Religious Intolerance in the Later Roman Empire - Bad request ...

Modestus returned the next day to execute the Nicenes, but realised it would be
counter productive when his unit was overtaken by a Nicene woman desperate to
achieve martyrdom for herself and her child. Modestus returned to Valens and
persuaded him that the order should not be carried out. Modestus is also given credit
for secretly warning the Nicenes of Edessa to avoid the church in order to save their
lives. Like Ammianus, the ecclesiastical historians indicate that Modestus was able to
persuade Valens from a course of action. 227
Although at the same time the historians also accuse him of executing up to
eighty Nicene clerics in 370 on Valens’ orders, by means of a burning boat in the gulf
of Astacus. Ostensibly they were put on the boat in order to go into exile, but in
reality, so the ecclesiastical historians argue, Modestus was afraid of the popular
reaction to their execution so the whole incident was designed to look like an
accident. 228 Lenski doubts whether the accounts that the clerics were deliberately
burnt are accurate, he admits that it is impossible to discern whether there ever was a
plot, but believes it unlikely. He argues that such a plot would have done Valens no
good and in addition it may be argued that arranging such a plot would have been a
long and difficult process during which time Valens’ wrath may have abated anyway. 229
Modestus’ personal religion is difficult to determine; he may well have been an
ancient equivalent of the ‘vicar of Bray’. Libanius wrote to him when he was com es of
the east in mid 360 urging him to complete a portico attached to the temple of
Dionysius in Antioch in such a way as not to upset those who were liable to perform
such liturgies. As such he may well have been a pagan under Constantius, or at least
sympathetic to paganism. However, Libanius’ letter gives no hint that he and
Modestus may share the same religion, and indeed the portico may not have been a
226 Lenski (2002) 63-64
227 Soc. 4.18, Soz. 6.18, Ruf. 11.5, Theod. 4.17; Lenski (2002) 257-258
228 Soc. 4.16, Soz. 6.14
229 Lenski (2002) 250-251
149