“Ex Marte se procreatum” – Did the Roman Emperor Galerius Make Mars his Personal Protective Deitie?

• Authors: Sławomir Bralewski

Abstracts

EN

Lactantius referred in his work On the Deaths of the Persecutors (De mortibus persecutorum) to a great victory which Caesar Galerius won over the Persians. From then on, he demanded for himself the title of Augustus and, we are made to believe, insisted upon being called a son of Mars as second Romulus. Did he thus deviate from the truth? Or, on the contrary, did Galerius render Mars his divine patron and does Lactantius’ account remain in agreement with other sources and reflect the true course of events. The aim in this article is to resolve this issue. It thus seems that as a result of the triumph over the Persians, which he was believed to owe to Mars, Galerius gained a new position already under the first tetrarchy, which Lactantius testifies to in his work On the Deaths of the Persecutors. It is thus clear that Lactantius’s testimony according to which Galerius recognized Mars as his divine patron is credible and remains in agreement both with a number of other sources and with the true course of events.

Keywords

EN

Galerius; Lactantius; Mars; Tetrarchy

• Publisher: Uniwersytet Łódzki. Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
• Journal: Studia Ceranea
• Year: 2022
• Volume: 13
• Pages: 239-253

Dates

published

2023

Contributors

author

Sławomir Bralewski

• University of Lodz, Faculty of Philosophy and History, Institute of History, Department of Byzantine Studies

• https://orcid.org/0000000247080103

References

• Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum gestarum libri qui supersunt, vol. I–II, ed. C.V. Clark, Berlin 1910–1915.
• Aurelius Victor, Liber de Caesaribus Sexti Aurelii Victoris (Sextus Aurelius Victor). Praecedunt Origo gentis Romanae et liber de viris illustribus urbis Romae. Subs. epitome de Caesaribus, ed. F. Pichlmayr, R. Gründel, Leipzig 1966 [= Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana].
• The Breviarium of Festus, ed., comm. J.W. Eadie, London 1967.
• The Chronicle of Pseudo-Joshua the Stylite, trans., praef. F.R. Trombley, J.W. Watt, Liverpool 2000 [= Translated Texts for Historians, 32].
• Chronicon Paschale, vol. I–II, rec. L. Dindorf, Bonn 1832 [= Corpus scriptorum historiae byzantinae].
• Constantinus Imperator, Oratio ad sanctorum coetum Constantini imperatoris oratio ad coetum sanctorum, [in:] Eusebius, Werke, vol. I, ed. J.A. Heikel, Leipzig 1902 [= Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten [drei] Jahrhunderte, 23], p. 149–192.
• Corpus inscriptionum latinarum, Berlin 1862–.
• Edictum Diocletiani de nuptiis et incestiis, [in:] Mosaicarum et Romanarum Legum Collatio, ed. M. Hyamson, Oxford 1913.
• Eusebius Caesariensis, Historia ecclesiastica, ed. H. Pietras, Kraków 2013 [= Źródła Myśli Teologicznej, 70].
• Eutropius, Breviarium ab urbe condita, trans., comm. H.W. Bird, Liverpool 1993 [= Translated Texts for Historians, 14].
• Hieronymus, Chronicon, ed. R. Helm, Berlin 1956 [= Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten [drei] Jahrhunderte, 7].
• In Praise of Later Roman Emperors. Panegirici Latini, ed. R.A.B. Mynors, C.E.V. Nixon, B.S. Rodgers, Berkeley–Los Angeles–Oxford 1994 [= Transformation of the Classical Heritage, 21].
• Inscriptiones latinae selectae, ed. H. Dessau, Berlin 1892–1916.
• Ioannis Zonarae Epitome historiarum libri XIII–XVIII, rec. T. Büttner-Wobst, Bonnae 1897 [= Corpus scriptorum historiae byzantinae].
• Lactantius, De mortibus persecutorum, ed. J. Moreau, Paris 1954 [= Sources chrétiennes, 39].
• Origo Constantini. Anonymus Valesianus, ed. I. König, Trier 1987.
• Orosius, Historiae adversus paganos, vol. I–III, ed. M.-P. Arnaud-Lindet, Paris 1990–1991.
• P’awstos Buzand’s, History of the Armenians, trans. R. Bedrosian, New York 1985.
• Petri Patricii Excerpta de legationibus Romanorum ad gentes, [in:] Fragmenta historicorum Graecorum, vol. IV, ed. K. Müller, Parisiis 1851.
• Sutherland C.H.V., The Roman Imperial Coinage, vol. VI, From Diocletian’s Reform (A.D. 294) to the Death of Maximinus (A.D. 313), ed. C.H.V. Sutherland, R.A.G. Carson, [s.l.] 1967.
• Balbuza K., Triumfator. Triumf i ideologia zwycięstwa w starożytnym Rzymie epoki Cesarstwa, Poznań 2005.
• Banchich T. M., The Lost History of Peter the Patrician. An Account of Rome’s Imperial Past from the Age of Justinian, London–New York 2015 [= Routledge Classical Translations].
• Bardill J., Constantine, Divine Emperor of the Christian Golden Age, Cambridge 2011.
• Barnes T. D., Constantine and Eusebius, Cambridge Massachusetts–London 1981.
• Barnes T. D., Constantine. Dynasty, Religion and Power in the Later Roman Empire, Oxford 2011.
• Barnes T. D., Imperial Campaigns, A. D. 285–311, “Phoenix” 30, 1976, p. 174–193, https://doi.org/10.2307/1087091
• Barnes T. D., The New Empire of Diocletian and Constantine, Cambridge Massachusetts–London 1982, https://doi.org/10.4159/harvard.9780674280670
• Beard M., North J., Price S., Religions of Rome, Cambridge 1998.
• Berrens S., Sonnenkult und Kaisertum von den Severern bis zu Constantin I (193–337 n. Chr.), Stuttgart 2004.
• Blockley R., The Romano-Persian Peace Treaties of A. D. 299 and 363, “Florilegium” 6, 1984, p. 28–49, https://doi.org/10.3138/flor.6.002
• Bowman A. K., The Military Occupation of Upper Egypt in the Reign of Diocletian, “Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists” 15.1/2, 1978, p. 25–38.
• Bruggisser P., Constantin aux rostres, [in:] Historiae Augustae Colloquium Perusinum, ed. G. Bonamente, F. Paschoud, Bari 2002, p. 73–91.
• Champeaux J., “Pietas”. Piété personnelle et piété collective à Rome, “Bulletin de l’Association Guillaume Budé” 3, 1989, p. 263–279, https://doi.org/10.3406/bude.1989.1405
• Charlesworth M. P., The Virtues of Roman Emperor and the Creation of the Belief, “Proceedings of the British Academy” 23, 1937, p. 105–133.
• Dignas B., Winter E., Rome and Persia in Late Antiquity. Neighbours and Rivals, Cambridge–New York 2007, https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511619182
• Dodgeon M.H., Lieu S.N.C., The Roman Eastern Frontier and the Persian Wars. A.D. 226–363, London 1991.
• Donciu R., L’empereur Maxence, Bari 2012.
• Fears J. R., The Cult of Virtues and Roman Imperial Ideology, [in:] Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt, vol. II, 17.2, ed. W. Haase, New York–Berlin 1981, p. 864–870, https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110850680-007
• Halsberghe G. H., The Cult of Sol Invictus, Leiden 1972 [= Études préliminaires aux religions orientales dans l’empire romain, 23], https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004296251
• Jaczynowska M., Religie świata rzymskiego, Warszawa 1987.
• Jones A.H.M., The Later Roman Empire 284–602. A Social, Economic, and Administrative Survay, Oxford 1964.
• Kähler H., Das Fünfsäulendenkmal für die Tetrarchen auf dem Forum Romanum, Köln 1964 [= Monumenta artis romanae, 3].
• Kolb F., Chronologie und Ideologie der Tetrarchie, “Antiquité Tardive” 3, 1995, p. 21–31, https://doi.org/10.1484/J.AT.2.301085
• Kolb F., Die Datierung des ägyptischen Aufstands unter L. Domitius Domitianus und Aurelius Achilleus, “Eos” 76, 1988, p. 325–343.
• Kolb F., Diocletian und die Erste Tetrarchie. Improvisation oder Experiment in der Organisation monarchischer Herrschaft?, Berlin 1987 [= Untersuchungen zur antiken Literatur und Geschichte, 27], https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110846508
• Kolb F., Ideał późnoantycznego władcy. Ideologia i autoprezentacja, trans. A. Gierlińska, Poznań 2008.
• Kotłowska A., Obraz dziejów w Chronici Canones Euzebiusza z Cezarei, Poznań 2009.
• Laubscher H. P., Die Reliefschmuck des Galeriusbogens in Thessaloniki, Berlin 1975.
• Leadbetter B., Galerius and the Will of Diocletian, London–New York 2009 [= Roman Imperial Biographies], https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203869284
• MacDonald D., The Death of Gordian III, Another Tradition, “Historia” 30, 1981, p. 502–508.
• Manders E., Coining Images of Power. Patterns in the Representation of Roman Emperors on Imperial Coinage, A. D. 193–284, Leiden–Boston 2012 [= Impact of Empire, 15], https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004224001
• Mattingly H., Jovius and Herculius, “Harvard Theological Review” 45.2, 1952, p. 131–134, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0017816000020770
• Nicholson O. P., The Wild Man of the Tetrarchy: a Divine Companion for the Emperor Galerius, “Byzantion” 54, 1984, p. 253–275.
• Ostrowski J. A., Starożytny Rzym. Polityka i sztuka, Warszawa 1999.
• Pond Rothman M. S., The Panel of the Emperors Enthroned on the Arch of Galerius, “Byzantine Studies / Études byzantines” 2, 1975, p. 19–41.
• Pond Rothman M. S., The Thematic Organization of the Panel Reliefs on the Arch of Galerius, “American Journal of Archaeology” 81, 1977, p. 427–454, https://doi.org/10.2307/503277
• Seston W., Dioclétien et la tétrarchie. Guerres et réformes (284–300), Paris 1946.
• Seston W., L’«humiliation» de Galère, “Revue des Études Anciennes” 42, 1940, p. 515–519, https://doi.org/10.3406/rea.1940.3134
• Suski R., Galeriusz. Cesarz, wódz i prześladowca, Kraków 2016.
• Suski R., Upokorzenie Galeriusza przez Dioklecjana. Prawda czy mit, [in:] Chrześcijaństwo u schyłku starożytności. Studia źródłoznawcze, vol. II, ed. T. Derda, E. Wipszycka, Kraków 1999, p. 153–182.
• Suski R., Wyprawa Aleksandra Sewera przeciwko Persom w świetle późnorzymskiej i bizantyjskiej historiografii, [in:] Armia, systemy obronne i ideologiczno-religijne aspekty wojny w imperium rzymskim, ed. H. Kowalski, P. Madejski, Lublin 2015, p. 195–214.
• Suski R., Zwycięska kampania Galeriusza w wojnie z Persami 298–299, [in:] Chrześcijaństwo u schyłku starożytności. Studia źródłoznawcze, vol. II, ed. T. Derda, E. Wipszycka, Kraków 1999, p. 162–171.
• Versnel H. S., Triumphus. An Inquiry into the Origin, Development, and Meaning of the Roman Triumph, Leiden 1970, p. 66–93, https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004674738
• Wagenvoort H., Pietas, [in:] Pietas. Selected Studies in Roman Religion, ed. H. Wagenvoort, Leiden 1980 [= Studies in Greek and Roman Religion, 1], p. 1–20, https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004296688_002
• Wallace-Hadrill A., The Emperor and his Virtues, “Historia” 30.3, 1981, p. 298–323.
• Zuckerman C., Les campagnes des tétrarques, 296–298. Notes de chronologie, “Antiquité Tardive” 2, 1994, p. 65–70, https://doi.org/10.1484/J.AT.2.301153

Identifiers

DOI

10.18778/2084-140X.13.19

Biblioteka Nauki

31234043