Concepts of deity in Arnobius of Sicca in the context of the contemporary Pagan-Christian debate
The thesis is in two parts. Part I analyses the chronological (Ch. I) and biographical (Ch. U} problems related to the date of the Adversus natiOnes and the information which Jerome provides about Arnobius' life, respectively - The writer analyses Jerome's dating of the text appearing in Chrcn. (327) and suggests this is erroneous. It to not due to mistaking 327 with Amdbius' date of death or the vicernalia of Constantine with those of Diocletian. Oral tradition might have supplied him with the date. His corrected date ~sub principe Diocletiano'' may derive from Jerome's reading of Lactantius' letters written during his pagan youth. As to internal evidence, 1.26 appears to allude to events before the persecution; 4.36 is interpreted as a clear reference to the First Edict~ various passages appear to allude to several of Diocletian's edicts (on adultery, incest) or policies (reduction of the provinces). Adv. nat. 2.71 does not follow the Varronian chronology because Am. and Varro differ on the parentage of Saturn (cf. Ling. lat. 5.57 and Tert., Ad nat. 2.12). The 'novasque ... poenas~ of 6.11.24 refer to edicts 2 or 3 of the persecution; and the grand attack upon sacrifice, compared with (e.g.) Crispina's trial
Simmons, Michael Bland
Philosophy
Concepts of deity in Arnobius of Sicca in the context of the contemporary Pagan-Christian debate. The thesis is in two parts. Part I analyses the chronological (Ch. I) and biographical (Ch. U} problems related to the date of the Adversus natiOnes and the information which Jerome provides about Arnobius' life, respectively - The writer analyses Jerome's dating of the text appearing in Chrcn. (327) and suggests this is erroneous. It to not due to mistaking 327 with Amdbius' date of death or the vicernalia of Constantine with those of Diocletian. Oral tradition might have supplied him with the date. His corrected date ~sub principe Diocletiano'' may derive from Jerome's reading of Lactantius' letters written during his pagan youth. As to internal evidence, 1.26 appears to allude to events before the persecution; 4.36 is interpreted as a clear reference to the First Edict~ various passages appear to allude to several of Diocletian's edicts (on adultery, incest) or policies (reduction of the provinces). Adv. nat. 2.71 does not follow the Varronian chronology because Am. and Varro differ on the parentage of Saturn (cf. Ling. lat. 5.57 and Tert., Ad nat. 2.12). The 'novasque ... poenas~ of 6.11.24 refer to edicts 2 or 3 of the persecution; and the grand attack upon sacrifice, compared with (e.g.) Crispina's trial
concepts deity context_contemporary pagan christian debate two_part part analyse chronological biographical problem related date information provide life respectively writer analyse date text appear person suggest erroneous due mistake date death constantine oral_tradition might supply date correct date sub may derive read letter_write pagan youth internal_evidence appear allude event persecution interpret clear reference first edict various passage appear allude several edict adultery policy reduction province follow chronology differ refer edict persecution grand attack upon sacrifice compare trial