De episcopis Hispaniarum: agents of continuity in the long fifth century accompagné de la ...

240 Pages·2016·5.1 MB·English

Université de Montréal

De episcopis Hispaniarum: agents of continuity in the long fifth century
accompagné
de la prosopogaphie des évêques ibériques de 400–500 apr. J.-C., tirée de Purificación Ubric
Rabaneda, “La Iglesia y los estados barbaros en la Hispania del siglo V (409–507), traduite

par
Fabian D. Zuk

Département d’Histoire
Faculté des Arts et Sciences

Thèse présentée à la Faculté des études supérieures
en vue de l’obtention du grade Maître ès Arts (M.A.) en histoire

août 2015

© Fabian D. Zuk, 2015.
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Université de Montréal
Faculté des etudes supérieures

Ce mémoire intitule:

De episcopis Hispaniarum: agents of continuity in the long fifth century

présenté par

Fabian D. Zuk

A été évalué par un jury composé des personnes suivantes :

Philippe Genequand, president–rapporteur
Christian R. Raschle, directeur de recherche
Gordon Blennemann, membre du jury
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In loving memory
в пам'ять про бабусю
of
Ruby Zuk
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Résumé / Summary p. v

A Note on Terminology p. vi

Acknowledgements p. vii

List of Figures p. ix

Frequent Abbreviations p. x

CHAPTER I : Introduction p. 1

CHAPTER II : Historical Context p. 23
CHAPTER III : The Origins of the Bishops p. 36
CHAPTER IV : Bishops as Spiritual Leaders p. 51
CHAPTER V : Bishops in the Secular Realm p. 64
CHAPTER VI : Regional Variation p. 89
CHAPTER VII : Bishops in the Face of Invasion : Conflict and Contenders p. 119
CHAPTER VIII : Retention of Romanitas p. 147
Annexe I: Prosopography of the Iberian bishops 400–500 A.D. p. 161

Annexe II: Hydatius : An Exceptional Bishop at the End of the Earth p. 185

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sources p. 193

Works Cited p. 205
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Résumé :
En année 408 après J.-C., l’Espagne, malgré sa position péninsulaire à la fin de l’Europe, était
intégrée à une culture pan-Méditerranéenne qui s’étendait du Portugal jusqu’à la Syrie. Trois décennies
n’étaient pas encore passées depuis l’instauration du Christianisme comme religion de l’état romain et
l’Eglise Catholique était en pleine croissance. L’année suivante, l’Espagne entra sur une voie de
transformation irrémédiable alors que les païens, avec leurs langues barbares Germaniques franchirent les
Pyrénées portant la guerre et la misère aux Hispano-Romains et fondant leurs royaumes là où auparavant
gouvernait l’état romain.
Dans le désarroi du Ve siècle, les évêques Catholiques luttèrent pour imposer leur dominance dans
les communautés et dans les cœurs des pieux. À la lumière des progrès dans l’archéologie et la qualité des
éditions critiques de nos sources littéraires est venu le moment d’identifier les évêques ibériques avec une
attention aux conditions régionales.
Ce mémoire caractérise les évêques de l’Espagne et du Portugal et démontre les épreuves
auxquelles ils firent face comme intermédiaires entre indigènes et envahisseurs, comme évangélistes parmi
les païens, persécuteurs des apostates et gardiens de la romanitas à la fin du monde Antique.
Mots-clefs : Évêques, Ve siècle, Espagne, Antiquité Tardive, Hispania, Accommodement religieux,
Chrétienté

Summary:
In Anno Domini 408, Spain, despite its peninsular location at the ends of Europe, was part of a pan-
Mediterranean culture which spread from Portugal to Syria. Christianity had been adopted a mere 28 years
prior and the Catholic Church was growing across the Roman world. The following year, Spain entered on
a course of irreversible transformation as pagan Germanic speaking 'barbarians' crossed the Pyrenees
bringing war and strife to the Hispano-Romans and establishing new kingdoms where the Roman state had
once governed.
In the turmoil of the fifth century, Catholic bishops laboured to assert their dominance over their
communities and over the hearts of their flock. In light of advances in archaeology and quality critical
editions of the literary sources, the time has come to identify the traits of the Iberian bishops with attention
to regional variation.
This thesis characterises the bishops of Spain and Portugal and demonstrates the challenges they
faced as intermediaries between natives and newcomers, as proselytizers of pagans, persecutors of heretics
and retainers of romanitas at the end of the Antique world.
Keyword: Bishops, Fifth-century, Spain, Late-Antiquity, Hispania, Religious accommodation, Christianity
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A note on terminology
Among the principal challenges in the writing of this thesis was the consistency in the names of places and
people. For one modern place names do not always map up with the ancient ones, either having phonetically
evolved in pronunciation susch as VALENTIA > Valencía or being replaced by an entirely distinct name
such as the case of ELVIRA > Granada. Other authors may prefer the modern name for clarity. This however
comes at the expense of precision, especially in such cases where the ancient city does not necessarily align
geographically with the modern: COMPLUTUM to Madrid and ELVIRA to Granada notably come to mind.
On this account I’ve usually preferred the Late Latin name and provided the modern name in parentheses.
One should refer to the maps on pages 22 (figure 1) and 88 (figure 5) for further clarification.
Though this investigation roughly covers the breadth of modern Spain and Portugal, I’ve preferred the term
Hispaniae to refer to the Roman provinces of the Iberian Peninsula, which itself was named after the Iberian
tribes which occupied the region before the arrival of the Romans in the third century B.C. For the purposes
of this study Iberia is synonymous of Iberian Peninsula. Likewise to diversify the text, Spanish is
occasionaly used to mean the same as Iberian, but should be read so to include Portugal and the other non-
castillian peoples of the peninsula. If we’ve favoured the plural Hispaniae it is in reference to the regional
diversity of the provinces. The singular Hispania is occasionaly used to lighten the text. Gallia should be
understood as meaning Gaul, especially its southern parts, while Italia should be read as Italy. To avoid
appearing pedantic, I refer to Roma simply as Rome throughout.
Concerning the names of individuals, national traditions have the annoying character of adopting Latin
names to their own conventions, wherby a good Roman name such as that of Pope HILARIUS is realised by
the English as Hilary, by the French as Hilaire, Hilario by the Spanish, Ilario in Italy, and occasionaly as
Hilarus by the Germans, The potential for confusion is obvious and I have striven throughout to remain
consistent in the use of terminology, therefore privileging the Latin name even when this goes in the face
of tradition. To avoid jarring the reader, Isidor of Sevilla, Martin of Tours, and Gregory of Tours have
exceptionaly been called by their more common English name.
Finally, unless otherwise specified all dates are A.D..
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REMERCIEMENTS - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The turmoiled fifth century, the setting of this memoire has been a serendipitous companion. As the fourth
century closed on a note of harmony and integration into the larger plan of the Roman empire, the fifth
century brought about rapid and devastating changes which the Hispano-Romans clawed though with grit,
faith and perseverance: a total paradigm shift and my life was no different. How could I have known this
investigation would be a beacon in rough seas and the wind to propel the creation of a distinct, more virile
and rawer existence?
As much ink as I’ve spilled on these pages, so too has this research marked me: the lines on my forehead,
the tired eyes, challenges that nearly overwhelmed me, and the inner confidence acquired by pulling success
from apparent defeat. Focus overcame distraction, curiosity overcame fear, and I wouldn’t dare list the
richness of the adventures I’ve lived these last two years. From the sickly gutters of Merida’s amphitheatre
to the heights of Constantinople’s walls, my mission took me away from my den to the precipice of
understanding.
None of this could have been without the generous support of the Canadian people through the SSHRC
Joseph-Armand Bombardier Scholarship and the subsequent funding by the peuple québecois through the
Fonds de recherche sur la société et la culture, both of which made this investigation financially tenable.
Securing these research grants was among my first challenges and I have many people to thank for their
contributions. Todd Clary, Annette Teffeteller, Charles Reiss, and Mark Hale, for your unwavering
guidance during my undergraduate studies, for sharpening my mind and giving my own skills an
environment to flourish, thank you. Pierre Bonnechere, for recognising my drive and supporting my
graduate objectives as atypical as they were, Phillipe Genequand, for bringing your critical eye to my
application, Thomas Wien and Yakov Rabkin, Lionel Sanders, Gavin Taylor, Susan Bennette, for guiding
me in your distinctive fields to enrich my academic life, thank you. Herr Christian Raschle, I came to your
programme a novice and you have been there every step of the way to assure my proper progress, from
considering my interests to nourishing the seed of this thesis and trimming its branches once it had matured.
Also for all the letters you’ve written and the precious time you’ve dedicated to my cause—vielen Danke.
To José Fernández Ubiña, for taking me on at the Universidad de Granada as an unknown Canadian
graduate student and integrating me into your networks, gracias. To Purificación Ubric Rabaneda, for
guiding me step by step through your Baetica and providing solid groundwork for the rest of my
investigation, thank you. To Pablo C. Díaz and all the graduate students of the facultad de Prehistoria,
Historia Antigua y Arqueología for facilitating my research in Spain, sharing your expertise and welcoming
me as one of your own: this investigation would be nowhere as rich or fulfilling without the resources and
experiences I accessed in Salamanca. To the very dear friends I made in that city—ja Ich meine euch, die
Deutschen—you kept me balanced when the work load grew heavy. And to all those friends back home
who enrich my life, K., F., Ph., et al. thank you for being their when my ship docks at home, often or rare
as the case may be.

And to my very large family, for your patience with this professional student: thank you. Cody, Angélique,
Danielsan, Seb, Brieanna, malgré toutes les aventures, rien ne remplace nos moments ensemble and neither
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time nor distance should fade that. Maman, je ne connais personne plus forte que toi; tu m’inspires
constamment. Dad, and Viv, I’ll never be able to express my gratitude for your guidance and your truly
unwavering support through thick and thin. Thank you for stimulating my curiosity as a child, nourishing
my strengths as they burgeoned and granting me your blessing on my departure.
The memoire written and the Ph.D underway, I look forward to the challenges and adventures of this next
stage of my career. It is my hope that the content of this thesis should act as a solid compilation of societal
and ecclesiastical conditions relating to the bishops of the Hispaniae, so that in the future we should achieve
an even clearer understanding of the great figures who oversaw the transformation of the classical world to
the Mediaeval, and that with regards to Hispania, that my own contribution should offer a deeper
perspective on the otherwise insufficiently acknowledged circumstances of that region.
Montreal, 2015
D. Fabian Zuk
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LIST OF FIGURES:

FIGURE 1: The Fall of the Western provinces p. 22
FIGURE 2: Walls of Barcino and Peripheral Cathedral p. 35
FIGURE 3: Tombs Surrounding the Tumulus of Eulalia p. 56
FIGURE 4: Pons Romanus - Mérida p. 73
FIGURE 5: Fifth Century Hispania with Places of Concern p. 88
FIGURE 6: Reconstruction of Fortified Theodosian Villa as Found at Carranque p. 103
FIGURE 7: Cruciform Basilica built within the abandoned amphitheatre at Tarraco p. 149
FIGURE 8: Attested Episcopal Sees in Fifth-Century Hispania p. 162
FIGURE 9: Principal Urban Centres and Vias in
the Iberian North West during the Roman Empire p. 187
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FREQUENT ABBREVIATIONS

CAH The Cambridge Ancient History, Cambridge (1970–2001)
CC Corpus Christanorum Series Latina, Turnhout: Brepols (1953–)
CIL Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, Berlin: Reimer/Walter de Gruyter (1863– )
Cod. Theod. C. Pharr (trans), The Theodosian Code and Novels, and the Sirmondian constitutions, Princeton,
New York (1952).
CSEL Corpus scriptorium ecclesiasticorum latinorum
HAE Hispania Antiqua Epigraphica
ICERV J. Vives, Inscripciones cristianas de la España Romana y Visigoda, Barcelona (1969)
ILS H. Dessau (ed.) Inscriptiones Latinae Selectae, Berlin: Weidmann (1892–1916)
Migne, PL Patrologiae Cursus, series Latina, Paris (1844–)
MGH Monumenta Germaniae Historica
PG J. P. Migne (ed.), Patrologia Graeca
PL J. P. Migne (ed. ), Patrolofia Latina
PLRE Jones, A. H. M.; J. R. Martindale; and J. Morris (eds.), The Prosopography of the later Roman
Empire, 3 vols., Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (1971–92)
PCBE “Prosopographie chrétienne du Bas-Empire 4- La Gaule chrétienne (314–614)