Galla Placidia Research Articles

Flavius Constantius, Galla Placidia, and the Aquitanian Settlement of the Goths

Flavius Constantius, Galla Placidia, and the Aquitanian Settlement of the Goths

Xenophon the Socratic Prince: The Argument of the Anabasis of Cyrus by Eric Buzzetti

BOOK REVIEWS 379 Salisbury uses Galla Placidia as a focal point to explore the massive political, religious, and cultural shift that the Roman Empire underwent during this transitional period in Rome’s history. The result is a prosopological history of the Roman Empire from the time of Theodosius to the fall of the Western Empire with a strong emphasis on the development of church doctrine as it affected Late Antique law and culture. The language of the book lacks the precise diction of high scholarship, but the resulting exoteric text is pleasantly accessible. It makes this book an ideal text to supplement the standard Peter Brown textbooks for an undergraduate class on the Late Antique, especially one with a women’s studies emphasis. KRISHNI BURNS University of Akron, kburns1@uakron.edu * * * * * Xenophon the Socratic Prince: The Argument of the Anabasis of Cyrus. By ERIC BUZZETTI. New York: Pallgrave Macmillan, 2014. Pp. xviii + 337. Hardcover, $110.00. ISBN 978-1-137-33330-8. In this book Eric Buzzetti proposes a Straussian reading of Xenophon’s Anabasis. Followinga line of approach familiar from Christopher Nadon’s interpretation of the Cyropaedia,14 Buzzetti argues that the Anabasis reflects a critique of the political life. But he goes even further than Nadon by suggesting that this work ultimately invites its readers to consider the philosophical life of Socrates as an alternative to politics. Buzzetti sees the Anabasis as a philosophical logos and an introduction to philosophyin the form of awar memoir (1–7; 295–300). The book is divided into seven chapters (devoted respectively to the seven books of the Anabasis) and is structured around three models of leaders: the Godlike king (represented by Cyrus the Younger, chapter 1); the Pious King (represented by the Spartan general Klearchos, chapter 2); and the Socratic King (represented by Xenophon the character, chapters 3–7). It also contains three 14 Christopher Nadon, Xenophon. The Socratic Prince, Berkeley, 2001. 380 BOOK REVIEWS appendices and a short bibliography (121–126). Buzzetti’s main assertion, which he unfolds in a linear analysis (often intermingled with too much paraphrasing) throughout his book, is that Cyrus, Klearchos, and Xenophon endeavor but fail to reconcile the noble with the good, or, more specifically, morality with advantage . Consequently, according to Buzzetti, readers who will perceive this failurewill be led to consider “the success embodied bySocrates” (299). Buzzetti offers numerous interesting analyses: he views Cyrus’ death as a “cautionary tale” against his recklessness (68–72) and he offers a nuanced analysis of the obituaries of the Greek generals (104–108). He rightly stresses the occasional blurring of boundaries between Greeks and barbarians (152, 222), he underlines the problems posed by the greediness and lack of order of the soldiers (188) and he illuminates the complexity of motives that underlies Xenophon’s decision to found a colony in Asia (211–217). Buzzetti also presents subtle analyses of the speeches of Greek leaders (especially of Klearchos, and Xenophon, 96–103, 132–137, 277–289). Τhe main problem posed by this study is methodological. Buzzetti follows and expands on the methodological principles set by Leo Strauss.15 Like Strauss, he treats Xenophon asa philosopher who insinuates “the truth” between the lines (the title of the Anabasis is also interpreted “philosophically”, as an “ascent” to the noble, to leadership, an interpretation, however, not corroborated by the text itself). This esoteric writing is justified by fear of persecution (Buzzetti goes so far as to compare ancient Athens with “the contemporary Islamic world”, 8). However , this idea would have made sense only if Buzzetti could prove that this work was written soon after Xenophon left Athens (around 401 BCE); fear of persecution would have seemed then perhaps a plausible political stance. But the evidence about the date of composition does not point towards this direction.16 Furthermore, Buzzetti’s contention about the Anabasis being pervaded by a tension between philosophy and politics (113, 201, 228, 299) and his conception of Socrates as an advocate of the “philosophical life” disregards the fact that the Xenophontic Socrates is a political figure par excellence who embodies a peculiar combination of philosophy with politics, rather than a disjunction 15 The starting point for Buzzetti’s...

Flavius constantius and affairs in Gaul between 411 and 417

In the second decade of the fifth century Flavius Constantius was the leading figure in the western Roman empire. After besieging Arles in 411 and defeating the usurper Constantine III, in 417 he married Galla Placidia, the half-sister to Honorius, emperor in the West from 395 to 423. This paper is interested in the years between those two events. David Frye has argued that Constantius maintained a strong interest in political and ecclesiastical appointments there during these years. The argument advanced here is that although Constantius was responsible for installing Patroclus as bishop of Arles, this was not on his own initiative. Further, Constantius was not in Gaul continuously and that when he was there he was too engaged in dealing with the Goths in Narbonne, who held Galla Placidia hostage, to take much interest in the creation of an episcopate in Gaul more sympathetic to him and the imperial regime than there had been under Constantine III. Although he had the opportunity to replace church leaders as he did with civic leaders, he did not do so.

Memorije križnoga tlocrta na tlu Istre i Dalmacije

Autor raspravlja o kršćanskim memorijama križnoga tlocrta nastalima u vremenu od kasne antike do romanike na tlu Istre i Dalmacije. Bavi se pitanjem trajanja forme i funkcije koju dobro ocrtava primjer tzv. mauzoleja Galle Placidije u Ravenni. Kompaktnu skupinu sličnih građevina čine bizantske memorije na jugu Istre, u Puli: krstionica, dvije kapele uz baziliku sv. Marije Formoze, te crkva sv. Mateja pred zidinama i Sv. Katarine na otočiću ispred Pule. Donekle su problematični oblik i vrijeme nastanka kapele sv. Andrije na otičiću ispred Rovinja. Srodne crkvice Sv. Klementa na Vrhu pred Pulom i sv. Tome nedaleko Rovinja upućuju na kontinuitet tog arhitektonskog tipa i tokom ranoga srednjeg vijeka u pulskoj regiji. Skupina sličnih građevina u Dalmaciji nema takvu kompaktnost. Krstionica u Baškoj na otoku Krku znatno je manja od crkve sv. Martina na Cresu, a jedna i druga različite su od trikonhalne nutrine u kapeli sv. Ciprijana u Gatima, te njene, vjerojatno nišama, raščlanjene vanjštine. S druge strane upravo su jednake dvije ranosrednjovjekovne kapele: sv. Vid u Zadru i sv. Križ u Ninu. One obnavljaju predloške ranokršćanskih križnih memorija. Indikativna je srodnost njihovih kupola s nekim primjerima iz bizantske arhitekture 10. i 11. stoljeća. Romanička kapela Sv. Dunata pored Kornića na otoku Krku ima neobično rješenje s oblim apsidama u poprečnoj osi prostora. Bogomolja nepoznatog titulara na Crkvini pored Kašića, nedaleko Zadra, srodna je drevnome tipu memorije s tri apside grupirane na začelnoj strani. Unatoć pojedinim razlikama ipak sve memorije i obje njihove skupine povezuje slična križna forma i funerarna funkcija te kontinuitet samog oblika i njegove namjene na tlu Istre i Dalmacije u vremenu od kasne antike do romanike. Zamjetan je također utjecaj bizantskih sredina na oblikovanje takvih memorija u kulturnom krajoliku Jadrana.

LA LUZ DIBUJADA EN BIZANCIO

In Byzantine Art, the light, image and symbol of the divine, condenses a long heritage of diverse religious and philosophical influences. Thus, following the Neoplatonic tradition, byzantine temples were considered authentic sources of Light, paths that led to the divinity. In order to achieve that, musive artisans developed and perfected their techniques to obtain some varied and complex light effects, such as can be seen in the mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna, where mosaics interact with the spatial structure of the temple, favouring a transcendent experience for the visitor.

San Lorenzo and the Poggendorff Illusion in Ravenna

In the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia (Ravenna, Italy), the San Lorenzo lunette shows two peculiar visual effects: a transparency effect of gold seen through gold and perceptual collinearity between two parts of a cross which are physically misaligned. Both effects are found within the area of the halo surrounding the saint's head. In this work we addressed the problem posed by the physical misalignment of the cross. Our hypothesis is that the physical misalignment went unnoticed throughout history because the artist produced a perceptual alignment to correct for the Poggendorff illusion. Hence, we asked observers to align two ends of a cross in a reproduction showing the silhouette of San Lorenzo's torso holding the cross. Results support our hypothesis: both direction and magnitude of adjustments comply with the alignment in the original mosaic.

Un unicum nel Codice Teodosiano: il venerabilis papa di XVI, 5, 62

CTh. 16, 5, 62 is a shorter version of a law, addressed to the prafectus Urbis Romae, of a much longer one addressed by Aquileia, in the summer of the year 425, to the praefectus praetorio Galliarum: the Sirmondiana 6; within this, but not in the text of the previous more extensive document, one can find the only reference to the ‘papa’ — affectionate naming of the Roman bishop — in the Codex Theodosianus. The reasons of the use of such a title, never investigated by the scholars, appear to be dictated by the effort of the very young Valentinian III (in reality by his mother Galla Placidia) of obtaining, as soon as back from his exile in Orient but not yet in Rome, the political benevolentia of the Peter’s successor.

The gradus descensionis in the presbytery of St Lawrence’s Cathedral in Trogir

During the conservation treatment of the ciborium and while the high altar in St Lawrence’s Cathedral in Trogir was being put in order, in the north, a squarish opening was found from which there is a vertical drop to some steps. A flight of five steps leads to a narrow corridor that angles off like a labyrinth below the altar of the cathedral. This installation must have belonged to an Early Christian church, and derived its shape from the pattern of the original tombs of the Roman martyrs, to which underground passages led. The Early Christian church under the auspices of which the Romanesque church in Trogir was built during the time of peace that prevailed in the province in the first part of the fifth century, when the ecclesiastical centre of Salona and churches throughout the metropolitan see were renewed. The relics of St Lawrence were probably deposited in the Trogir confessio at the time of the great renovator of the churches in Dalmatia, Hesychius, bishop of Salona, and after the triumphant campaign of the Augusta, Galla Placidia, who re-established the continuity of the Theodosian dynasty in Ravenna.

Salona at the Time of Bishop Hesychius

At the time of the peace that occurred during the time of Bishop Hesychius, a very important and well known figure of the 5th century, it was not only the Episcopal complex and some of the cemetery complexes, that were renewed ; the total reconstruction of the walls and towers also took place, as witnessed to by the inscriptions placed on the city gates, Porta Andetria and Porta suburbia. Their general renovation was carried out during the time of Theodosius II and Valentinian III, who, together with his mother, Galla Placidia, was there in Salona. Probably after their visit , major resources were granted for the renovation of the town, especially for the protection of the citizens.

Una predicazione alla presenza dei principi: la Chiesa di Ravenna nella prima metà del sec. V

In the corpus of homilies ascribed to Peter Chrysologos are to be found sermons which imply, unusually, that the emperors were present, or which refer to their power and authority in a direct and explicit manner. The present study deals with this very particular group of homilies. The analysis of the texts is prefaced by an examination of the policy of the Theodosian emperors in dealing with the Church of Ravenna. 1. The prudent politics of Honorius vis à vis the Church of Ravenna The fact that the Church of Ravenna came under the suburbicarian diocese, directly dependent on Rome, had an extensive influence on the ecclesiatical policy of the emperors of the Theodosian house in their dealings with the church of their last capital in the West. The Church developed in its own way, only partly similar to that of the other western cities which became imperial residences. Its history in the first half of the fifth century reflects the difficult and gradual balance developed by the various rulers between their wish to intervene and exert control in religious controversies, and the opportunity to support the ever stronger aspirations of the Church of Rome to expand its authority over areas not directly under its control. These background tensions help to explain the careful policy of Honorius in dealing with the Church of Ravenna. 2 The return of the legitimate emperors to Ravenna Tradition associates late antique imperial Ravenna with the splendour of the rule of Galla Placidia. This simplifed view reflects the atmosphere of renewal when the Theodosian house regained power after the brief interruption by the usurpation of John, which found an appropriate space for expression in the imperial city of residence. The Basilica of St. John the Evangelist which the Augusta had constructed in Ravenna served, in this respect, as a political manifesto, since the rulers expressed through its mosaics and its inscriptions the political and religious framework of their power. The episcopate of Ravenna, for its part, did not fail to benefit from the new situation. A joint imperial and papal decree sanctioned the elevation of the Church of Ravenna to metropolitan status. It was not in fact freed from Roman jurisdiction, but this link did not undermine the new metropolitan powers, which enabled Ravenna to become in every sense an ecclesiastical metropolis. Part II (to appear in the next volume) will consider the homilies which Peter Chrysologos delivered in the presence of the emperors.

Pia Felix

Summary. - Seven princesses, three in the third century (Julia Domna, Salonina, Severina) and four in the fifth (Galla Placidia, Licinia Eudoxia, Justa Grata Honoria, Euphemia), sometimes inserted the letters PF, for Pia Felix, in their numismatic titles. The circumstances and reasons for this unusual coinage are discussed.

New Light on the So-Called Saint Lawrence Panel at the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna

A new interpretation of the lunette mosaic facing the door at the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is proposed, one that would identify the running figure as St. Vincent of Saragossa rather than St. Lawrence, the usual choice. It is suggested that all the images of the lunette can be understood both individually and in relationship to each other in terms of Vincent's passion, as described by Prudentius in his Peristephanon. In support of this suggestion, evidence for the widespread popularity of Vincent's cult across the Roman world, including Italy, in the fifth century is presented, and possible links with the life of the empress Galla Placidia are examined.

The Side Chambers of San Giovanni Evangelista in Ravenna: Church Libraries of the Fifth Century

The small chambers symmetrically flanking the main apse of the early fifth-century church of San Giovanni Evangelista in Ravenna, built under the patronage of the empress Galla Placidia of the Theodosian dynasty, are architecturally designed to function as libraries and possibly scriptoria. Contrary to true pastophoria, as they are often called, they are not intimately connected with the performance of the eucharistic liturgy. They follow the Roman architectural tradition of libraries as twin structures (one for Greek works and one for Latin), symmetrically arranged around an exedra/apse or open room for reading and debate, and supplied with numerous rectangular niches for manuscript storage. Furthermore, archeological evidence supports the presence of a hypocaust in the northern chamber, a necessary provision in marshy Ravenna to keep the humidity out of the walls in order to better preserve the manuscripts.

CRACKS IN LEHMANN'S "DOME OF HEAVEN"

Previous articleNext article No AccessCRACKS IN LEHMANN'S "DOME OF HEAVEN"Thomas F. MathewsThomas F. Mathews Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Source Volume 1, Number 3Spring 1982 Sponsored by the Bard Graduate Center, New York Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/sou.1.3.23207826 Views: 11Total views on this site Citations: 6Citations are reported from Crossref © 1982 Ars Brevis, Inc.PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Nicola Camerlenghi The Millennial Gap in Dome Construction in Rome, Gesta 58, no.22 (Oct 2019): 103–135.https://doi.org/10.1086/704636Chiara Croci, Vladimir Ivanovici Avant-Propos, Études de lettres , no.22 (May 2018): 7–16.https://doi.org/10.4000/edl.1131Chiara Croci, Vladimir Ivanovici Introduction, Études de lettres , no.22 (May 2018): 7–16.https://doi.org/10.4000/edl.1134Ellen Swift, Anne Alwis The role of late antique art in early Christian worship: a reconsideration of the iconography of the ‘starry sky’ in the ‘Mausoleum’ of Galla Placidia, Papers of the British School at Rome 78 (Jun 2011): 193–217.https://doi.org/10.1017/S0068246200000866 Robert Ousterhout Temporal Structuring in the Chora Parekklesion, Gesta 34, no.11 (Oct 2015): 63–76.https://doi.org/10.2307/767125 III. ABTEILUNG, Byzantinische Zeitschrift 77, no.11 (Jan 1984).https://doi.org/10.1515/byzs.1984.77.1.82

Galla Placidia and the Law

Galla Placidia and the Law

Some Problems in the History of Galla Placidia

Some Problems in the History of Galla Placidia

FROM THE TOMB OF GALLA PLACIDIA

Critical QuarterlyVolume 1, Issue 4 p. 328-328 FROM THE TOMB OF GALLA PLACIDIA Allen Grossman, Allen GrossmanSearch for more papers by this author Allen Grossman, Allen GrossmanSearch for more papers by this author First published: December 1959 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8705.1959.tb01599.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume1, Issue4December 1959Pages 328-328 RelatedInformation