Fritigern: a Christian prior to 376?

[Alanus]

Evidently I have to answer my own post!-- which is either too long, too obtuse, or too religious (nuk, nuk, nuk). :razz:

Anyway, here is the "obverse" side of the tale, which is the same story as the other one. :dizzy: I'm using the ecclesiastical historians because nobody on RAT ever refers to them, probably because secular historians like Ammianus actually give dates... as opposed to "about the same time" or "shortly thereafter." :whistle:

We turn to Socrates Scholasticus. who sounds like a broken record at 78 rpm, Book IV, Chap. 33:
After describing the war between Fritigern and Athanaric, Scholasticus says, "And as Ulfilas did not restrict his labors to the subjects of Fritigernes, but extended them to those who acknowledged the sway of Athanaric also [who then] subjected those who professed Christianity to severe punishments; so that many Arian Goths of that time became martyrs." Even though Ulfilas left Gothia at an earlier date [unknown to both Sozomen and Scholasticus], Christian presbyters remained behind and continued to convert the Fritigern Goths.

"That time" would have been the 340s for the 1st persecution, and the 2nd persecution followed Athanaric's disasterous treaty with Valens, as he loses cross-river trade with the exception of one marketplace. Fueled by revenge toward anti-paganism, Athanaric must have started another purge in 370-371 against the Fritigern faction. Scholasticus was unaware of the two different persecutions. But his reference to Fritigern's war with Athanaric falls in line with the martyrdoms and the emergence of Soranus as some sort of Christian champion. The two events seem to coincide.

None of this is mentioned by Ammianus, nor is it reviewed by modern gurus such as Heather or by Kulikowski (who REALLY gets my goat). Anyway, we don't even have to read between the lines, because the lines are plainly there and Fritigern was without doubt a Christian, either an Arian or Othodox. The classic picture of him and his Goths on their knees accepting the "faith" of Valens was Roman propaganda designed to glorify the emperor. It was years after the fact .