Praetextatus - Verteidiger des römischen Glaubens?: zur gesellschaftlichen (Neu-)Inszenierung römischer Religion in Macrobius' "Saturnalien"
The Christianisation of the Roman Empire in the late decades of the 4th century stopped the public celebration of traditional feasts as the Saturnalia. That’s why Macrobius, proconsul Africae in 410 and praefectus praetorio Italiae in 430, wrote his Saturnalia, describing a convivium with scholarly...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic/Print Article |
Language: | German |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
De Gruyter
2007
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In: |
Zeitschrift für antikes Christentum
Year: 2007, Volume: 11, Issue: 2, Pages: 360-377 |
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Macrobius, Ambrosius Theodosius 385-430, Saturnalia
/ Agorius Praetextatus, Marcus Vettius 320-384
/ Roman Empire
/ Religion
/ Christianity
/ Conflict
/ Geschichte 400
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RelBib Classification: | BE Greco-Roman religions KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity |
Further subjects: | B
Augustinus, Aurelius Saint (354-430) De doctrina christiana
B Paulinus, Pontius Meropius (353-431) |
Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
Rights Information: | InC 1.0 |
Summary: | The Christianisation of the Roman Empire in the late decades of the 4th century stopped the public celebration of traditional feasts as the Saturnalia. That’s why Macrobius, proconsul Africae in 410 and praefectus praetorio Italiae in 430, wrote his Saturnalia, describing a convivium with scholarly discussions and aristocratic behaviour. The feast of the Saturnalia itself is extensively discussed, and in this way, the Roman religion is the subject of long explanations. Between the fi ctive persons introduced by Macrobius the person of Euangelus is the only one who is not knowing the rules of Saturnalia and the background of the Roman religion. Perhaps the name of Euangelus is similar to “euangelium” not only by chance, but the person named Euangelus can be considered as a representative of Christianity, considered as rude and uneducated person. So, perhaps Marcobius wrote his Saturnalia supporting the ideas of a pagan and noble culture which is superior to the new Christian culture. In this way, the Saturnalia are probably a kind of pagan “counter-concept” discussing several subjects claimed by Christian theology as strong evidence for the superiority of Christianity. |
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ISSN: | 0949-9571 |
Contains: | In: Zeitschrift für antikes Christentum
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.15496/publikation-76019 HDL: 10900/134668 |