The gothic crisis from the perspective of ecclesiastical historiography of the 5th century Cover Image

Kryzys gocki z perspektywy historiografii kościelnej V stulecia
The gothic crisis from the perspective of ecclesiastical historiography of the 5th century

Author(s): Sławomir Bralewski
Subject(s): Ancient World, Special Historiographies:, History of Religion
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: późne cesarstwo rzymskie; Goci; bitwa pod Adrianopolem; cesarz Walens; historiografia kościelna; Late Roman Empire; Goths; battle of Adrianople; emperor Valens; ecclesiastical historiography

Summary/Abstract: In the second half of the 4th century, the migration of Goths to the Balkan Peninsula took place, which led to a serious crisis in the Roman Empire. Its consequence was the defeat suffered by the Romans at Adrianople (378), in which emperor Valens died. This battle is considered to be one of the decisive battles in the history of mankind, which has changed the face of the late Roman history to such an extent that one sees it as a caesura marking the end of antiquity. How did the authors of ecclesiastical histories living at that time as those who, after all, devoted a lot of space to political history in their works relate to these events and to the entire Gothic crisis that was the result of the migration of the Goths? Is it possible to see any differences in the presentation of these events by Rufin of Aquileia, Socrates of Constantinople, Sozomen, Philostorgius or Theodoret of Cyrus? The author tries to answer these questions in this article.

  • Issue Year: 148/2021
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 263-276
  • Page Count: 14
  • Language: Polish