Emperors and Bishops in Late Roman InvectiveThis innovative study illuminates the role of polemical literature in the political life of the Roman empire by examining the earliest surviving invectives directed against a living emperor. Written by three bishops (Athanasius of Alexandria, Hilary of Poitiers, Lucifer of Cagliari), these texts attacked Constantius II (337-61) for his vicious and tyrannical behaviour, as well as his heretical religious beliefs. This book explores the strategies employed by these authors to present themselves as fearless champions of liberty and guardians of faith, as they sought to bolster their authority at a time when they were out of step with the prevailing imperial view of Christian orthodoxy. Furthermore, by analysing this unique collection of writings alongside late antique panegyrics and ceremonial, it also rehabilitates anti-imperial polemic as a serious political activity and explores the ways in which it functioned within the complex web of presentations and perceptions that underpinned late Roman power relationships. |
Contents
The use of abuse | 1 |
Praise and blame in the Roman world | 33 |
Constructing a Christian tyrant | 78 |
Writing autohagiography | 127 |
Living up to the past | 178 |
Epilogue | 220 |
Altercatio Heracliani cum Germinio | 230 |
Epistula Liberii papae ad Eusebium | 238 |
Hilary of Poitiers Contra Auxentium | 252 |
| 261 | |
| 284 | |
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Common terms and phrases
actions aduentus Alexandria Altercatio Heracliani Antichrist Apostle argued Arians Arius Athanasius Athanasius of Alexandria attacks audience authoritative authors Auxentius Averil Cameron Barnes biblical century Christ Christian Church Cicero claimed classical confessors Const Constantius Constantius II Council created Cyprian D. H. Williams death described discussed divine Donatists earlier ecclesiastical emperor empire employed enemies Eusebius of Caesarea Eusebius of Vercelli exempla exile faith Father fourth-century Germinius Gwynn Heraclianus heresy heretical Hilary and Lucifer Hilary of Poitiers Hilary's Hist holy imitator imperial impious invective Laconi Lactantius late-antique letter Libanius literary Lord Lucifer's martyrdom Maximian Milan Moriundum narrative Nicaea Nicene opponents orator orthodox pagan panegyric Panegyrici Latini parrhesia passage persecution persecutors piety polemical praise presented pro-Nicene proclaimed Prog progymnasmata R. P. C. Hanson re-enactment recognisable religious rhetorical role Roman ruler Scripture Simonetti speech Synesius synkrisis texts theological three bishops tion traditional tyrant Valens virtues words