The Presbyters Project

IX.23

Bishop Agericus of Verdun died.

Bucciovaldus quoque abba eius pro episcopatum concurrit, sed nihil obtenuit. Charimerem enim refrendarium cum consenso civium regalis decrevit auctoritas fieri sacerdotem, Bucciovaldo abbate postposito. Ferebant enim hunc esse superbum, et ob hoc a nonnullis Buccus validus vocitabatur.

(ed. Krusch 1937: 443)

IX.23

Bishop Agericus of Verdun died.

Abbot Bucciovaldus put in for the bishopric, but he had no success. After Abbot Bucciovaldus had been passed over, the Referendary (referendarius) Charimer was made priest (sacerdos) by royal decree and with the consent of the people. For they used to say that [Bucciovaldus] was a proud man; hence his nickname, buccus validus.

(trans. Thorpe 1974: 511, altered by J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

Buccus valdidus translates literally to "a strong goat". Bucco denotes a person who talks a lot and with not much sense; a chatterbox.

Judging by the place of this passus in Gregory's narrative, these events took place ca 588.

This abbot, most probably from Verdun as well, was probably a presbyter responsible for a basilica, rather than a monastic superior. More on presbyters described as abba, see Pietri 1983.

Place of event:

Region

Gaul

City

Verdun

About the source:

Author: Gregory of Tours
Title: The History of the Franks, Gregorii episcopi Turonensis historiarum libri X, Histories
Origin: Tours (Gaul)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Gregory of Tours (Gaul) wrote his ten books of Histories (known commonly in English as the History of the Franks) during his episcopal reign in Tours between 573 and 594. The books vary in scope and length. The first book covers 5,596 years from the creation of the world to AD 397, that is the death of Saint Martin of Tours, Gregory`s predecessor in bishopric. The second book deals with the history of Gaul between 397 and 511, the latter being the year of death of King Clovis I. The third and fourth books cover the next 64 years till the death of Austrasian King Sigibert II in 575. Finally, the following six books describe exclusively the sixteen years from 575 to 591. Probably in 594, Gregory added the list of bishops of Tours in the end of the Histories, with brief accounts of their actions.

Edition:

B. Krusch ed., Gregorii Episcopi Turonensis Historiarum Libri X [in:] Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptores rerum Merovingiciarum 1.1, Hannover 1884 (repr. 1951): 1-537.

Translation:

Gregory of Tours, The History of the Franks, trans. L. Thorpe, London 1974.

Bibliography:

L. Pietri, Les abbés de basilique dans la Gaule du VIe siècle, "Revue d'histoire de l'Église de France" 69 (1983), pp. 5–28.

Categories:

Described by a title - Abba

PR871.

Further ecclesiastical career - None

PR871.

Episcopal ambitions

PR871.

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1928, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1928