grievously in exile and in the mines. It is clear that your beliefs are opposed to the faith of Christ, and to all right doctrine about the Godhead.” Having once more sworn on oath that he would not receive ordination from them, he went to the Saracens. He reconciled them to the Romans and converted many to Christianity, and he spent his life among them as a priest, although he found few who shared his faith. [b]

This is the tribe that took its origin and its name from Ishmael, the son of Abraham, and the ancients called them Ishmaelites after their forefather. Since their mother Hagar was a slave, they later took the name of Saracens, to hide the disgrace of their origin, as if they were descended from Sarah, the wife of Abraham. Since this is their origin, they practice circumcision like the Jews, abstain from pork, and keep many other Jewish rites and customs. If they differ in any way from the practices of that nation, it must be put down to the passing of time and to their dealings with the neighboring nations. Moses, who lived many centuries after Abraham, gave laws only to those he led out of Egypt. The peoples of the neighboring countries, being much given to superstition, probably soon corrupted the laws laid on these people by their forefather Ishmael. Before the law of Moses, the ancient Hebrews lived as a community under this law alone, and so followed unwritten customs. These people certainly served the same gods as the neighboring nations, honoring them and naming them in the same way, so that this likeness in religion shows how far they had departed from the laws of their forefathers. As usually happens with the passing of time, their ancient customs were forgotten, and other practices gradually took the lead among them. Some of their tribe later happened to come into contact with the Jews, learned from them the facts of their true origin, went back to their kinsmen, and turned toward Hebrew customs and laws. From that time until now, many of them order their lives by the Jewish precepts. Some of the Saracens were converted to Christianity not long before the present reign. They came to share in the faith of Christ through their dealings with the priests and monks who lived near them and practiced philosophy in the neighboring deserts, men known for the excellence of their lives and for their miraculous works. It is said that a whole tribe, with Zocomus, their chief, was converted to Christianity and baptized at about this time, in the following way. Zocomus was childless, and he went to a certain monk of great fame to complain to him of this misfortune; for among the Saracens, and I believe among other barbarian nations too, having children was counted of great importance. The monk told Zocomus to take heart, prayed for him, and sent him away with the promise that if he would believe in Christ, he would have a son. When God confirmed this promise and a son was born to him, Zocomus was initiated, and all his subjects with him. From that time this tribe was remarkably fortunate. It grew strong in numbers and became a terror to the Persians as well as to the other Saracens. These are the details I have been able to collect about the conversion of the Saracens and their first bishop. [d]