Prokopios von Kaisareia und die Abgarlegende

Abstract

The article discusses the famous story of King Abgar’s letter to Jesus and Jesus’ reply which Procopius tells in Wars II 12. By telling this story Procopius explains why it was by the will of God that Edessa was saved in 540 and 544. The analysis shows that this story draws on some anonymous sources and a local Edessan tradition but not on the Church History of Eusebius of Caesarea though Procopius might have consulted this work. Against the objections which recently have been raised the story of Abgar must be viewed as one of the most important arguments for Procopius’ Christianity.