Readings in Late Antiquity

by Maas; Michael

• ISBN13: 9780415159876
• ISBN10: 0415159873
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-03-23
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This fascinating collection draws from Greek, Latin, Syriac, Hebrew, Coptic, Persian, Arabic and Armenian sources, some translated into English for the first time. The perspectives that emerge reveal the rich diversity of late antique cultures. The Roman empire is kept at the center of discussion, with chapters devoted to government, society, army, law, medicine, philosophy, Christianity, polytheism and Jews. Other chapters deal with the societies that surrounded the Roman state: Persia, Huns, Germanic invaders who established new states in the West and Islam. The carefully selected sources present a comprehensive insight into the lives of emperors, abbesses, aristocrats, slaves, soldiers, doctors, lawyers, historians and saints who left a vivid record of their experiences.

Table of Contents

Maps	xxxiii
Introduction	li
Acknowledgements	liv
Chronology	lv
Late antique rulers	lix
Permissions	lxiv
The Roman Empire	1	(68)
Introduction	1	(1)
The emperor and the imperial office	2	(9)
Cautious advice for an all-powerful monarch	2	(1)
The emperor as the source of instability	3	(1)
The Christian emperor looks to heaven	4	(1)
The emperor as the embodiment of law	5	(1)
The emperor's role in war and peace	5	(1)
The imperial right to interfere in church affairs	6	(1)
The emperor as priest - Justinian's view	6	(1)
Challenging imperial interference in church affairs	7	(1)
Ruler cult	7	(1)
The emperor on parade	8	(1)
Imperial acclamations	9	(1)
Court ritual	10	(1)
Imperial administration	11	(8)
Diocletian's reforms	11	(1)
Entrance requirements for the bureaucracy	12	(1)
The honor of serving the emperor	13	(1)
Corruption and suffering in the provinces	13	(1)
Bishops in the imperial administration	14	(1)
An able emperor relies on his advisory council	15	(1)
A top official's close ties to the monarch	16	(1)
A hierarchy of administrators supervised by the emperor	17	(1)
Access to the emperor for all citizens	18	(1)
Patrons are the best protection	18	(1)
City administration	19	(3)
The importance of decurions	19	(1)
The generosity of city senators	19	(2)
Praises for a city's patron	21	(1)
Imperial administrators and cities	21	(1)
A patron from the outside	22	(1)
The city of Rome	22	(4)
Rome in old age	22	(1)
Rome, center of the world	23	(1)
Rome's countless wonders	24	(1)
Protecting and restoring Rome's buildings	25	(1)
A quarry for builders	25	(1)
The sack of Rome, AD 410	26	(3)
The first shocking news	26	(1)
Rome's place in God's plan: the Eusebian background	26	(1)
Pagans blame Christians	27	(1)
A non-event?	28	(1)
Augustine on the sacred significance of Rome	28	(1)
Rome becomes a Christian center	29	(5)
A martyr foresees Rome's Christian future	29	(2)
Rome's temples abandoned	31	(1)
Christian citizens of Rome	32	(1)
The primacy of the bishop of Rome	33	(1)
Constantinople	34	(4)
Founding the New Rome	34	(1)
Advancing against the East	35	(1)
Justinian's Saint Sophia-a temple to rival Solomon's	36	(1)
The center of Constantinople	36	(2)
City life	38	(8)
The individual character of a city: Alexandria	38	(1)
Taking a bath	39	(1)
The odor of sanctity	39	(1)
Spilling blood for entertainment	40	(1)
The end of gladiatorial combat	41	(1)
The people of Rome expect entertainment	41	(1)
Charioteers were public heroes	42	(1)
Theodora on stage	42	(1)
Belisarius celebrates a triumph	43	(1)
Urban rioting	44	(1)
An emperor almost falls: the Nika Riots	44	(1)
Festivals and calendars	45	(1)
Secular and Christian education	46	(12)
Educating an elite	46	(1)
A teenager's education	46	(2)
Training for imperial service	48	(1)
Honor your teachers!	48	(1)
Should Christian students read the pagan classics?	49	(1)
Julian on proper education	50	(1)
Christ or Cicero? Jerome's choice	51	(1)
Christian curriculum taught on a Roman model-in Syria	52	(1)
Interpreting the Bible	52	(1)
Preserving classical and Christian learning	53	(2)
No place for secular literature	55	(1)
Students murder a Christian schoolmaster	55	(1)
Reducing teachers' salaries	56	(1)
Searching for a teacher: the case of Ananias of Shirak	57	(1)
Economic life	58	(11)
Natural disasters and local economies	58	(1)
Famine	59	(1)
The emperor steps in	60	(1)
Diocletian's edict on maximum prices	61	(2)
Justinian's edict on the regulation of skilled labor	63	(1)
Slaves in the law	64	(1)
Slavery is taken for granted	65	(1)
Slavery, the wage of sin	65	(1)
An international trade in humans	66	(1)
Parents prevented from selling their children	66	(1)
The colonate	67	(2)
The Roman Army	69	(34)
Introduction	69	(2)
Reorganization of the army	71	(1)
The decline of border defenses: Constantine's fault?	71	(1)
The army in the field	71	(11)
Elephants vs. legionaries	71	(1)
Guarding the emperor	72	(1)
Cavalry-training	73	(1)
The navy	74	(1)
Border Troops	74	(1)
Border forts	75	(1)
River frontier patrols	76	(1)
Raiding	77	(1)
How to establish frontier defense	77	(1)
Border defense crumbles away on the Danube	78	(1)
The siege of Amida -- a lucky escape	79	(1)
Military Medicine	80	(1)
The wounded after a battle	81	(1)
Rewards after a battle	81	(1)
Soldiers within the empire	82	(5)
Soldiers protect civilian life	82	(1)
Soldiers need discipline	82	(1)
An extortion racket in Syria	83	(3)
Tax collection	86	(1)
Manpower shortages? The problems of recruitment	87	(3)
Recruits	87	(1)
Sons of soldiers must enlist	88	(1)
Enforced recruitment and draft evasion	88	(1)
Slaves are permitted to enlist	89	(1)
Exemptions from military service	89	(1)
Non-Roman recruits	90	(7)
Barbarian federates	90	(1)
The history of federates	90	(1)
Recruiting grounds and imperial borders	91	(1)
How were soldiers paid?	91	(1)
Strategy, tactics and training	92	(1)
Discipline and punishment	93	(1)
The rules of war	93	(1)
Avoid pitched battles	94	(1)
Prayers and battle	94	(1)
Military anthropology	95	(1)
Billeting	96	(1)
Billeting Goths in Edessa	96	(1)
Christians in the army	97	(6)
The Passion of Saint Marcellus	97	(2)
Just war	99	(1)
The Christian military vocation	99	(1)
Regimental priests	100	(1)
Saint Martin won't fight	101	(2)
Christianity	103	(63)
Introduction	103	(1)
Conversions	104	(7)
God helps Constantine: ``In this sign you will conquer''	104	(1)
``Through divine inspiration''	105	(1)
The last Vestal Virgin	105	(1)
Antony rejects the world	106	(1)
A voice in the garden leads Augustine to conversion	107	(1)
Christian peace after a busy public life	107	(1)
A Frankish king accepts Catholicism	108	(1)
Patrick goes to Ireland	109	(2)
Church and state	111	(3)
Edict of Milan	111	(2)
Massacre at Thessalonica	113	(1)
Bishops	114	(11)
Bishops as administrators	114	(1)
How should a bishop behave?	114	(1)
Augustine chooses his successor	115	(1)
Giving up a quiet life to become pope	116	(1)
Public debate: Augustine vs. a Manichaean	117	(1)
Constantine and the bickering bishops	118	(2)
Vicious debate at a church council	120	(1)
The consequences of losing: Nestorius describes his enemies	120	(3)
An apology for differences of opinion among Christians	123	(1)
An archbishop's schedule of bribes	123	(2)
Legal functions of bishops	125	(1)
Theology	125	(10)
Arius and the human nature of Christ	125	(1)
The Nicene Creed	126	(1)
Nestorius' heresy	127	(1)
The Council of Chalcedon and Nestorianism	128	(1)
Pelagius on salvation	129	(1)
Christ's two natures unified	130	(1)
Mary and the virgin birth	130	(1)
The Tome of Leo	131	(1)
The Henotikon of Zeno	132	(2)
Justinian on orthodoxy	134	(1)
The ``Three Chapters'' controversy	135	(1)
Martyrs and relics	135	(5)
The martyrdom of Timothy of Gaza	135	(1)
Mar Kardagh: a martyr in Persia	136	(2)
Relics of martyrs	138	(1)
Martyrs in church art	138	(1)
Violation of tombs in search of relics	138	(1)
Send me the head of Saint Paul!	139	(1)
Pilgrimage and Relics	140	(6)
Relics in Jerusalem	140	(1)
Constantine and Jerusalem's holy sites	141	(1)
Paula -- a pious Roman aristocrat in Jerusalem	142	(1)
Egeria visits the Cross	142	(1)
The Piacenza Pilgrim	143	(2)
Heraclius restores the Cross to Jerusalem	145	(1)
Asceticism	146	(11)
The Devil tempts Antony	146	(1)
Simeon the Stylite: public ascetic acts draw crowds	147	(2)
The death of Simeon	149	(1)
John Cassian's rules for monastic life	150	(1)
Benedict on the Twelve Degrees of Humility	151	(3)
the difficulities of monastic life	154	(1)
Female founders of monasteries	155	(1)
Advice to young nuns	156	(1)
Monks on a rampage: the destructive side of piety	157	(1)
Liturgy and prayer	157	(2)
Celebration of the Eucharist	157	(1)
Prayers, priests and the people	158	(1)
The Akathistos Hymn	158	(1)
Calendars and apocalyptic literature	159	(5)
No litigation on Sundays	159	(1)
``Anno Domini'' -- the Christian calendar begins	159	(1)
Providential history	160	(1)
Apocalyptic: the oracle of Baalbek	160	(2)
Arabs in apocalyptic vision	162	(2)
Reading the Bible	164	(2)
Translating the Bible	164	(2)
Polytheism	166	(26)
Introduction	166	(1)
Varieties of religious experience	167	(10)
A prayer to Hecate	167	(1)
Oracles	168	(1)
The cult of Isis	168	(2)
The mysteries of Attis	170	(1)
Sacrificing a bull to Mithras	170	(1)
The art and effects of prayer	170	(1)
The importance of sacrifice	171	(1)
The grave monument of an aristocratic pagan couple in Rome	172	(2)
Worship in the countryside	174	(1)
The end of the Secular Games	175	(1)
Imperial edict against Manichaeism	175	(2)
Suppression of polytheism	177	(7)
Roman legislation against pagan practices	177	(1)
Destroying the temples	178	(1)
Christian resentment of pagan sacrifice	179	(1)
``Pagan'' residues	180	(1)
Churches built on pagan sites: the temple of Zeus Marnas in Gaza (402--7)	181	(1)
Saint Nicholas chops down sacred trees	182	(1)
Non-religious festivals suppressed	183	(1)
Difficulties of conversion	184	(8)
Neither pagan nor Christian	184	(1)
Tell your peasants what to do	184	(1)
Conversion, class and coercion	185	(1)
Mass conversions as imperial policy	185	(1)
Purge of intellectuals at Constantinople	186	(1)
Polytheists fight back	186	(1)
Julian the apostate and the Antiochenes	187	(1)
Angry at the monks	188	(1)
Obstacles to travel	189	(1)
Resistance in North Africa	189	(1)
The Altar of Victory dispute	190	(2)
Jews	192	(25)
Introduction	192	(1)
Discrimination against Jews in Roman law	193	(6)
Jews may not own Christian slaves	193	(1)
Jews and Christians may not marry one another	193	(1)
Christians may not become Jews	194	(1)
Trials in Jewish courts	194	(1)
Jews allowed in municipal senates	194	(1)
Should translations of the Bible be used in synagogue worship?	195	(1)
Discrimination in church law	195	(1)
Imperial protectin of the Jewish community: synagogues and property rights	196	(1)
The State reserves the right of punishment for itself	197	(1)
Ambrose challenges the emperor: the Callinicum affair	197	(2)
Julian and the temple in Jerusalem	199	(1)
Christian justification of anti-Jewish behavior	199	(7)
What did Jews do wrong in Christian eyes?	199	(1)
The attraction of Judaism to Christians in condemned	200	(1)
Forced conversion	201	(2)
Disappointment with a false Messiah -- and conversion	203	(1)
Conversion to Islam	204	(2)
Jewish resistance	206	(2)
Jewish anger at converts	206	(1)
Destruction of the symbols of persecution	206	(1)
Jews defend Naples in 535	207	(1)
Jews help the Persians take Jerusalem	207	(1)
Daily life in Jewish communities	208	(9)
Self-government	208	(1)
Jews lose self-government: the end of the patriarchate	209	(1)
Education	209	(1)
Interpreting the Law	210	(1)
Sabbath worship at sea	210	(2)
Legal differences between men and women, c.500	212	(1)
Public lives of women	213	(1)
Hebrew liturgy in synagogues	213	(1)
Mourning the destruction of the Temple	214	(1)
Jews in the Islamic world	215	(2)
Women	217	(21)
Introduction	217	(1)
Powerful women	217	(3)
Helena -- empress and church benefactor	217	(1)
The empress refuses to panic: Theodora during the Nika Riot	218	(1)
Aristocratic female virtues	219	(1)
Death of a scholar: Hypatia of Alexandria	220	(1)
Christianity and women	220	(8)
Olympias -- aristocratic habits and spiritual values	220	(1)
Melania's generosity	221	(1)
Defying family expectations in Ireland	222	(1)
Saint Pelagia the Harlot: sin and salvation	223	(2)
Tarbo, a Christian martyr in Persia	225	(3)
Male attitudes	228	(3)
Daughters of Eve	228	(1)
The pain of abandoning a concubine	229	(1)
Childbirth's pains	230	(1)
Abortion and infanticide	230	(1)
Exposure of unwanted infants	231	(1)
Legal status	231	(5)
Marriage and divorce	231	(2)
Women's right to divorce	233	(1)
Women's right to prosecute in court	233	(1)
The new status of celibacy	234	(1)
Protecting women	234	(1)
Legitimacy and inheritance	235	(1)
Women benefit from Roman law	235	(1)
The female body	236	(2)
Women making babies: a medical view	236	(1)
Women's bodies and bearing children	236	(2)
Law	238	(12)
Introduction	238	(6)
What is law?	238	(1)
Legal education	239	(1)
A hostile view of lawyers	240	(2)
Judges must be supervised	242	(1)
The right of appeal	242	(1)
Law courts closed on Sunday	242	(1)
Codifications and reform	243	(1)
Jurisprudence	244	(1)
Christianity and the law	244	(6)
Why is legislation always necessary?	245	(1)
Local law dies out	245	(1)
The comparison of Roman and Mosaic law	246	(1)
The Syro-Roman Law Book	247	(3)
Medicine	250	(14)
Introduction	250	(1)
The medical profession	250	(5)
What is medicine?	250	(2)
Medical experience vs. received opinion	252	(1)
A great physician	253	(1)
Military physicians	254	(1)
Faith healing	254	(1)
A medical specialist	255	(1)
Care of the sick and cures	255	(5)
Hospitals	255	(1)
House calls	256	(1)
Baths	257	(1)
Magical healing	258	(1)
Dieting	258	(2)
Plague	260	(4)
The Great Plague (542--570)	260	(2)
The plague strikes Constantinople	262	(1)
Plague in Gaul	262	(1)
Farmers avoid plague-ridden cities	263	(1)
Philosophy	264	(17)
Introduction	264	(17)
Plotinus and the ``One''	264	(1)
The three hypostases: the One, Nous, and Soul	265	(1)
A philosophical life	265	(1)
Intellectual beauty and contemplation	266	(1)
Julian's hymn to Helios, god of the sun	267	(1)
Pythagoras, the guide	268	(1)
The art of theurgy	269	(1)
The life and education of Proclus	270	(3)
Athenian philosophers go to Persia	273	(1)
Philoponus and the creation of the world	274	(1)
The consolation of philosophy	275	(3)
Martianus Capella on the shape of the universe	278	(1)
Macrobius on the descent of the soul	278	(3)
Persia	281	(18)
Introduction	281	(18)
The ideal Sasanian monarch	281	(3)
The Zoroastrian creed	284	(1)
The struggle of light and darkness	285	(2)
A trip to Hell and Heaven	287	(2)
Expansion of Zoroastrianism	289	(1)
Christians in Roman---Persian negotiations	289	(1)
The Persians sack Amida	290	(2)
The reforms of Khusro Anushirwan	292	(1)
Roman hostility in the later sixth century	293	(1)
Huns: a common enemy	294	(1)
Justinian breaks Persia's silk monopoly	294	(1)
The siege of Constantinople in 626	295	(1)
Heraclius triumphant	296	(1)
The Cross restored to Jerusalem	296	(3)
Germanic invaders and successor states	299	(19)
Introduction	299	(19)
Early Visigothic communities	300	(1)
Adrianople: an unexpected catastrophe in 378	300	(1)
Destruction of Visigothic draftees	301	(1)
Picking up the pieces after Adrianople	302	(1)
Improving relations with Rome	303	(1)
Settlement of the Goths in Aquitania	303	(1)
A Frankish prince	304	(1)
An Italian ambassador at the Visigothic court	305	(1)
How strange to learn German!	306	(1)
Romans deserve their fate! The interpretation of Salvian of Marseilles	307	(1)
Theodoric's wise rule in Italy	308	(1)
Tensions of acculturation	309	(1)
Care for the Roman legacy	310	(1)
Vandalism	311	(1)
Saint Severinus -- hero of a crumbling frontier	312	(1)
The end of Roman Britain	313	(1)
``Barbarian'' Law Codes	314	(1)
The rise of the Franks	315	(3)
Steppe peoples and Slavs	318	(17)
Introduction	318	(1)
Huns	318	(10)
Huns: unknown and terrible invaders	318	(2)
Attila at home	320	(3)
Attila looks west	323	(1)
Why didn't Attila sack Rome?	324	(1)
A war of images	325	(1)
The death and burial of Attila	325	(1)
Hun raiding in the Middle East	326	(1)
Huns force Romans and Persians to co-operate	327	(1)
Conversion of Huns and imperial ritual	327	(1)
Avars	328	(3)
Characteristics of Avar society	328	(1)
Avars at the Byzantine court	329	(1)
Persians and Avars attack Constantinople	330	(1)
Turks	331	(2)
An embassy to the Turks	331	(2)
Slavs	333	(2)
A glimpse of early Slavic society	333	(2)
Islam	335	(21)
Introduction	335	(1)
Arabs before Islam	335	(4)
Pre-Islamic oral poetry: a death lament	335	(1)
Warrior virtues	336	(1)
Arab allies of dangerous superpowers	337	(1)
Arabian religion before Islam	338	(1)
Mubammad and the Quran	339	(17)
God and His praise	340	(1)
God is transcendent	340	(1)
God's judgment	340	(1)
God's apostle	341	(1)
A criticism of Christianity	341	(1)
The prophetic tradition	342	(1)
God's message	342	(1)
Rewards after death	342	(1)
From oral tradition to written text	343	(1)
Muhammad's ordinance for Medina	344	(1)
The Pact of Umar	345	(1)
Rules of war	346	(1)
Substitute soldiers	346	(1)
Conquest by treaty	347	(1)
Jerusalem surrenders, 636	347	(1)
A clear choice for Jews: Arabs welcomed to Hebron	348	(1)
Christian collusion	349	(1)
The new managers	350	(1)
Mosques, symbols of imperial power	351	(1)
Arabic, the new administrative language	351	(1)
Muslims reach Ethiopia	352	(1)
Islam in Samaritan eyes	353	(1)
An early non-Muslim view of Muhammad	354	(1)
Disaster for the Romans	354	(2)
Appendix: Late Antiquity on the Web	356	(2)
Index of ancient sources	358	(6)
Index	364