The Presbyters Project

VII.32.13

Orosius gives account of the campaign of the Emperor Valentinian I against the Saxons and Franks in AD 370. Then he speaks about the arrival and settlement of the tribe of the Burgundians.

quamuis prouidentia Dei Christiani omnes modo facti catholica fide nostrisque clericis, quibus oboedirent, receptis blande mansuete innocenterque uiuant, non quasi cum subiectis Gallis sed uere cum fratribus Christiani.

(ed. Zangemeister 1882: 514)

VII.32.13

Orosius gives account of the campaign of the Emperor Valentinian I against the Saxons and Franks in AD 370. Then he speaks about the arrival and settlement of the tribe of the Burgundians.

However, through the providence of God, they have recently all become Christians in the Catholic faith, received priests from us whom they obey, and live peacefully, calmly, and causing no harm to the Gauls, looking on them not as their subjects, but truly as brother Christians.

(trans. Fear 2010: 380; slightly changed)

Discussion:

We know from the chronicle of Prosper of Aquitaine that the Burgundians entered the Empire as a consequence of the usurpation of Jovinus in AD 411. The information of Orosius about the Christianization of Burgundians is quite odd, as we know for certain that in the sixth century the Burgundians were still Homoians. This section serves to enforce the idea of the civilising and uniting force of Christianity that originates in the Roman Empire and spreads to the neighbouring barbarian peoples (Fear 2010: 21–22; 380, n. 351).

Place of event:

Region

Germania (east of the Rhine)

About the source:

Author: Orosius
Title: Historia adversus paganos, History against the pagans, Seven Books of History against the Pagans
Origin: Latin North Africa
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Orosius was born most probably in Spain (maybe in Braga) and was ordained presbyter some time before 415 (Augustine calls him compresbyter in his letter 166 [604]). He left Spain at the beginning of the fifth century, probably because of the barbarian invasions, and arrived in North Africa where he met Augustine of Hippo. Then he travelled to the Holy Land where he obtained the relics of St Stephen. He wanted to transfer them to Spain but managed to get only to Minorca, where he left at least part of them (see [402]) and, in AD 416, went back to Africa. Before 418 (Orosius did not mention the death of King Vallia in this year), he completed his "History against the pagans", which, according to Orosius, was a work commissioned by Augustine. He probably he wrote it in Africa after his failed attempt to return to Spain in 416 (Fear 2010: 6-7).

Edition:

M.-P. Arnaud-Lindet ed., Orose, Histoires contre les païens, Les Belles Lettres, v. 1-3, Paris 1991-1993

K. Zangemaister, Orosius, Historia adversus paganos, Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum 5, Vienna 1882

Translation:

Orosius, Seven Books of History against the Pagans, trans. A.T. Fear, Liverpool 2010

Categories:

Described by a title - Clericus

Relation with - Barbarian

Writing activity

PR161.

Pastoral activity - Missionary work

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER951, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=951