1. Biography

George Chrysokokkes lived in Constantinople and Trebizond in the 14th century and it was particularly between 1335 and 1350 that he developed his activity. There is little information about his life. As far as we know, he was a physician, a physicist and an astronomer.¹

Chrysokokkes mainly developed his activity in Trebizond, the capital of the namesake empire in the era of the Grand Komnenoi (1204-1461). The city was not only a powerful political centre, but also an intellectual one, where research was developed. The studies on astronomy had achieved there a high level, leading to the establishment of a school which attracted various scholars of its time. In Trebizond, Chrysokokkes studied astronomy by the astronomer and priest Manuel, who was familiar with the work of Gregory Chioniades. As evidenced by manuscripts of astronomical works and Chioniades' translations from the Persian and the Arabic language, Manuel taught Chrysokokkes astronomy and the Persian language.²

2. Oeuvre

Chrysokokkes is first mentioned as a writer in 1336, when he copied as a scribe Vatrachomyomachia and Odyssey (Vat. Palat. gr. 7), probably in Trebizond. He later distinguished himself as a physician, the main characteristic of his medical works being that they were written under the influence of his contemporary Persian practice, as it is preserved in some manuscripts.³

As regards his alluded work on Geography, it consists of two parts: the first is a list titled On the Names of Cities and Places (Περί επωνυμίας πόλεων και τόπων).⁴ The writer refers to the equivalent ancient and recent names of various cities of mainland Greece, such as Argos Thessalikon (modern Larissa), Thermi, Thessaloniki, Amphipolis ect. Apart from mainland Greece, his work includes several cities of the Peninsula of Aimos, such as Epidamnus (modern Dyrrhachion). Part of the work refers to various cities of Asia Minor, such as Ephesus and Philadelphia. The second part of this geographical work is titled Tables [Κανόνια] of the longitude and the latitude of the official cities. In this part, the author provides geographic elements and information on various cities. However, the attribution of this work to George Chrysokokkes has been contested and it is considered extremely doubtful.

As for his contribution to astronomical research, his relative work consists of three parts. The first is called Introduction to the Syntaxis of the Persians, to His Brother John Charsianites. This work was written in 1347 and is dedicated to his «brother» John Charsianites. Charsianites or Charsianeites (also known under his monastic name Job) was a supporter Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos and the founder the famous monastery of Charsianites. Chrysokokkes´ mentioning to the «brother Charsianites» is of typically Christian content, thus suggesting the excellent relations between the author and a powerful figure of ecclesiastical and political matters of the mid-14th century in Byzantium. Despite the lack of additional evidence, Chrysokokkes is believed to have lived for some time at the monastery of Charsianites, which was possibly within the walls of Constantinople. About 30 manuscripts of this work have been preserved, since it was a popular text that influenced several astronomical works of the second half of the 14th century and the early 15th century, such as the Three Books on Astronomy (Tribiblos) by Theodore Meliteniotes.⁵ The Introduction of Chrysokokkes was also translated into Jewish by Shelomo ben Eliyahu, a Jew from Thessaloniki (c. 1380).⁶