Work dossier · summary and historical context
The Index discipulorum is a pseudepigraphical catalogue of the seventy disciples of Christ, traditionally attributed to Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 310–403). Surviving only in medieval manuscripts, it likely originated in the 5th–6th centuries, possibly in a Greek-speaking monastic or hagiographic milieu. The list expands on New Testament figures, including names like Barnabas and Cephas, and reflects later legendary developments. It was used in Byzantine hagiography and canon lists but never achieved canonical status. The edition from khazarzar provides the Greek text without critical apparatus, limiting verification of textual variants.
The Index discipulorum is significant as a witness to the development of apostolic traditions in late antique and Byzantine Christianity. It illustrates how the seventy disciples were expanded and systematized beyond New Testament accounts, influencing later hagiography and canon lists. The work also highlights the fluidity of early Christian pseudepigrapha and the challenges of attributing texts to authoritative figures like Epiphanius.
The Index discipulorum belongs to the genre of apostolic catalogues, which emerged in early Christian literature to systematize the identities and missions of Christ’s followers. The work is traditionally attributed to Epiphanius of Salamis, a 4th-century bishop and heresiologist, but this attribution is uncertain. The text likely dates from the 5th–6th centuries, a period when hagiographic and legendary expansions of apostolic traditions flourished in the Byzantine world. It survives only in later medieval manuscripts, often appended to Epiphanius’ Panarion, suggesting it was transmitted as a supplementary text. The list includes names not found in the New Testament, reflecting later traditions that sought to fill gaps in apostolic history. Its use in Byzantine hagiography and canon lists indicates it served as a reference for ecclesiastical writers, though it never attained canonical authority. The lack of early manuscript witnesses and critical editions makes it difficult to trace its exact origins or textual history.
Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded
| Coptic | Rendering | Count | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| no glossary terms recorded | |||