The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism [1911] - Get a Free Blog

NOTES THE TRANSFORMATION OF PAGANISM. 281
artes quarum haud permissa facultas. Cf. also Suet., Aug.,
81. Zachariah the Scholastic, Vie de Severe d Antioche, Ku-
gener ed. (Patrol, orientalis, II), 1903, pp. 57 ff.
82. Magic at Rome in the fifth century: Wiinsch, Sethia-
nische Vernuchungstafeln aus Rom, Leipsic, 1898 (magical
leads dated from 390 to 420) ; Revue hist. lift, relig., VIII,
1903, p. 435, and Burchardt, Die Zeit Constantin s, 2d ed., 1880,
pp. 236 ff.
VIII. THE TRANSFORMATION OF PAGANISM.
BIBLIOGRAPHY : The
history of the destruction of paganism is
a subject that has tempted many historians. Beugnot (1835),
Lasaulx (1854), Schulze (Jena, 1887-1892) have tried it with
varying success (see Wissowa, Religion der Romer, pp. 84 ff.).
But hardly any one has been interested in the reconstruction
of the theology of the last pagans, although material is not
lacking. The meritorious studies of Gaston Boissier (La fin
du Paganisme, Paris, 1891) treat especially the literary and
moral aspects of that great transformation. Allard (Julien
I Apostat, I, 1900, p. 39 ff.) has furnished a summary of the
religious evolution during the fourth century.
1. Socrates, Hist. Eccl., IV, 32.
2. It is a notable fact that astrology scarcely penetrated at
all into the rural districts (supra, ch. VII, n. 9), where the
ancient devotions maintained themselves; see the Vita S.
Eligii, Migne, P. L., XL, col. ii72f. In the same way the
cult of the menhirs in Gaul persisted in the Middle Ages ;
see d Arbois de Jubainville, Comptes Rendus Acad. Inscr.,
1906, pp. 146 ff. ; S. Reinach, Mythes, cultcs, III, 1908, pp.
365 ff-
3. Aug., Civ. Dei, IV, 21 et passim. Arnobius and Lactan-
tius had previously developed this theme.
4. On the use made of mythology during the fourth century,
cf. Burckhardt, Zeit Contantins, 2d ed., 1880, pp. 145-147; Bois
sier, La fin du paganismc, II, pp. 276 ff. and passim.