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Roman Military & Christianity: Concord, Discord, Or...?
#1
I would appreciate recommendations & comparative/relative ratings of any good books specifically on the Roman military & Christianity.

Websites & books that I've read so far indicate that among those who considered themselves to be Christians, that compared to the general population, disproportionately few of them were in the Roman military during the first three centuries AD.

Evidence is understandably thin either way. Partly "don't ask, don't tell." Partly "what they know could hurt me."

Christian hagiography includes some valid examples of Christians serving in the Roman military. More were martyrs than not.

Emperor Galerius made a deathbed declaration of religious freedom in 311 AD. Emperor Theodosius I made a declaration for Christianity to be Roman Empire's state religion in 392.

Seems that those who considered themselves to be Christians would have become an increasingly larger percentage of the Roman military during the 4th & 5th centuries. However, I have not found many primary or strong secondary references for that so far.

I plan to post more message here as my studies on Romans & Christianity progress. Of course, I always appreciate others' help along the way. Big Grin
AMDG
Wm. / *r
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#2
There is very little evidence for any Christian activity within forts during the 4th Century. The shrine of the standards kept its old role and standards continued to be held there as far as we know. Christian 'personal effects' are extremely rare within forts during the 4th century.

Take from this what you will.
~ Paul Elliott

The Last Legionary
This book details the lives of Late Roman legionaries garrisoned in Britain in 400AD. It covers everything from battle to rations, camp duties to clothing.
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#3
Early martyr acts (IIRC the Acta Maximiliana, but don't nail me down on it, I don't have the article here - it's in Davies) are fairly unequivocal on the idea that Christians can not in goods conscience be soldiers. Even though the feeling was most likely not universal in the church, that kind of tradition would have taken a long time to die out.
Der Kessel ist voll Bärks!

Volker Bach
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#4
Carlton, while looking for the full Act online somewhere, I came across this argument against its historicity. Interesting.

http://www.ucc.ie/milmart/maxorig.html

I think he's right about the signacullum, although for my period (400) we have moved on to tatoos! What do you think?
~ Paul Elliott

The Last Legionary
This book details the lives of Late Roman legionaries garrisoned in Britain in 400AD. It covers everything from battle to rations, camp duties to clothing.
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#5
Paul & Carlton: Thank you again. These additional points are consistent from what I've found from other sources so far, which I will start posting here as well. +r
AMDG
Wm. / *r
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#6
This stone sculpture (now in Istanbul, Turkey), appears to be 4th century.

This image is posted per Copyright Law "Fair Use" provisions, for educational, personal, non-commercial. It will be posted here for two weeks.
AMDG
Wm. / *r
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#7
Hi Restitutus,
I've come across these articles, that might be helpful for you (if you don't already know them):

Gero, S.: „Miles Gloriosus“: The Christian and Military Service According to Tertullian, Church History 39/3, 1970, 285-298.

Helgeland, J.: Christians and the Roman Army A.D. 173-337, Church History 43/2, 1974, 149-163, 200.

O’Reilly, D. F.: The Theban Legion of St. Maurice, Vigiliae Christianae, 32/3, 1978, 195-207.

Speidel, M. A.: Die Thebäische Legion und das spätrömische Heer, www.mavors.org .

Greetings
Alexandr
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#8
Hi, Alexandr: Thank you for the excellent references & links! Another laud for you. Pax tecvm, +r
AMDG
Wm. / *r
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#9
William,
That fragment belongs to the column of Theodosius and, therefore, is not earlier than the end of fourth century. 8)

Aitor
It\'s all an accident, an accident of hands. Mine, others, all without mind, from one extreme to another, but neither works nor will ever.

Rolf Steiner
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#10
Aitor: Thank you for confirmation. Although the image file name includes information that I found from the source website, such information is suspect (me too! :lol: ). Thanks again for your help. Best regards, from across the pond! +r
AMDG
Wm. / *r
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#11
William,
To be sincere, I'm not totally sure and there is a slight chance of the fragment belonging to Arcadius' column :oops: . If nobody else says nothing against my statement, we can assume it is correct... :?
I know that the fragment comes from one of those columns erected in Constantinople. That a French? draughtsman made sketches of it during the XVIth century and that, subsequently, the column fell and its fragments were incorporated by the Turkish Sultan to a bath house, were they can be seen.

Aitor
It\'s all an accident, an accident of hands. Mine, others, all without mind, from one extreme to another, but neither works nor will ever.

Rolf Steiner
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#12
Quote:Seems that those who considered themselves to be Christians would have become an increasingly larger percentage of the Roman military during the 4th & 5th centuries. However, I have not found many primary or strong secondary references for that so far.

To me the army's sentiments were made clear on June 27, 363 AD when they elected Jovian, a fiercely anti-pagan Christian, to replace Julian instead of one of the latter's pagan cronies. Among the majority rank and file Julian was unmissed and unmourned. And this was again demonstrated 8 months later with their acclamation of Valentinian I, another Christian.

~Theo
Jaime
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#13
Hello Restitvtvs <waving> Big Grin

Having just closed the web page down, there were a couple of interesting books in the Oxbow Books sale that I have just been browsing (and spent a small fortune on!!

Check out the bargins here:

http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bargains.cfm

or browse the rest of the site. There was also a very interesting book on Mithraism and Christianity but my budget was a bit over spent as it was!
Moi Watson

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Merlot in one hand, Cigar in the other; body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, what a ride!
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#14
Quote:To me the army's sentiments were made clear on June 27, 363 AD when they elected Jovian, a fiercely anti-pagan Christian, to replace Julian instead of one of the latter's pagan cronies. Among the majority rank and file Julian was unmissed and unmourned. And this was again demonstrated 8 months later with their acclamation of Valentinian I, another Christian.

Out of curiosity - what do you make of the story (in Ammianus, I believe), that a Christian soldier may actually have removed Julian with a well-thrown spear? That could support the idea that Julian's army was not too keen on his beliefs.

Granted, that would rely on a dangerous assumption that (a) Julian as killed by a spear from his own ranks, that (b) this spear was aimed at him deliberately, that © it was a Christian who threw it, that (d) he did so for religious reasons, and that (e) this Christian was not a lone operator (or alone with his beliefs). Personally, I'd tend to exculpate the Christian soldiers in dubio pro reo, but it might be interesting if the entire army was to a large extent hostile to Julian's anti-christian policies, and if this led them to elect Jovian.
M. Caecilius M.f. Maxentius - Max C.

Qui vincit non est victor nisi victus fatetur
- Q. Ennius, Annales, Frag. XXXI, 493

Secretary of the Ricciacus Frënn (http://www.ricciacus.lu/)
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#15
Quote:Out of curiosity - what do you make of the story (in Ammianus, I believe), that a Christian soldier may actually have removed Julian with a well-thrown spear? That could support the idea that Julian's army was not too keen on his beliefs.

Yes, I agree, that would count as a sign of discord Confusedmile:

Actually, this story isn't told by Ammianus. He simply says that a cavalry javelin struck Julian down. Since Ammianus was a witness I'm disinclined to believe the later story about Julian being assasinated by a Christian soldier. It seems unlikely to me that anyone would choose that moment to assassinate him while being chased by the Persians. (The army was in full retreat.)

Certainly Julian's apostasy alone (nevermind his anti-Christian policies) caused discord among the Christian soldiers. He publicly and constantly blasphemed against Christ but I'm not sure if he was stupid enough to do this in front of his troops. So, it's hard to say to what degree the discord reached since his body was treated with respect and eventually given a Christian (!) burial in Constantinople.

Jovian's election, I believe, simply shows that Julian's paganism / apostasy was rejected by the army as a whole since some western troops were present both then and at Valentinian's accession. Both events are powerful affirmations of the soldiers' Christian sentiments in my view.

Another event that may possibly indicate a Christian majority in the army is the destruction of the Serapeum of Alexandria and closing of pagan temples in the 390s. The Egyptian troops do not seem to have protected the temples and may in fact have participated in their destruction. The sources seem a bit vague but at least show that the troops did not hinder the Christians who went about destroying them with impunity. Although the city still had a sizable pagan population the pagan element in the army seems to have been negligible. Of course, Egypt was one of the oldest, most Christian provinces to begin with so there may have been more Arians than pagans. (It's interesting that we don't hear about discord in the army between Arians and Catholics.)

~Theo
Jaime
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