194 – ‘Oriens’ or ‘the East’ was the title of the great civil
‘diocese’ which included Syria, Palestine, Cilicia, Cyprus,
Mesopotamia, and some adjacent districts, and corresponded
to the Patriarchate of Antioch in the ecclesiastical
division. It was originally under one chief called ‘Comes
orientis,’ but it would appear from this passage, as
is asserted by Gothofred, that the civil and military
functions had been divided, and there were now two
officers, ‘Comes orientis militarium partium,’ and
‘Comes orientis civilium partium.’ The subject is somewhat
obscure.
195 – Callinicum was in Osrhoene, a name given to the
north-western part of Mesopotamia.
196 – Socrates, B. v. ch. 13., mentions that Nectarius’ house
was burnt by the Arian party in the same year in which
this letter was written.