The will of Romulf, bishop of Reims (c. 590-596/613), leaves property to the matricola of *Martialis (first bishop of Limoges, S01168), the church of *Remigius (bishop of Reims, ob. c. 533, S00456), a female monastery of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036), and other unnamed churches in Reims, Soissons and Tours (all northern Gaul). Will of c. 590/596; summary, written in Latin in the 940s by Flodoard, in his History of the Church of Reims (2.4).
Evidence ID
E08396
Type of Evidence
Documentary texts - Will
Will of Romulf, from Flodoard 2.4:
Summary:
Flodoard provides a detailed account of Romulf's will, after explaining that Romulf and his brother, the dux Iohannes, had inherited equal shares of the property of their father Lupus. Romulf's heirs are listed as the following: his brothers and nephews; the matricola of Martialis; the basilica of Remigius; a female monastery (monasterium puellarum) built in honour of Peter; and various other unnamed churches of the bishoprics of Reims, Soissons and Tours. The will, and an exchange of property in the territory of Metz, were confirmed by King Childebert (= Childebert II, r. 575-596).
Text: Stratmann 1998, 140-141
Summary: Bryan Ward-Perkins
Cult Places
Cult building - independent (church)
Non Liturgical ActivityBequests, donations, gifts and offerings
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesEcclesiastics - bishops
Source
Flodoard, who was a priest and canon of the cathedral of Reims, wrote his Historia Remensis Ecclesiae (History of the Church of Reims) in the 940s, telling the story of the see in the form of an account of each bishop's episcopacy, up to the year 948. He was a well-informed writer and had access to the archives of the church.Since he was a tenth-century writer, we have not included in our database every piece of evidence that Flodoard provides regarding the early cult of saints at Reims, although much of it may well be accurate. But we have included three passages where it is clear that he is summarising original documents: the will of Bishop Romulf (presented here), that of Bishop Somnatius of c. 620 (E08397), and that of Bishop Lando of the mid-7th century (E08398).
Discussion
Romulf became bishop of Reims in around 590. The fact that Childebert II (r. 575-596) confirmed his will dates it to the period c. 590/596. He died sometime before 613 (Pietri and Heijmans 2013).It is generally assumed, and we think correctly, that the poor-relief (matricola) of Martialis, that received a major benefaction in Romulf's will was that associated with the saint's shrine in Limoges (rather than with an otherwise undocumented shrine in Reims), although this is not explicitly stated in the summary Flodoard provides.
Bibliography
Edition:Stratmann, M., Flodoard von Reims, Die Geschichte der remser Kirche, (Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptores 36, Hannover 1998).
Further reading :
Pietri, L. and Heijmans, M., Prosopographie chrétienne du Bas-Empire, 4 Prosopographie de la Gaule chrétienne (314-614), 2 vols. (Paris 2013), vol. 2, 1628, 'Romulfus'.
Pietri, L and R. Neiss, "Reims," in: N. Gauthier, B. Beaujard, and F. Prévot (eds.), Topographie chrétienne des cités de la Gaule des origines au milieu du VIIIe siècle, vol. 14: Province ecclésiastique de Reims (Belgica Secunda) (Paris, 2006), 21-45.
Schenk zu Schweinsberg, G., Reims in merowingischer Zeit: Stadt, Civitas, Bistum (Bonn 1971), 110-12.
Sot, M. Un historien et son église au Xe siècle: Flodoard de Reims, (Paris 1993). 672-78.
Record Created By
Bryan Ward-Perkins
Date of Entry
20/3/2023
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00036 | Peter, the Apostle | Petrus | Certain | S00456 | Remigius, bishop of Reims, ob. c. 533 | Remigius | Certain | S01168 | Martialis, first bishop of Limoges | Martialis | Certain |
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Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Bryan Ward-Perkins, Cult of Saints, E08396 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E08396