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Imperial Authority and the Providence of Monotheism in Orosius's Historiae Adversus Paganos

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Imperial Authority and the Providence of Monotheism in Orosius's Historiae Adversus Paganos Imperial Authority and the Providence of Monotheism in Orosius’s Historiae adversus paganos Victoria Leonard B.A. (Cardiff); M.A. (Cardiff) A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy School of History, Archaeology, and Religion Cardiff University August 2014 ii Declaration This work has not been submitted in substance for any other degree or award at this or any other university or place of learning, nor is being submitted concurrently in candidature for any degree or other award. Signed ………………………………… (candidate) Date ……………………… STATEMENT 1 This thesis is being submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of PhD. Signed ………………………………… (candidate) Date ……………………… STATEMENT 2 This thesis is the result of my own independent work/investigation, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by explicit references. The views expressed are my own. Signed ………………………………… (candidate) Date ……………………… STATEMENT 3 I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter-library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organisations. Signed ………………………………… (candidate) Date………………………… STATEMENT 4: PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BAR ON ACCESS I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter-library loans after expiry of a bar on access previously approved by the Academic Standards & Quality Committee. Signed ………………………………… (candidate) Date………………………… iii Cover Illustration An image of an initial 'P' with a man, thought to be Orosius, holding a book. Acanthus leaves extend into the margins. On the same original manuscript page (f. 7) there is an image of a roundel enclosing arms in the lower margin. Taken from the British Library's Collection of illuminated manuscripts, Harley 2765. The manuscript dates from the first quarter of the fifteenth century, perhaps from Italy. The manuscript is in Latin with a Gothic script. The scribes are thought to be multiple. Besides Orosius's Historiae, within the same manuscript are also contained Florus's Epitome, the Periochae based on Livy, letters of Caesar, and an oration by Zenobius of Florence. See www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts iv Acknowledgements This doctoral thesis was supported financially by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Brenda Deen Schildgen, Peter Van Nuffelen, and Celia Schultz all generously sent me their illuminating work before publication. With the support of the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the School of History, Archaeology and Religion at Cardiff University, I was able to present my work at the North American Patristics Society Annual Meeting in Chicago and attend a German language course in München in the summer of 2012. Alf, Ursul, and Phil Hunger were warm and welcoming hosts in Augsburg. The Society of Roman Studies generously supported my attendance at the Postgraduate Latin Summer School at the University of Reading in 2011. Thanks to Laurence Totelin, Guy Bradley and Max Deeg for the opportunity to present my work in a familiar setting, and to Neil McLynn and Brian Ward-Perkins for a warm reception in Oxford. To Suzanne Hathaway, Vicky Stallard and Helen Price Saunders at Cardiff's Arts and Social Studies Library for their leniency and generosity in often making an exception. Responsiblity for the realisation of the project goes to the unfailing support, generosity and kindness of numerous people. First thanks go to my parents for their strength and enthusiasm over many years. I owe a personal as well as an intellectual debt to my principal supervisor, Nic Baker-Brian, who originally conceived the project (‘What about Orosius?’) and accompanied the venture from the start. He saw my enthusiasm at an early stage and helped it to grow, investing hours of conversation about late antique religion, and ancient Greek lessons. His inspiration and encouragement were invaluable. To my second supervisor Josef Lössl, again for his generosity of time and the many inspiring conversations, as well as the positive reception of my work. To Naomi Appleton, a fantastic role model and mentor who gave abidingly sensible advice. To Simon, for his unbending faith in me, his support, and his spirited scrupulousness. To Alice, on our shared journey beyond the egg; long may it continue. And to Katie who inspired me with her work ethic and unceasing professionalism. v Summary This doctoral thesis concentrates exclusively on the Historiae adversus paganos, an apologetic history in seven books written by the presbyter Paulus Orosius in the early fifth century AD. This thesis is ultimately an exposition of Orosius's philosophy of history, within which the themes of divine providence, monotheism, and imperial authority are central. This thesis has endeavoured to establish what the Historiae is in terms of content, purpose, and genre, a more complex task than this simple statement suggests. At every stage of analysis this research has worked to uncover the ideology and apologetic underlying Orosius’s historical narrative, in particular the significance behind Orosius’s stylistic habit of rhetorical comparison. This thesis consists of six chapters, unified in methodology but encompassing a broad diversity of subject matter. Chapter One examines the constructed text and its genre, as well as issues of opponent, audience and self-representation. Chapter Two provides a philosophical and technical treatment of time. Chapters Three and Four explore the representations of monotheism and imperial authority in the emperors Augustus and Theodosius. Chapter Five is concerned with Orosius’s representation of warfare, and Chapter Six considers the retributive and redemptive aspect of the sack of Rome. vi Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 0.1 What is the Historiae? ................................................................................. 1 0.2 The Historical Figure of Orosius .................................................................. 3 0.3 Reception: Ancient to Modern ..................................................................... 5 0.4 Augustine and Orosius Compared ................................................................ 6 0.5 Understanding Critical Neglect .................................................................... 7 0.6 Orosius’s Legacy ......................................................................................... 8 0.7 The Orosian Renaissance ........................................................................... 10 0.8 Existing Criticism and Current Research.................................................... 12 0.9 Introducing the Thesis ............................................................................... 13 0.10 Thesis: Reasoning and Objective ............................................................. 16 0.11 Methodological Considerations ................................................................ 19 0.12 Terminology ............................................................................................ 20 1. Orosius as a Writer of History ......................................................................... 22 1.1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................ 22 1.1.2 What is the Text? .................................................................................... 23 1.1.3 Genre, Critical Approaches, and the Historiae ........................................ 24 1.1.4 Title and Genre ....................................................................................... 25 1.1.5 Titles in Antiquity ................................................................................... 26 1.1.6 Titles in the Modern Era - Historia, Historiae, or Historiarum? .............. 27 1.1.7 Critical References to the Historiae ........................................................ 29 1.1.8 The Text According to Orosius ............................................................... 30 1.1.9 History and the Historiae: Self-references in the Text ............................. 32 1.2.1 Alternative Genres .................................................................................. 35 1.2.2 Brevitas and Breviaria ............................................................................ 36 1.2.2.1 Narration and Effusion in the Historiae ............................................ 40 1.2.3 Dating and Genre .................................................................................... 42 1.2.3.1 A Concern with Chronology ............................................................ 44 1.2.3.2 Dating and Divergence ..................................................................... 45 1.2.4 The Epitomising Purpose of the Historiae ............................................... 48 1.2.5 Audience and the Historiae ..................................................................... 50 1.2.5.1 Purpose and Audience ...................................................................... 51 1.2.5.2 Orosius's Reader .............................................................................. 52 1.2.5.3 A Point of Disjuncture: Reader and Addressee ................................. 53 1.2.5.4 Potential Readerships: Pagans and Christians ................................... 54 1.2.5.5 The Universal Reader......................................................................
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