The Christian Networks of the Aniciae: The Example of the Letter of Innocent I to Anicia Juliana
2009; Brepols; Volume: 55; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1484/j.rea.5.101040
ISSN2428-3606
Autores Tópico(s)Classical Studies and Legal History
ResumoIn the late fourth and early fifth centuries the women of the Anician family were at the centre of a large network of Christian correspondents. While letters to Anicia Juliana, her mother-in-law Proba, and her daughter Demetrias, from Augustine, John Chrysostom, Pelagius, Jerome, and pseudo-Prosper of Aquitaine have been subject to repeated scrutiny for what they reveal about asceticism, the role of Christian women, the importance of patronage networks, contacts between East and West, and the Origenist and Pelagian controversies, Epistula 15 from Innocent I, bishop of Rome from 402 to 417, to Juliana, has not received the same attention. In this paper I shall reconsider the prosopographical evidence with regard to Juliana and the many connections between the Aniciae and Christian literary figures, and offer suggestions as to why Innocent needed Juliana’s support. My argument is that this letter is not to be considered as commenting upon her daughter’s decision to embrace the ascetical life but upon Juliana’s own decision to become an ascetical widow following the death of her illustrious husband. This would suggest a date of composition in 412 or 413.
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