Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-wq2xx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T16:17:43.773Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Epiphanius of Salamis and the Scotti: New Evidence for Late Roman-Irish Relations*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2012

Philip Rance
Philip Rance*
Affiliation:
Institut für Byzantinistik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Münchenprr@fastnet.co.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A survey of the written evidence for attacks by Scotti on fourth-century Roman Britain provides a historical context for the introduction of two hitherto overlooked references to Scotti in the works of Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis on Cyprus (c.a.d. 315–403). Examination of Epiphanius' Ancoratus and Panarion confirms that he inserted the ethnonym Σκόττοι into patristic source-material in the early 370s. These passages claim attention as unique testimony to the Scotti in Greek literature and the second earliest witness to this term in Roman sources. Their date prompts the conjecture that the barbarica conspiratio that beset Britain in a.d. 367–68/9 was a widely reported event even before its significance was magnified by Theodosian dynastic propaganda.

Keywords

Late RomanScottiIrishEpiphaniusTheodosiusBarbarian Conspiracy
Type
Articles
Information
Britannia , Volume 43 , November 2012 , pp. 227 - 242
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2012. Published by The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

*

The research for this paper was undertaken during the course of a Humboldt-Forschungsstipendium für erfahrene Wissenschaftler, hosted by Albrecht Berger at the Institut für Byzantinistik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, 2009–11. I am indebted to Hans Teitler, who generously shared his great expertise in Ammianus Marcellinus.

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Amidon, P.R. 1990: The Panarion of St Epiphanius of Salamis. Selected Passages, Oxford Google Scholar
Andrei, O. 2006: ‘Dalle Chronographiai di Giulio Africano alla Synagoge di ‘Ippolito’. Un dibattito sulla scrittura cristiana del tempo’, in Wallraff, M. (ed.), Julius Africanus und die christliche Weltchronik, Texte und Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der altchristlichen Literatur 157, Berlin/New York, 113–45Google Scholar
Bagnall, R.S., and Worp, K.A. 2004: Chronological Systems of Byzantine Egypt (2nd edn), Leiden CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barnes, T.M. 1996: ‘Emperors, panegyrics, prefects, provinces and palaces (284–317)’, Journal of Roman Archaeology 9, 532–52Google Scholar
Bartholomew, P. 1984: ‘Fourth-century Saxons’, Britannia 15, 169–85Google Scholar
Bateson, J.D. 1973: ‘Roman material from Ireland: a reconsideration’, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 73.C, 21–97 Google Scholar
Bateson, J.D. 1976: ‘Further finds of Roman material in Ireland’, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 76.C, 171–80Google Scholar
Bauer, A., and Helm, R. 1955: Hippolytus Werke 4 (ed. Bauer, A.; rev. 2nd edn R. Helm), Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller 46, Berlin Google Scholar
Birley, A.R. 2007: The Roman Government of Britain, Oxford Google Scholar
Bland, R., and Loriot, X. 2010: Roman and Early Byzantine Gold Coins Found in Britain and Ireland, London Google Scholar
Blockley, R.C. 1980: ‘The date of the “Barbarian Conspiracy”’, Britannia 11, 223–5Google Scholar
Boeft, J. den, Drijvers, J.W., Hengst, D. den, and Teitler, H.C. 2009: Philological and Historical Commentary on Ammianus Marcellinus XXVII, Leiden Google Scholar
Boeft, J. den, Drijvers, J.W., Hengst, D. den, and Teitler, H.C. 2011: Philological and Historical Commentary on Ammianus Marcellinus XXVIII, Leiden CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Braccesi, L. 1968: ‘Una nuova testimonianza su Magno Massimo’, La Parola del passato 23, 279–86; repr. with minor revisions as Braccesi, L. 2007: ‘L'iscrizione pesarese di Magno Massimo’, in idem, Terra di confine: archeologia e storia tra Marche, Romagna e San Marino, Rome, 105–12Google Scholar
Breeze, D.J., and Dobson, B. 2000: Hadrian's Wall (4th edn), London Google Scholar
Burgess, R. 2001: ‘The Gallic Chronicle of 452: A new critical edition with a brief introduction’, in Mathisen, R.W. and Shanzer, D., Society and Culture in Late Antique Gaul. Revisiting the Sources, Aldershot, 52–84 Google Scholar
Caire, E. 2004: ‘Le diamérismos selon Jean Malalas’, in Beaucamp, J. et al. (eds), Recherches sur la Chronique de Jean Malalas 1, Centre de Recherche d'Histoire et Civilisation de Byzance, Monographies 15, Paris, 19–36 Google Scholar
Cameron, A. 1971: ‘Review of Ronald Syme, Ammianus and the Historia Augusta (Oxford, 1968)’, Journal of Roman Studies 61, 255–67Google Scholar
Campanile, E. 1984: ‘Fonti Irlandesi per la storia del tardo impero Romano. I’, Athenaeum, new ser. 62, 61–6Google Scholar
Casey, J. 1978: ‘Constantine the Great in Britain – evidence of the coinage of the London mint AD 312–314’, in Bird, J., Chapman, H. and Clark, J. (eds), Collectanea Londiniensia. Studies Presented to Ralph Merrifield, London, 181–93Google Scholar
Casey, J. 1979: ‘Magnus Maximus in Britain: a reappraisal’, in idem (ed.), The End of Roman Britain, British Archaeological Reports 71, Oxford, 66–79 Google Scholar
Charles-Edwards, T.M. 2000: Early Christian Ireland, Cambridge Google Scholar
Cotterill, J. 1993: ‘Saxon raiding and the role of the late Roman coastal forts of Britain’, Britannia 24, 227–39CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dechow, J.F. 1988: Dogma and Mysticism in Early Christianity. Epiphanius of Cyprus and the Legacy of Origen, North American Patristic Society, Patrististic Monograph Series 13, Macon, GA Google Scholar
Demandt, A. 1972: ‘Die Feldzüge des älteren Theodosius’, Hermes 100, 81–113 Google Scholar
Detalle, M.-P. 2002: La Piraterie en Europe du nord-ouest à l’époque romaine, BAR International Series S1086, Oxford CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Di Martino, V. 2003: Roman Ireland, Wilton Google Scholar
Dindorf, G. [K.W.] 1859–63, Epiphanii episcopi Constantiae Opera, Leipzig Google Scholar
Dornier, A. 1971: ‘Was there a coastal limes in western Britain in the fourth century?’, in Applebaum, S. (ed.), Roman Frontier Studies 1967, Tel Aviv, 14–20 Google Scholar
Dornier, A. 1982: ‘The province of Valentia’, Britannia 13, 253–60Google Scholar
Drijvers, J.W. 2007: ‘Ammianus on the revolt of Firmus’, in Boeft, J. den, Drijvers, J.W., Hengst, D. den and Teitler, H.C. (eds), Ammianus after Julian. The Reign of Valentinian and Valens in Books 26–31 of the Res Gestae, Leiden, 129–55CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Egger, R. 1929–30: ‘Der erste Theodosius’, Byzantion 5, 9–32 Google Scholar
Feissel, D. 1983: Recueil des inscriptions chrétiennes de Macédoine du IIIe au VIe siècle, Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique Supplément 8, Paris Google Scholar
Freeman, P.M. 1995a: ‘Greek and Roman views of Ireland: a checklist’, Emania 13, 11–13 Google Scholar
Freeman, P. 1995b: ‘The archaeology of Roman material in Ireland’, Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium 15, 69–74 Google Scholar
Freeman, P. 2001: Ireland and the Classical World, Austin, Texas Google Scholar
Frend, W.H.C. 1992: ‘Pagans, Christians, and “the Barbarian Conspiracy” of a.d. 367 in Roman Britain’, Britannia 23, 121–31Google Scholar
Frere, S.S. 1987: Britannia (3rd edn), London Google Scholar
Guidi, M. 1970: ‘Ancora su Magno Massimo’, Studia Oliveriana 18, 17–20 Google Scholar
Gutschmid, A. von 1894: ‘Untersuchungen über den Διαμερισμὸς τῆς γῆς und andere Bearbeitungen der Mosaischen Völkertafel’, in Rühl, F. (ed.), Kleine Schriften V, Leipzig, 585–717 Google Scholar
Haldon, J. 1992: ‘The works of Anastasius of Sinai: a key source for the history of seventh-century East Mediterranean society and belief’, in Cameron, A. and Conrad, L. (eds), The Byzantine and Early Islamic Near East I: Problems in the Literary Source Material, Princeton, 107–47Google Scholar
Haywood, J. 1991: Dark Age Naval Power, London Google Scholar
Hind, J.G.F. 1975: ‘The British “provinces” of Orcades and Valentia’, Historia 24, 101–11Google Scholar
Hoffmann, D. 1969–70: Das spätrömische Bewegungsheer und die Notitia Dignitatum, Epigraphische Studien 7.1–2, Dusseldorf Google Scholar
Holder, A. 1891–1913: Alt-celtischer Sprachschatz, Leipzig (repr. Graz, 1961)Google Scholar
Holl, K. 1910: Die handschriftliche Überlieferung des Epiphanius (Ancoratus und Panarion), Texte und Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der altchristlichen Literatur, Reihe 3, Bd. 6.2 = 36.2, Leipzig Google Scholar
Holl, K., and Dummer, J. 1980–85: Epiphanius (ed. Holl, K.; rev. 2nd edn J. Dummer), Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten drei Jahrhunderte 59.1–3, Berlin Google Scholar
Inglebert, H. 2001: Interpretatio Christiana, Paris Google Scholar
Jeffreys, E. 1996: ‘The Chronicle of John Malalas, Book I: a commentary’, in Allen, P. and Jeffreys, E. (eds), The Sixth Century: End or Beginning?, Byzantina Australiensia 10, Brisbane, 52–74 Google Scholar
Johnson, S. 1979: The Roman Forts of the Saxon Shore (2nd edn), London Google Scholar
Jones, A.H.M. 1954: ‘The date and value of the Verona List’, Journal of Roman Studies 44, 21–9Google Scholar
Kelly, J.N.D. 1975: Jerome: his Life, Writings and Controversies, London Google Scholar
Keune, J. 1921: ‘Scotti’, RE II.A.1, 838–46Google Scholar
Kneißl, P. 1969: Die Siegestitulatur der römischen Kaiser, Hypomnemata 23, Göttingen Google Scholar
Knorr, O. 1999, ‘Die Parallelüberlieferung zum “Panarion” des Epiphanius von Salamis – Textkritische Anmerkungen zur Neuausgabe’, Wiener Studien 112, 113–27Google Scholar
Kösters, O. 2003: Die Trinitätslehre des Epiphanius von Salamis. Ein Kommentar zum “Ancoratus”, Forschungen zur Kirchen- und Dogmengeschichte 86, Göttingen Google Scholar
Kulikowski, M.E. 2007: ‘Marius Maximus in Ammianus and the Historia Augusta ’, Classical Quarterly 57.1, 244–56Google Scholar
Leschi, L. 1935–36: ‘Une épitaphe d'un soldat irlandais du Bas-Empire’, Recueil des notices et mémoires de la societé archéologique de Constantine 63, 63–7Google Scholar
Livens, R.G. 1974: ‘Litus Hibernicum’, in Pippidi, D.M. (ed.), Actes du IXe Congrès International d’Études sur les Frontières romaines (Mamaïa, 6–13 septembre 1972), Bucharest/Cologne/Vienna, 333–9Google Scholar
Livens, R.G. 1986: ‘Roman coastal defences in North Wales, Holyhead Mountain and Caergybi’, in Studien zu den Militärgrenzen Roms III, 13. Internationaler Limeskongress, Aalen 1983, Stuttgart, 58–9Google Scholar
Maenchen-Helfen, O.J. 1955: ‘The date of Ammianus Marcellinus’ last books’, American Journal of Philology 76, 384–99Google Scholar
Marin, E., Gauthier, N., and Prévot, F. (eds) 2010: Salona IV. Inscriptions de Salone chrétienne IVe–VIIe siècles, Collection de l’École française de Rome 194/4, Rome/Split Google Scholar
Matthews, J. 2007: The Roman Empire of Ammianus (rev. edn), Baltimore Google Scholar
Mattingly, H., Pearce, J.W.E., and Kendrick, T.D. 1937: ‘The Coleraine Hoard’, Antiquity 11, 39–45 Google Scholar
Miller, M. 1975: ‘Stilicho's Pictish war’, Britannia 6, 141–5Google Scholar
Muhlberger, S. 1990: The Fifth-Century Chroniclers. Prosper, Hydatius, and the Gallic Chronicler of 452, Leeds Google Scholar
Müllenhoff, K. 1890–1908: Deutsche Altertumskunde (enlarged repr.), Berlin Google Scholar
Mytum, H.C. 1995, ‘Across the Irish Sea: Romano-British and Irish settlements in Wales’, Emania 13, 15–22 Google Scholar
Nautin, P. 1963: ‘Épiphane (Saint) de Salamine’, in Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques 15, 617–31Google Scholar
Nicasie, M.J. 1998: Twilight of Empire: The Roman Army from the Reign of Diocletian until the Battle of Adrianople, Dutch Monographs on Ancient History and Archaeology 19, Amsterdam Google Scholar
Nixon, C.E., and Rodgers, B.S. 1994: In Praise of Later Roman Emperors. The Panegyrici Latini, Berkeley Google Scholar
Oehler, F. 1859–61: S. Epiphanii episcopi Constantiensis Panaria eorumque anacephalaeosis, Berlin Google Scholar
Ó’Ríordáin, S.P. 1947: ‘Roman material in Ireland’, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 51.C, 35–82 Google Scholar
Pearson, A. 2002: The Roman Shore Forts, Stroud Google Scholar
Pearson, A. 2006: ‘Piracy in late Roman Britain: a perspective from the Viking Age’, Britannia 37, 337–53Google Scholar
Pétau (Petavius), D. 1622: S. Epiphanii Constantiae sive Salaminis in Cypro episcopi Opera omnia, Paris Google Scholar
Phang, S.E. 2008: Roman Military Service. Ideologies of Discipline in the Late Republic and Early Principate, Cambridge Google Scholar
Piilonen, J. 1974: Hippolytus Romanus, Epiphanius Cypriensis and Anastasius Sinaita. A Study of the Διαμερισμὸς τῆς γῆς, Helsinki Google Scholar
Pini, G. (ed.), with Aragione, G., and Cangemi Trolla, B. 2010: Epifanio di Salamina, Panarion. Libro primo, Letteratura cristiana antica, new ser. 21, Brescia Google Scholar
PLRE I: Jones, A.H.M., Martindale, J.R. and Morris, J. (eds), The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire I, Cambridge (1971)Google Scholar
Pourkier, A. 1992: L'Hérésiologie chez Épiphane de Salamine, Christianisme antique 4, Paris Google Scholar
Raftery, B. 1994: Pagan Celtic Ireland: The Enigma of the Irish Iron Age, London Google Scholar
Rance, P. 2001: ‘Attacotti, Déisi and Magnus Maximus: the case for Irish federates in late Roman Britain’, Britannia 32, 243–70Google Scholar
Richard, M. 1967–68: ‘Les véritables “Questions et réponses” d'Anastase le Sinäite’, Bulletin de l'Institut de recherches et d'histoire des textes 15, 39–56 Google Scholar
Richard, M., and Munitiz, J.A. (eds) 2006: Anastasii Sinaïtae: Quaestiones et responsiones, Corpus Christianorum Series Graeca 59, Turnhout Google Scholar
Ridley, R.T. 1972: ‘Zosimus the historian’, Byzantinische Zeitschrift 65, 277–302 Google Scholar
Riggi, C. 1967: Epifanio contro Mani, Revisione critica, traduzione italiana e commento storico del Panarion di Epifanio, Haer. LXVI, Rome Google Scholar
Rohrbacher, D. 2006: ‘Jerome, an early reader of Ammianus Marcellinus’, Latomus 65.2, 422–4Google Scholar
Rösch, G. 1978: Onoma Basileias. Studien zum offiziellen Gebrauch der Kaisertitel in spätantiker und frühbyzantinischer Zeit, Byzantina Vindobonensia 10, Vienna Google Scholar
Sabbah, G. 1978: La méthode d'Ammien Marcellin. Recherches sur la construction du discours historique dans les Res Gestae, Paris Google Scholar
Sabbah, G. 1997: ‘Ammien Marcellin, Libanius, Antioche et la date des derniers livres des Res Gestae ’, Cassiodorus 3, 89–116 Google Scholar
Scharf, R. 1995: ‘Aufrüstung und Truppenbenennung unter Stilicho: Das Beispiel der Atecotti-Truppen’, Tyche 10, 161–78Google Scholar
Scott, J.M. 2002: Geography in Early Judaism and Christianity. The Book of Jubilees, Cambridge Google Scholar
Seager, R. 1997: ‘Ammianus, Theodosius and Sallust's Jugurtha ’, Histos 1 (www.dur.ac.uk/Classics/histos/1997/seager.html)Google Scholar
Sieswerda, D.T. 2001: ‘The Σωτήριος, the original of the Izbornik of 1073’, Sacris Erudiri 40, 293–327 Google Scholar
Sivan, H.G. 1993: ‘Ammianus’ terminus and the accession of Theodosius I’, in Vogel-Weidemann, U. and Scholtemeijer, J. (eds), Chariston C.P.T. Naudé, Pretoria, 113–20Google Scholar
Steinhausen, J. 1951: ‘Hieronymus und Laktanz in Trier’, Trierer Zeitschrift 20, 126–54Google Scholar
Syme, R. 1968: Review of A. Demandt, Zeitkritik und Geschichtsbild im Werk Ammians (Bonn, 1965), in Journal of Roman Studies 58, 215–18Google Scholar
Thompson, E.A. 1947: The Historical Work of Ammianus Marcellinus, Cambridge (repr. Groningen, 1969)Google Scholar
Thompson, E.A. 1990: ‘Ammianus Marcellinus and Britain’, Nottingham Medieval Studies 34, 1–15 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tomlin, R.S.O. 1974: ‘The date of the “Barbarian Conspiracy”’, Britannia 5, 303–9Google Scholar
Tomlin, R.S.O. 1979: ‘Ammianus Marcellinus 26.4.5–6’, Classical Quarterly, new ser. 29.2, 470–8Google Scholar
Warner, R. 1976: ‘Some observations on the context and importation of exotic material in Ireland from the 1st cent. BC to the 2nd cent. AD’, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 76.C, 267–92Google Scholar
Welsby, D.A. 1982: The Roman Military Defence of the British Provinces in its Later Phases, BAR British Series 101, Oxford Google Scholar
Whitby, M. 2007: ‘The Biblical past in John Malalas and the Paschal Chronicle’, in Amirav, H. and Romeny, B.H. (eds), From Rome to Constantinople: Studies in Honour of Averil Cameron, Leuven/Paris/Dudley, MA, 279–302 Google Scholar
Williams, F. 1987: The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis. Books I (Sects 1–46), Nag Hammadi and Manichaen Studies 35, Leiden Google Scholar
Williams, F. 1994: The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis. Books II and II (Sects 47–80, De Fide), Nag Hammadi and Manichaen Studies 36, Leiden Google Scholar
Zuckerman, C. 2002: ‘Sur la liste de Vérone et la province de Grande Arménie, la division de l'empire et la date de création des diocèces’, Travaux et Mémoires 14 (= Mélanges Gilbert Dagron), 617–37Google Scholar