“HUNS AND BULGARS’’ OR “HUNS BULGARS” IN “CHRONOGRAPHIA” OF JOHN MALALAS. PROBLEM STATEMENT
Études balkaniques (Sofia) 2026, N 1, pp. 234-248
DOI: https://doi.org/10.62761/645.EB.LXII1.08
Kaloyan CHOBANOV 
St Cyril and St Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
Abstract: This article examines a passage from the Chronographia of John Malalas (c. 490 – 565), which describes the composition of Vitalian’s army during his rebellion against Emperor Anastasius I (491 – 518) in 514. In the classic edition by Ludwig Dindirf from 1831 we read that Vitalian brought with him Οὔννων καὶ Βουλγάρων (Huns and Bulgars). In the modern edition by Joannes Thurn from 2000 the connecting conjunction “καὶ” between the two ethnic names is removed and the corresponding expression reads Οὔννων Βουλγάρων (Huns Bulgars). This text explores the main editions and manuscripts of the source, as well as some of the author’s messages in which he uses the name “Huns”. It is concluded that the original, now lost, text of the chronography contained the expression Οὔννων Βουλγάρων (Huns Bulgars), as noted by Joannes Turn. Therefore, John Malalas does not distinguish between Bulgars and Huns, as is traditionally accepted under the influence of Dindorf ’s classical edition.
Keywords: Malalas, Huns, Bulgars, Dindorf, Thurn