Ajax (missionary)

Ajax (missionary)

Ajax was an Arian missionary to the pagan Suevi of Galicia who converted them to Christianity in 464Thompson, "Spain and Britain", in "Romans and Barbarians", 215.] or 466.Wolfram, 181.] Mathisen, 683.]

Due in part to his unusual Homeric name his origins have been debated. The contemporary chronicler Hydatius, the Catholic bishop of Aquae Flaviae, refers to him as "Aiax natione Galata". "Galata" may refer to either a Galician, Gaul, or Galatian. It is doubtful that he was the first, since Hydatius would have called him "Gallaeci".Thompson, "The Conversion of the Spanish Suevi to Catholicism", 80–81.] Arias, 21.] It is sometimes assumed that "Galata" is a way to refer to a Greek from the East (i.e. Galatia). On the other hand the term may mean that he was Celtic, either Gaulish or Galatian. This usage of "Galata" for a Celt may be expected in Hydatius, who had travelled to the East as a child, for it was a Greek norm.

Ajax was sent by Theodoric II, king of the Visigoths at Toulouse, to convert the Suevi to Arianism. The barbarian Arians showed a markedly greater missionary fervour than the Catholics in the fifth century.Thompson, "Barbarian Collaborators and Christians", 240.] Theodoric's action may have been a result of the reopening of Suevo-Gothic diplomacy under the Suevic king Remismund, who married a Gothic princess and became a "son in arms" of Theodoric. He may have been sent at Remismund's request.

According to Hydatius, Ajax was "the enemy of the Catholic faith and of the Divine Trinity" ("hostis catholicae fidei et divinae trinitatis"), a statement which later Isidore of Seville interpreted to mean that the Suevi were Catholics when Ajax converted them to heresy.Thompson, "Spain and Britain", in "Romans and Barbarians", 218.] Hydatius also calls Ajax "effectus apostata", meaning an apostate from Catholicism. Ajax was also a "senior Arrianus inter Suevos", which may refer either to a bishop or a priest, or may not. It may mean either "senior Arian" or "Arian senior", and may refer to a layman or a member of the Gothic sacerdotal college; in Catholic usage it could mean presbyter.Mathisen, 684.]

Ajax' missionary venture was largely successful, especially amongst the nobility.Ferreiro, 202.] He may well not have been the only Arian missionary sent to Galicia by the Visigoths; though he seems to have organised an influential church there.Ferreiro, 207.]

External links

*Hydatius. [http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/hydatiuschronicon.html "Hydatii Episcopi Chronicon".]

References


*Arias, Jorge C. [http://people.virginia.edu/~jca4w/Jorge%20Arias%20-%20Identity%20and%20Interaction%20The%20Suevi%20and%20the%20Hispano-Romans.pdf "Identity and Interactions: The Suevi and the Hispano-Romans."] University of Virginia: Spring 2007.
*Ferreiro, Alberto. [http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pao-us:&rft_dat=xri:pao:article:v530-1995-003-00-000009 "Braga and Tours: Some Observations on Gregory's "De virtutibus sancti Martini"."] "Journal of Early Christian Studies". 3 (1995), p. 195–210.
*Mathisen, Ralph W. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0038-7134%28199707%2972%3A3%3C664%3ABBATC%22%3E2.0.CO%3B2-H "Barbarian Bishops and the Churches 'in Barbaricis Gentibus' During Late Antiquity."] "Speculum", Vol. 72, No. 3. (Jul., 1997), pp. 664–697.
*Thompson, E. A. [http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pao-us:&rft_dat=xri:pao:article:v530-1995-003-00-000009 "The End of Roman Spain: Part IV, Conclusion."] "Nottingham Mediaeval Studies", xxiii (1979), pp. 1–21. Reprinted as "Spain and Britain" in "Romans and Barbarians: The Decline of the Western Empire" (pp. 208–229). Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1982. ISBN 0 299 08700 X.
*Thompson, E. A. "Barbarian Collaborators and Christians." "Romans and Barbarians: The Decline of the Western Empire" (pp. 230–250). Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1982. ISBN 0 299 08700 X.
*Thompson, E. A. "The Conversion of the Spanish Suevi to Catholicism." "Visigothic Spain: New Approaches". ed. Edward James. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980. ISBN 0 19 922543 1.
*Wolfram, Herwig. "History of the Goths". Thomas J. Dunlap, trans. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1988.

Notes


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ajax — may refer to: Mythology * Ajax (mythology), son of Telamon and a hero in the Trojan war, also known as Ajax the Great * Ajax the Lesser, son of Oileus and also a hero in the Trojan warPeople*Ajax (missionary), Arian missionary who converted the… …   Wikipedia

  • Parish of the Falkland Islands — Christ Church Cathedral, Port Stanley, Falkland Islands …   Wikipedia

  • History of the Falkland Islands — The history of the Falkland Islands goes back at least five hundred years, with active exploration and colonisation only taking place in the 18th century. Nonetheless, the islands have been a matter of controversy, as they have been claimed by… …   Wikipedia

  • Mark Twain — Mark Twain, photo by A. F. Bradley New York, 1907 Born …   Wikipedia

  • Culture of South Africa — South Africa is known for its ethnic and cultural diversity. Therefore, there is no single culture of South Africa. Zulus in Natal …   Wikipedia

  • Brock, Ontario — Township of Brock   Township   Beaverton …   Wikipedia

  • Samuel Kuffour — Football player infobox playername = Samuel Kuffour fullname = Samuel Osei Kuffour dateofbirth = birth date and age|1976|9|3 cityofbirth = Kumasi countryofbirth = Ghana height = height|ft=5|in=10 currentclub = clubnumber = position = Defender… …   Wikipedia

  • List of Eternals — The Eternals are a race of cosmic beings in Marvel Comics. The following is a list of known Eternals in the Marvel Universe. Membership*Ikaris [ The Eternals #1] A Polar Eternal, son of Virako and Tulayn, father of Icarus. It is not known what… …   Wikipedia

  • South Africa — This article is about the modern country. For other uses, see South Africa (disambiguation). Republic of South Africa …   Wikipedia

  • Suebi — The Suebi or Suevi (from Proto Germanic * swēbaz based on the Proto Germanic root * swē meaning one s own people,cite web | last=Peterson | first=Lena | title=Swābaharjaz | work=Lexikon över urnordiska personnamn | publisher=Institutet för språk… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”