Procopius of Caesarea, in his Wars, describes how, when Rome was captured by the Goths in 546, many people took refuge at the shrine of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036) and other shrines, and how the Gothic king Totila went there to pray after his victory. Written in Greek at Constantinople c. 551.
E08146
Literary - Other narrative texts (including Histories)
Procopius
Procopius, Wars 7.20.17-25
Procopius has just described how the Gothic army entered Rome through the Porta Asinaria, on the south-eastern edge of the city, after it was betrayed to them by some of the Isaurian troops guarding it. Many Romans flee to the Vatican area, on the opposite side of the city.
τῶν δὲ πατρικίων Δέκιος καὶ Βασίλειος ξὺν ἑτέροις τισὶν (ἵπποι γὰρ σφίσι παρόντες ἔτυχον) ξὺν τῷ Βέσσα φυγεῖν ἴσχυσαν. Μάξιμος δὲ καὶ Ὀλύβριος καὶ Ὀρέστης καί τινες ἄλλοι ἐς τὸν Πέτρου τοῦ ἀποστόλου νεὼν ἔφυγον. τοῦ μέντοι δήμου πεντακοσίους ἄνδρας ἀνὰ πᾶσαν τὴν πὸλιν ἀπολελεῖφθαι ξυνέπεσεν, οἵπερ ἐς τὰ ἱερὰ κατέφυγον μόλις. [...]
Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡμέρα τε ἦν ἤδη καὶ οὐδεμία ἔτι ἐνέδρας τινὸς ὑποψία ἐλέλειπτο, Τουτίλας μὲν ἐς τὸν Πέτρου νεὼν τοῦ ἀποστόλου εὐξόμενος ᾔει, Γότθοι δὲ τοὺς παραπεπτωκότας διέφθειρον. ἀπέθανόν τε τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ τῶν μὲν στρατιωτῶν ἓξ καὶ εἴκοσι, τοῦ δὲ δήμου ἑξήκοντα. ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ Τουτίλας ἀφίκετο ἐς τὸ ἱερόν, Πελάγιος αὐτῷ ἐς ὄψιν ἦλθε τὰ Χριστιανῶν λόγια ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ φέρων, παντί τε τρόπῳ τὴν ἱκεσίαν προτεινόμενος [...]
'Among the patricians Decius and Basilius, in company with a few others (for horses happened to be at hand for them) succeeded in escaping with Bessas. But Maximus, Olyvrius, Orestes, and some others fled to the church of the Apostle Peter. Among the common people, however, it so fell out that only five hundred men had been left throughout the whole city, and these with difficulty took refuge in the churches. [...]
When it was already day and there was now no suspicion left of any ambush, Totila, for his part, went to the church of the Apostle Peter to pray, but the Goths began to slay those who fell in their way. And in this manner there perished among the soldiers twenty-six, and among the people sixty. And when Totila had come to the sanctuary, Pelagius came before him carrying the Christian scriptures in his hand, and, making supplication in every manner possible [...]'
Text and translation: Dewing 1924, 328-331.
Cult building - independent (church)
Non Liturgical ActivityPrayer/supplication/invocation
Seeking asylum at church/shrine
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesEcclesiastics - lesser clergy
Monarchs and their family
Foreigners (including Barbarians)
Soldiers
Source
Procopius of Caesarea, (c. 500 – c. 560/561 AD) was a soldier and historian from the Roman province of Palaestina Prima. He accompanied the Roman general Belisarius in the wars of the Emperor Justinian (527-565). He wrote the Secret History, the Wars (or Histories), and On Buildings.The History of the Wars was written in the early 540s, updated by around 550. With its focus on military affairs, it contains only occasional references to the cult of saints.
Discussion
This passage comes from Procopius' account of the capture of Rome by the Goths on 17 December 546, after a siege lasting more than a year. It is notable first for its description of the Romans taking refuge from the Goths in churches, with three named individuals, all prominent senators, stated specifically to have sought sanctuary at St Peter's. Secondly, Procopius describes the Gothic leader Totila as going to St Peter's to pray after his victory, where he encounters the deacon Pelagius (the future Pope Pelagius I), who intercedes with him to be merciful towards the Roman population (Pelagius was the effective leader of the church in Rome at this point, since Pope Vigilius was in Constantinople). It is notable that Totila, who was an Arian, chose St Peter's as the church to celebrate his victory.Bibliography
Text and translation:Dewing, H.B., Procopius, vol. 4 (Loeb Classical Library; New York and London, 1924).
David Lambert
23/11/2021
ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00036 | Peter, the Apostle | Πἐτρος | Certain |
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