E00571: The Piacenza Pilgrim records his visit, first to Barbalissos (on the Euphrates) with the tomb of *Bacchus/Bakchos (soldier and martyr of Barbalissos, S00079), and then to Suras, where Bacchus and his 'brother' *Sergius (soldier and martyr of Rusafa, S00023) suffered; the pilgrim states that Sergius rests 12 miles further on, at Tetrapyrgion. Account of an anonymous pilgrim, written in Latin, probably in Placentia (northern Italy), c. 570. In the second recension of the text, Sergius is replaced by *George (soldier and martyr, S00259), whose grave is said to be at Tyre (in Phoenicia, on the coast).

Pilgrim of Piacenza, Itinerarium 46

First recension
Exinde descendimus in Mesopotamiam in ciuitatem Chalcida. Deinde uenimus in Carran, ubi natus est Abraham, et descendentes nos inde uenimus in ciuitate Barbarisso, ubi requiescit sanctus Bakhos, frater sancti Sergii. Deinde uenimus in ciuitate Suras, per qua ciuitate media descendit fluuius Eufrata, qui in ipso loco per ponte transitur. In ipsa passi sunt sanctus Sergius et sanctus Bacchus, et ad duodecim milia intus in heremo inter Saracenos requiescit sanctus Sergius in ciuitate Tetrapyrgio.


'From there we went on into Mesopotamia, to the city of Chalcis, and thence to Haran, where Abraham was born. Going on from there we arrived to the city of Barbalissus, the resting-place of saint Bacchus, the brother of saint Sergius. From there we went to the city of Suras. Through the middle of it runs the River Euphrates which is crossed at this point by a bridge. In this city saint Sergius and saint Bacchus suffered martyrdom. Twelve miles further on in the desert, in Saracen country, is the resting place of saint Sergius in the city of Tetrapyrgion.''


Second recension
Exinde descendimus Mesopotamiam in ciuitate Chalcida. Inde uenimus Carran, ubi natus fuit Abraham, et inde uenimus in ciuitate Barbarisso; ibi requiescit sanctus Bachos, frater sancti Giorgii. Inde uenimus in ciuitate Suran, per qua media ciuitate descendit fluuius Eufrates, qui ibidem per ponte transitur. In ipsa ciuitate passi sunt sanctus Bacchus et sanctus Georgius. Sed sanctus Georgius in ciuitate Tyro requiescit.

'From there we went on into Mesopotamia, to the city of Chalcis, and thence to Haran, where Abraham was born. Going on from there we arrived to the city of Barbalissus, the resting-place of saint Bacchus, the brother of saint George. From there we went to the city of Suras. Through the middle of it runs the River Euphrates which is crossed there by a bridge. In this city saint Bacchus and saint George suffered martyrdom. But the resting-place of saint George is Tyre.'


Text: Geyer 1898, 191 and 218. Translation: Wilkinson 2002, 150.