A comparative and statistical survey of the late antique and early medieval Latin inscriptions of South Eastern Gaul (c.300-750 AD)
Roman civilisation had penetrated South Eastern Gaul more than any region in Western Europe. It is where Christianity gained its first converts and the first episcopal sees were established. For these reasons alone Gallo-Roman traditions might be expected to linger longer than elsewhere, but there is a marked transition: inscriptions set up during the Gallo-Roman period are predominantly votive or honorific as well as funerary, after c.300 AD they are almost exclusively funerary, suggesting a change in emphasis of purpose. Sentiments expressed on an inscription exposed to public view were expressly designed to be read by the passer-by, thereby recording something of the mores of the society that inscribed them, the spread of literacy and fashions in orthography and palaeography. Moreover, such a corpus may be expected to reflect demographic changes during a period encompassing Germanic invasion and subsequent settlement; did such changes affect the numbers of inscriptions set up and even their textual content over time? This corpus offers an invaluable mirror to the evolving society of South Eastern Gaul during the transition from the Gallo-Roman to early medieval period.;Chapter One describes briefly the
Reynolds, Paul Anthony
A comparative and statistical survey of the late antique and early medieval Latin inscriptions of South Eastern Gaul (c.300-750 AD). Roman civilisation had penetrated South Eastern Gaul more than any region in Western Europe. It is where Christianity gained its first converts and the first episcopal sees were established. For these reasons alone Gallo-Roman traditions might be expected to linger longer than elsewhere, but there is a marked transition: inscriptions set up during the Gallo-Roman period are predominantly votive or honorific as well as funerary, after c.300 AD they are almost exclusively funerary, suggesting a change in emphasis of purpose. Sentiments expressed on an inscription exposed to public view were expressly designed to be read by the passer-by, thereby recording something of the mores of the society that inscribed them, the spread of literacy and fashions in orthography and palaeography. Moreover, such a corpus may be expected to reflect demographic changes during a period encompassing Germanic invasion and subsequent settlement; did such changes affect the numbers of inscriptions set up and even their textual content over time? This corpus offers an invaluable mirror to the evolving society of South Eastern Gaul during the transition from the Gallo-Roman to early medieval period.;Chapter One describes briefly the
comparative statistical survey late_antique early_medieval latin_inscription south eastern gaul roman civilisation penetrate south eastern gaul region western_europe christianity gain first convert first episcopal see establish reason alone gallo_roman tradition might_expect longer elsewhere marked transition inscription set gallo_roman period predominantly votive honorific well funerary almost_exclusively funerary suggest change emphasis purpose express inscription expose public view expressly design read thereby record something more society inscribed spread literacy fashion orthography palaeography moreover corpus may expect reflect demographic_change period encompass germanic invasion subsequent settlement change_affect number inscription set even textual content time corpus offer invaluable mirror evolve society south eastern gaul transition gallo_roman early_medieval period describe briefly