Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Rescript of Honorius
#2
You're not the first. :wink: It's not quite so straightforward, although it usually is presented that way. Nowhere does Zosimus write that the British wrote to him and that he wrote back: "lok, folks, I can't be bothered at the moment, you'll have ta take care of yer own kitchen for a while". This is in fact a very muddled part of his history, and not a few have questioned whether he did not in fact die before he finalized the text. Seriously.

I don't have the Greek text at hand, but here's the English translation.
First, the text of the so-called 'rescript':

Quote:BOOK VI, 10
[10] But Alaric was willing still to abide by his oaths of allegiance to Attalus. When Valens, the master of the horse, was killed after falling under suspicion of treason, Alaric attacked all the cities of Aemilia that had refused to accept promptly Attalus’ rule. He brought over with no trouble at all every one of them except Bononia, which he besieged for several days but could not capture as it held firm. He then proceeded to the Ligurians and compelled them to recognise Attalus as Emperor. Honorius, however, wrote letters to the cities in Britain urging them to be on their guard [or: to defend themselves] , and he distributed rewards to the soldiers from moneys supplied him by Heraclianus. Thus he gained complete relief, having won over the good will of the soldiers on every side.

But before that, Zosimus wrote of how the cities of Britain freed themselves:

Quote:BOOK VI, 5
[5] Having accomplished these deeds in Spain, Constans returned to his father Constantinus, bringing with him Verenianus and Didymus. He had left behind the general Gerontius together with his Gallic soldiers to guard the road between France and Spain, even though the soldiers in Spain had begged that this duty be entrusted, according to custom, to them and that the safekeeping of the region not be entrusted to foreigners. And Verenianus and Didymus, having been conducted before Constantinus were forthwith killed. Thereupon Constans was again dispatched to Spain, taking with him Justus as general. On this account Gerontius was incensed and, having won to his side the soldiers in those regions, he raised the Celtic barbarians in revolt against Constantinus, who could not withstand them because the greater part of his own soldiery was in Spain. The barbarians above the Rhine, assaulting everything at their pleasure, reduced both the inhabitants of Britain and some of the Celtic peoples to defecting from Roman rule and living their own lives disassociated from the Roman law. Accordingly the Britons took up arms and, with no consideration of the danger to themselves, freed their own cities from barbarian threat; likewise all of Armorica and other Gallic provinces followed the Britons’ lead: they freed themselves, ejected the Roman magistrates, and set up home rule at their own discretion.


Continued in the next chapter:

Quote:BOOK VI, 6
[6] Now, the defection of Britain and the Celtic peoples took place during Constantinus’ tyranny , the barbarians having mounted their attack owing to his carelessness in administration.
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
Reply


Messages In This Thread
Rescript of Honorius - by Epictetus - 04-24-2010, 04:44 AM
Re: Rescript of Honorius - by Robert Vermaat - 04-24-2010, 06:05 PM
Re: Rescript of Honorius - by Epictetus - 04-25-2010, 06:21 AM
Re: Rescript of Honorius - by Caballo - 04-25-2010, 07:25 AM
RE: Rescript of Honorius - by Nathan Ross - 01-04-2019, 11:10 PM
RE: Rescript of Honorius - by smalljay33 - 12-19-2023, 06:12 AM
Re: Rescript of Honorius - by Robert Vermaat - 04-25-2010, 03:39 PM
Re: Rescript of Honorius - by Caballo - 04-25-2010, 04:29 PM
Re: Rescript of Honorius - by Nathan Ross - 04-26-2010, 05:43 PM
Re: Rescript of Honorius - by Robert Vermaat - 04-28-2010, 07:19 AM

Forum Jump: