Envoys and Political Communication in the Late Antique West, 411-533

Description

Warfare and dislocation are obvious features of the break-up of the late Roman West, but this crucial period of change was characterized also by communication and diplomacy. The great events of the late antique West were determined by the quieter labours of countless envoys, who travelled between emperors, kings, generals, high officials, bishops, provincial councils, and cities. This book examines the role of envoys in the period from the establishment of the first 'barbarian kingdoms' in the West, to the eve of Justinian's wars of re-conquest. It shows how ongoing practices of Roman imperial administration shaped new patterns of political interaction in the novel context of the earliest medieval states. Close analysis of sources with special interest in embassies offers insight into a variety of genres: chronicles, panegyrics, hagiographies, letters and epitaph. This study makes a significant contribution to the developing field of ancient and medieval communications. Half-title Series-title Title Copyright CONTENTS TABLES PREFACE ABBREVIATIONS SOURCES AND MODERN STUDIES Chapter 1 EMBASSIES AND POLITICAL COMMUNICATION IN THE POST-IMPERIAL WEST INTRODUCTION THE FRAMEWORK AND CONVENTIONS OF EMBASSIES IN THE CLASSICAL WORLD Classical Greece Republican and imperial Rome CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES Chapter 2 THE PROVINCIAL VIEW OF HYDATIUS HYDATIUS AND EMBASSIES PATTERNS OF CONTACT Gallaecian provincials and imperial and royal authorities Sueves and external affairs Vandal diplomacy Multiple embassies A MODEL OF POLITICAL COMMUNICATION IN THE BARBARIAN KINGDOMS Chapter 3 THE HERO AS ENVOY: SIDONIUS APOLLINARIS’ PANEGYRIC ON AVITUS THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PANEGYRIC PANEGYRIC AND PROPAGANDA THEMES AND PLOT OF THE PANEGYRIC THE PORTRAYAL OF THE ENVOY Chapter 4 THE SAINT AS ENVOY: FIFTH- AND SIXTH-CENTURY LATIN BISHOPS’ LIVES THE EMBASSY OF POPE LEO I TO ATTILA ‘THE HERO WORN OUT BY HIS LABOURS’: CONSTANTIUS, LIFE OF GERMANUS OF AUXERRE THE LIVES OF ORIENTIUS OF AUCH AND VIVIANUS OF SAINTES Orientius of Auch Vivianus of Saintes ‘AUTHOR OF CONCORD’: ENNODIUS, LIFE OF EPIPHANIUS OF PAVIA Chapter 5 CASSIODORUS AND SENARIUS DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE IN THE VARIAE OF CASSIODORUS SENARIUS, ‘CEASELESS WAYFARER OF THE WORD’ Chapter 6 NEGOTIUM AGENDUM PRESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNTS OF RECEPTIONS De ceremoniis aulae Byzantinae Pope Hormisdas, Indiculi DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNTS: PERSONNEL AND PROTOCOL Selection Accommodation and transportation Patrons, friends, and lovers Stages of reception, audience, and departure Court personnel Ceremonial Ius gentium Justinian’s wars and after New terminology Embassy narratives from Merovingian Gaul Municipal embassies in the sixth century CONCLUSION Appendix I CHRONOLOGY OF CONSTANTIUS, VITA GERMANI I GERMANUS’ EPISCOPATE AND DEATH II CONSTANTIUS’ COMPOSITION OF VITA GERMANI Appendix II CHRONOLOGY OF THE LIFE OF EPIPHANIUS OF PAVIA Appendix III SENARIUS’ LETTERS OF APPOINTMENT: CASSIODORUS, VARIAE IV, 3 AND 4 TEXT (ED. MOMMSEN) IV, 3: Senario v.i. comiti privatarum Theodericus rex IV, 4: Senatui urbis Romae Theodericus rex TRANSLATION (INCORPORATING SOME READINGS FROM FRIDH’S EDITION) IV, 3: King Theoderic to Senarius, vir inlustris, comes privatarum IV, 4: King Theoderic to the Senate of Rome Appendix IV THE TEXT OF SENARIUS’ EPITAPH NOTE ON EDITIONS, COMMENTARIES, AND TRANSLATIONS OF MAJOR SOURCES HYDATIUS SIDONIUS APOLLINARIS CONSTANTIUS, VITA GERMANI VITA ORIENTII VITA VIVIANI ENNODIUS, VITA EPIPHANI CASSIODORUS, VARIAE SENARIUS, EPITAPH BIBLIOGRAPHY SOURCES MODERN STUDIES INDEX