Abstract
Primo paganus, a commentary on the rites of baptism, is the most copied and cited treatise on baptism during the ninth century. With careful attention both to internal evidence and to manuscript transmission, this article makes a case that Alcuin of York, a principle architect of the Carolingian Renewal, did not just transmit this important commentary, but composed it. The attribution of this text to Alcuin yields two insights into the Carolingian Renewal. First, Primo paganus provides a striking example of how vigorous copying and editing of texts may obscure authorship. Second, identifying Alcuin as the source of Primo paganus reveals a centralized and carefully managed Carolingian approach to baptism, a key component of ecclesiastical reform in the ninth century.
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