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the north-western provinces 511
predecessor Bennadius, 101 is a remarkable document of the continuation
of senatorial landholding in the north. 102
It is, in fact, impossible to generalize over the question of continuity and
discontinuity in Gallia and Germania: even within Noricum Ripense the
fate of individual towns, as described by Eugippius, varied. At Lauriacum
(Lorch) religious life lasted beyond the days of Severinus, 103 and the case
for continuity is yet stronger further west in Augsburg, 104 and stronger still
at Chur in Rhaetia. 105 Britannia, too, presents a remarkably mixed picture.
The sheer variety is perhaps clearest in south and west Wales, where the
newly created Irish kingdom of Demetia bordered the more Romanized
south, with its renowned monastic centre of Llanilltud Fawr (Llantwit
Major), which appears to have been a significant centre of Latin education
into the sixth century. 106
In other places of the north-west for which we have anything like a detailed
narrative, the sources highlight the ecclesiastical management of social crisis,
rather than any governmental continuity, at least during the period of barbarian
migration and of the establishment of the successor states. This is apparent
as far south as the Rhône valley, where Patiens, bishop of Lyons – himself
the dedicatee of Constantius’ Vita Germani – supervised the distribution of
corn. 107 At Orleans Anianus was supposedly responsible for the ransoming
of prisoners, 108 as well as the organization of the city’s defences against
Attila. 109 He was regarded as a plausible subject for Sidonius’ literary skills. 110
Lupus of Troyes was likewise credited with saving his flock from the ravages
of Attila’s Huns, and he did so, interestingly enough, by instructing them to
reoccupy a hill-fort outside the city 111 – a policy which might be compared
with the use of Fluchtburgen in Noricum 112 and the revival of hill-forts in sub-
Roman Britain. In part, the activity of bishops such as Patiens of Lyons,
Lupus of Troyes or – slightly later and further south – Caesarius of Arles 113
may reflect the very real powers they had been given since 312. 114 Yet the
sources do not confine their comments on such social leadership to bishops.
Severinus was apparently offered a bishopric, 115 but his actions were those of
a charismatic leader. As such, he organized the management of corn distribution
at Favianis until more supplies arrived from Rhaetia, 116 he arranged
101 Flodoard, Hist. Eccles. Remensis i.9, ed. J. Heller and G. Waitz, MGH, Scriptores xiii (Hanover 1881);
Harries (1994) 218–19.
102 Testamentum Remigii, ed. B. Krusch, MGH, SRM 3,pp.336–47; Wood, Merovingian Kingdoms 211–12.
103 Wolfram (1987) 57. 104 Wolfram (1987) 115–17. 105 Wolfram (1987) 113–15.
106 Vita Samsonis 7–20, ed. R. Fawtier, La Vie de saint Samson: Essai de critique hagiographique,
Bibliothèque de l’École des Hautes Études 197 (Paris 1912). 107 Sid. Ap. Ep. 6.12.5.
108 Vita Aniani 3, ed. B. Krusch MGH, SRM 3 (Hanover 1896); for a possible early date for the life,
see Griffe (1964–6) ii.54–5. 109 Vita Aniani 4. 110 Sid. Ap. Ep. 8.15.2.
111 Vita Lupi 6, ed. B. Krusch, MGH, SRM 3; for an early date for the Vita Lupi, see Ewig (1978).
112 Eugippius, Vita Severini 25.3; 30.1. 113 Vita Caesarii, ed. B. Krusch, MGH, SRM 3.
114 Heinzelmann (1976); Scheibelreiter (1983). 115 Eugippius, Vita Severini 9.4.
116 Eugippius, Vita Severini 3.
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