The Empire of the Tetrarchs: Imperial Pronouncements and Government, AD 284-324The era of Diocletian and Constantine is a significant period for the Roman empire, with far-reaching administrative changes that established the structure of government for three hundred years a time when the Christian church passed from persecution to imperial favour. It is also a complexperiod of co-operation and rivalry between a number of co-emperors, the result of Diocletian's experiment of government by four rulers (the tetrarchs). This book examines imperial government at this crucial but often neglected period of transition, through a study of the pronouncements that theemperors and their officials produced, drawing together material from a wide variety of sources: the law codes, Christian authors, inscriptions, and papyri. The study covers the format, composition, and promulgation of documents, and includes chronological catalogues of imperial letters and edicts,as well as extended discussions of the Gregorian and Hermogenian Codes, and the ambitious Prices Edict. Much of this has had little detailed coverage in English before. There is also a chapter that elucidates the relative powers of the members of the imperial college. Finally, Dr Corcoran assesseshow effectively the machinery of government really matched the ambitions of the emperors. The additional notes in this revised edition of the hardback contain details of recent epigraphic work and discoveries, especially from Ephesus, as well as an account of a long ignored rescript ofDiocletian. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
The Gregorian and Hermogenian Codes | 23 |
Private Rescripts | 41 |
The Palatine Secretaries | 71 |
The Recipients of Private Rescripts | 91 |
Imperial Letters | 119 |
Imperial Edicts | 166 |
The Prices Edict | 201 |
Diocletianic Ascriptions to the Hermogenian Code | 289 |
Private Rescripts of Constantine | 291 |
Imperial Letters 314324 | 293 |
Imperial Plurals | 308 |
Abstract Forms of Address | 314 |
References to the Governor in Private Rescripts | 327 |
Constitutions Attributed to Junior Rulers | 330 |
Additional Notes | 333 |
The Role of the Governor | 224 |
The Emperor in Action | 244 |
The Powers of the Lesser Tetrarchs | 256 |
Conclusion | 283 |
Diocletianic Ascriptions to the Gregorian Code | 288 |
Supplementary Bibliography | 344 |
Bibliography | 347 |
General Index | 377 |
| 388 | |
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The Empire of the Tetrarchs: Imperial Pronouncements and Government, AD 284-324 Simon Corcoran No preview available - 1996 |
Common terms and phrases
addressed Antioch Arcadius attributed Augustus Aurelius Barnes Brigetio Caesariani Caesars Charisius Christian CJ 9 codes Codex Iustinianus Coll Constantine Constantinian Constantius II constitutions consuls copies court CTh 9 decree denarii Diocletian discussed Donatist edict catalogue edict de Accusationibus edict of Milan edictum emended emperor epistula Eusebius examples FIRA˛ Galerius given Gordian III governor Greek Gregorius Hermogenian Honoré EL˛ Ibid identified imperial letters imperial pronouncements inscription issued iuris Julian jurists Justinian Lact Lactantius Latin legislation letter catalogue Libanius Licinius Liebs magister libellorum Maxentius Maximian Maximinus Milan Millar Mommsen Nicomedia Note officials Optatus original papyrus period persecution petition petitioner PLRE praeses praetorian prefect Prices Edict private rescripts proconsul proconsul of Africa provinces rationalis recipient refers reply Roman Rome Sect Seeck Senate Severus Sirmium slave subscript suggests surviving tetrarchic Theodosian tion urban prefect vicar of Africa