Symmachia kai philia in the histories of John Cantacuzenos

Abstract

The article deals with the phrase symmachia kai philia, as used by John Cantacuzenos (Hist. I 8; II 5; II 25). John Cantacuzenos was familiar with the phrase (denoting forms of treaty or alliance between the states) through classical authors (Polybius, еspecially), but it seems that symmachia kai philia (in that specific word order) was borrowed from the First Book of Maccabbes.

Keywords

• john cantacuzenos
• symmachia kai philia
• societas et amicitia
• first bookof maccabbes
• polybius