«In omnibus Deo bene placentes»: economic behavior strategies of Christian senators of the 4th – 5th centuries

Author(s):  E.S. Zaitseva, Ural Federal University name 1st President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Ekaterinburg, Russia, zajceva-evgeniya@list.ru

Issue:  Volume 46, № 3

Rubric:  Topical issues of world history

Annotation:  This paper discusses the economic behavior of the Roman senators who converted to Christianity at the turn of the 4th – 5th centuries AD. The author compares the property welfare of pagans and Christians. Certainly, a complex of reasons caused the «impoverishment» of the Roman senators: the loss of provincial estates as a result of barbaric invasions, the general impoverishment of state resources, increased taxation, funding of circenses for citizens, euergetism. However the adoption of a new religion accelerated the process of «impoverishment» of the late Roman senatorial gentes. Getting under the influence of Christian mentors (St. Jerome, Paulinus Nolanus, Aurelius Augustinus), they sold domus in Rome and estates in the provinces, financed the construction of xenodochium and titular churches, actively participated in charitable activities. It did not cause rejection of the aristocrats because it was a continuation of the practice of patronage. The institute of secular patronage was in crisis during this period. And the bishops did everything to get rich Roman patrons into one’s folds. For a part of the senatorial class, belonging to the political elite turned out to be less significant than involvement in the religious and intellectual life associated with Christianity

Keywords:  Late Antiquity, Roman Senators, Christianity, Western Roman Empire, Christian Euergetism and Patronage, Titular Churches

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