Presian inscription
Greek text
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The Presian Inscription or Philippi Inscription is a medieval Greek text inscribed upon a stone in Philippi during the reign of the Bulgarian ruler Presian I (r. 836–852).
Background history
In 837, soon after Presian's accession, the Slavs in the vicinity of Thessalonica rebelled against the Byzantine Empire. Emperor Theophilos sought Bulgarian support in putting down the rebellion, but simultaneously arranged for his fleet to sail through the Danube delta and undertake a clandestine evacuation of some of the Byzantine captives settled in trans-Danubian Bulgaria by the Bulgarian rulers Krum and Omurtag. In retaliation the kavhan Isbul campaigned along the Aegean coasts of Thrace and Macedonia and captured the city of Philippi, where he set up a surviving memorial inscription in a local church. Isbul's campaign may also have resulted in the establishment of Bulgarian suzerainty over the local Slavic tribe of the Smolyani.
Content
Original
ΤΟ]Ν ΠΟΛΩΝ ΒΟΥ(Λ)ΓΑ-
ΡΟΝ [Ο] ΕΚ ΘΕΟΥ ΑΡΧΟΝ Ο Π-
ΕΡΣΙΑΝΟΣ ΑΠΕΣΤΙΛΕΝ
Ι[Σ]ΒΟΥΛΟΝ ΤΟΝ ΚΑΥΧΑΝΟΝ ΔΟΣΑΣ ΑΘΤΟΝ ΦΟΣΑ-
ΤΑ Κ(Ε) ΤΟΩ ΗΤΞΙΡΓΟΥ ΒΟΙΛ-
ΑΝ Κ(Ε) ΤΟΝ ΚΑΝΑ ΒΟΙΛΑ ΚΟΛΟΒΡΟΝ Κ(Ε) Ο ΚΑΥΧΑΝΟΣ
ΕΠΙ ΤΟΥΣ ΣΜΟΛΕΑΝΟΥΣ Ο-
Ν......Η [ΤΗΣ] ΤΗΝ ΑΛΗΘΗΝΑΝ Γ-
ΥΡΕΥΗ, Ο Θ(ΕΟΣ) ΘΕΟΡΙ.Κ(Ε), Η ΤΗΣ Ψ-
ΕΥΔΕΤΕ, Ο Θ(ΕΟΣ) ΘΕΟΡΙ. ΤΟΥΣ
ΧΡΙΣΤΗΑΝΟΥΣ ΟΙ ΒΟΥΛΓΑΡΙ-
Σ ΠΟΛΑ ΑΓΑΘΑ ΕΠΥΙΣΑ[Ν]
Κ(Ε) ΟΙ ΧΡΙΣΤΗΑΝΟΙ ΕΛΗΣΜΟΝ-
ΗΣΑΝ, ΑΛΛΑ Ο Θ(ΕΟ)Σ ΘΕΟΡΙ.
Translation
Presian, from god ruler of the many Bulgars sent kavhan Isbul, giving him troops, and the itchurgu-boila, and the khan boila kolober. And the kavhan went to the Smolijani. . . . When someone tells the truth, god sees. And when someone lies, god sees that too. The Bulgars did many favors to the Christians, but the Christians forgot them. But god sees.[1]