The anonymous author of the Theodoriciana (the so-called Anonymus Valesianus pars posterior) tells of the visit of Theoderic to Rome in 500 and his veneration there of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036). Written in Latin probably in Ravenna (northern Italy) in the mid-6th century.
E08375
Theodoriciana (Anonymus Valesianus II) chapter 65
In the previous chapter, the author told of the peace treaty between Theoderic and the emperor Anastasius and that the latter sent back to Italy the imperial insignia that Odoacer had sent to Constantinople.
Eodem tempore intentio orta est in urbe Roma inter Symmachum et Laurentium, consacrati enim fuerant ambo, ordinante deo, qui et dignus fuit, superavit Symmachus. post factam pacem in urbis ecclesia ambulavit rex Theodericus Romam et occurrit beato Petro devotissimus ac si catholicus. cui papa Symmachus et cunctus senatus vel populus Romanus cum omni gaudio extra urbem occurrentes.
'At the same time, the conflict between Symmachus and Laurentius flared up in the city of Rome because both had been consecrated. At God's command, Symmachus, who deserved it, prevailed. After peace was made in the church of the city, King Theoderic travelled to Rome and came to the blessed Peter in the most pious manner, as if he were a Catholic. Pope Symmachus and the entire Senate and people of Rome went out of the city to meet him with great joy.'
Text: König 1997: 82.
Translation and summary: M. Szada.
Source
The Anonymus Valesianus or Excerpta Valesiana is a name given to two Latin fragments edited by a French philologist Henri Valois (1603-76) in his edition of Ammianus Marcellinus in 1636. He found them in the same manuscript and thus edited them together, even though they have nothing to do with each other and were written by different authors. The first one (AV pars prior, AV I) is a short biography of the emperor Constantine and was edited by Mommsen under the title Origo Constantini imperatoris. The second fragment (AV pars posterior, AV II) is a work on Theoderic the Great, thus sometimes called the Chronica Theodoriciana. The text covers the period from 474 to 527. It was written by an author hostile to Gothic rule and Homoianismin, probably in mid-6th century Italy, possibly in Ravenna.Discussion
The passage mentions the so-called Laurentian schism. After the death of Pope Anastasius II in 498, two successors were elected. One faction elected the presbyter Laurentius, the other the deacon Symmachus. Theoderic the Great, who resided in Ravenna, became the mediator in the conflict: Laurentius and Symmachus were summoned to Ravenna, and the latter was recognized as the legitimate bishop of Rome. This decision was confirmed by the Council of Rome in 499, at which Laurentius was also present and signed the acts. The anti-Symmachian faction, however, did not give up and managed to arrange the return of Laurentius in 502. The Laurentians controlled all the churches in the city except St. Peter's, which became an important site for promoting Symmachus as the legitimate bishop of Rome. The schism ended in 507, when Laurentius finally withdrew from Rome.The visit of Theoderic to Rome was associated with the anniversary of his reign (Anonymus Valesianus II 68 mentions tricennalia, but some scholars argue that it was more probably decennalia) in 500. The adventus and celebrations in the city are mentioned in several other sources: the Life of Fulgentius of Ruspe, c. 9 (E08277), the Chronicle of Cassiodorus, s.a. 500, the Auctarium Havniense, s.a. 504, and the Chronicle of Marius of Avenches, s.a. 504. On the visit, see Arnold 2014: 204-209; on whether this was the only stay of Theoderic in Rome or whether he came back in 504, see 208n31. Our author appears to express surprise that an Arian/Homoian heretic would venerate Peter; but this was, of course, entirely natural.
Bibliography
Editions:Festy, M., L'Italie sous Odoacre et Théoderic: Anonyme de Valois II, ed. M. Festy (Paris 2020)
König, I., Aus der Zeit Theoderichs des Grossen: Einleitung, Text, Übersetzung und Kommentar einer anonymen Quelle, (Darmstadt 1997), with introduction, commentary and translation in German
Mommsen, Th., Chronica Theodoriciana in MGH Auctores Antiquissimi 9 (Berlin 1892), 306-28
Further reading:
Arnold, J. J., Theoderic and the Roman Imperial Restoration (New York 2014).
Ensslin, W., Theoderich der Grosse, (München 1959)
Goltz, A., Barbar-König-Tyrann: das Bild Theoderichs des Grossen in der Überlieferung des 5. bis 9. Jahrhunderts (Berlin 2008)
Moorhead, J., Theoderic in Italy, (Oxford 1992)
Pfeilschifter, G., Der ostgotenkönig Theoderich der Grosse und die katholische Kirche (Münster 1896)
Wirbelauer, E., Zwei Päpste in Rom. Der Konflikt zwischen Laurentius und Symmachus (498–514). Studien und Texte (München 1993)
For further references see also A. Di Berardino, Encyclopedia of Early Christianity, s.v. Anonymus Valesianus, 1:138-39, s.v. Laurentius (antipope), 2:529.
Marta Szada
27/03/2023
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00036 | Peter, the Apostle | Petrus | Certain |
|---|
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