Solomon the Builder: The Testament of Solomon within Byzantine Imperial and Apocalyptic Culture

Abstract

The Testament of Solomon appears frequently in discussions of ancient magic and ritual, with few investigations of its place within the social and cultural histories of Late Antiquity and beyond. Analyses of the Testament's textual history have occasionally stressed the priority of one or another medieval manuscript for the redaction in stages of the complete Testament. This article explores the traditions of Solomon's authority relative to the activities of Byzantine emperors as a background to the development of specific Testament units. In particular, it argues that the erection of the "air-column" by Solomon and the demons (chapter 22 of McCown's edition) registers the architectural motifs associated with the construction of Byzantine monuments generally, and the apocalyptic legends surrounding Constantine's porphyry column in particular. In doing so, this article demonstrates the utility and necessity of assessing the redaction of individual units across manuscripts prior to their assemblage into a full Testament in medieval manuscripts. It concludes by recommending new approaches to Solomon's role as a ritual expert in the Testament in light of its engagement with Byzantine imperial and apocalyptic culture.