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

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Theodosius supported <strong>the</strong> petitioners’ <strong>request</strong> that <strong>the</strong>y should not be attacked<br />

by <strong>the</strong> Arians and at <strong>the</strong> same time did not order specific punishments aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong><br />

Arians. 206 Cynegius was <strong>the</strong>refore ordered to “let <strong>the</strong>m [<strong>the</strong> Luciferians] enjoy <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

own way of life wherever <strong>the</strong>y shall wish; let <strong>the</strong>m enjoy div<strong>in</strong>e love <strong>in</strong> respect to <strong>the</strong><br />

Catholic faith.” 207 Some implied action appears to have taken place aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> Arians;<br />

Theodosius referred to <strong>the</strong> “patience of Almighty God has been moved to so great an<br />

extent that <strong>the</strong> punishment, which is due to guilty persons after death, <strong>the</strong>y should<br />

suffer before death <strong>in</strong> an example for all.” But <strong>the</strong>n he said that this apparent action<br />

has not succeeded and that <strong>the</strong>y, <strong>the</strong> Arians, were still “assail<strong>in</strong>g Catholics.” Thus, <strong>the</strong><br />

law implies that some action had <strong>in</strong>deed been taken aga<strong>in</strong>st heretics, <strong>in</strong> a manner<br />

follow<strong>in</strong>g that of God’s, as outl<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cun ctos Populos law of two years earlier, but<br />

quite what, rema<strong>in</strong>s unknown.<br />

The rul<strong>in</strong>g gives some <strong>in</strong>dication of how contemporaries viewed <strong>the</strong> doctr<strong>in</strong>al<br />

controversies that had occurred thirty years earlier under Constantius. At that time<br />

<strong>the</strong> Arians had “perverted <strong>the</strong> m<strong>in</strong>ds of many persons by detestable <strong>in</strong>gratiation”<br />

which is probably an observation on <strong>the</strong> diplomatic success of <strong>the</strong> Arians <strong>in</strong> secur<strong>in</strong>g<br />

positions <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Imperial court. It also refers to <strong>the</strong> “antiquity of <strong>the</strong> whole age” which<br />

had been altered “at <strong>the</strong> persuasion of certa<strong>in</strong> persons” <strong>the</strong> result of which had been<br />

“<strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>nocent driven <strong>in</strong>to exile for <strong>the</strong> faith” who, it exaggerates, “laid down <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

life.” 208<br />

Theodosius left <strong>the</strong> reader <strong>in</strong> no doubt as to his full belief <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Catholic<br />

version of Christianity; “heretical superstition” was “contrary to <strong>the</strong> Catholic faith” 209<br />

206 K<strong>in</strong>g (1961) 52 believes that Theodosius, like <strong>the</strong> Luciferians, had a rigorist attitude towards religion<br />

and <strong>in</strong> particular aga<strong>in</strong>st those who had erred from <strong>the</strong> faith.<br />

207 2.a.7 Utantur, quo <strong>in</strong> loco v olv er<strong>in</strong>t, proposito suo, utantur ad catholicam fidem am ore div <strong>in</strong>o.<br />

208 2a.3 Nam et unde exorta et quo prov ecta auctore fuisset, aperv it, quipped cum persuasu quorundam totius<br />

saeculi antiquitate m utate acti pro fide <strong>in</strong> exilium <strong>in</strong>nocents v itam cum sum m a laude posv erunt.<br />

209 2a.3 Haereticae superstitionis, quae contraria est fidei catholicae<br />

231

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