Internet Medieval Sourcebooks Selected Sources: End of the Classical World
Contents - Pagan Late Antiquity
- Late Antique Government and Culture
- The "Fall" of the Roman Empire
- Christian Late Antiquity
- Early Christianity After 100
- Persecution of Christians
- The "Triumph" of the Church
- Persecution by Christians/The End of Paganism
- Early Dogmatic Disputes
- Disputes over the Trinity: Arianism
- Disputes over Christology: Nestorianism and Monophysitism
- The World of the Church Fathers
- Eastern Fathers
- Western Fathers
- Christianity and Classical Learning
- The German Impact
- Early Germans
- Invading Germans/Other "Barbarians"
Pagan Late Antiquity - Ancient History Sourcebook
- Late Antiquity in the Mediterranean [At ORB/Nipissiing] [Internet Archive versionhere]
- Society for Late Antiquity Website [Internet Archive versionhere]
- Jacqueline Long:World of Late Antiquity Syllabus [Loyola-Chicago] [Internet Archive versionhere]
- ORBIS: The Stanford Geospatial Network Model of the Roman World
- Late Antique Government and Culture
- Notitia Dignitatum (Register of Dignitaries), c. 400
A list of all the officials in the Roman Empire, East and West, circa. 400 CE - The Theodosian Code trans Clyde Pharr. Extensive excerpts [At Googe Books] [Internet Archive versionhere]
- Salvian:The Burden of Taxation, c. 440.
- Sidonius Apollinaris:"Country House Life in Gaul" and "A Visigothic King".
- Sidonius Apollinaris:A Civilized Barbarian and a Barbarous Roman
- Palladius:On Husbandry, c. 350
- Philostratus:Life of Apollonius of Tyana, c. 220 CE. [At Livius.org]
- Porphyry:Against the Christians.
- Julian ("the Apostate") (b.332-r.361-d.363):Letter to Arsacius, c. 360. [At Wikisource]
- Martianius Capella:The Marriage of Philology and Mercury early 5th Century. [At Christian Platonism] [Internet Archive versionhere]
His single encyclopedic work,De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii ("On the Marriage of Philology and Mercury"), also calledDe septem disciplinis ("On the seven disciplines"), is an elaborate didactic allegory written in a mixture of prose and elaborately allusive verse. Martianus often presents philosophical views based on Neoplatonism, the Platonic school of philosophy pioneered by Plotinus and his followers. [Wikipedia] - The Zoroastrian Creed. See alsoCatholic Encyclopedia: The Avesta See alsoCatholic Encyclopedia: The Avesta - Theological Aspects
- The "Fall" of the Roman Empire
- Ammianus Marcellinus (c.330-395 CE):The Roman History During the Reigns of the Emperors Constantius, Julian, Jovianus, Valentinian, and Valens Trans.Charles Yonge, Charles Duke. [Full text in various formats] [Project Gutenberg]
- Ammianus Marcellinus (c.330-395 CE):The Siege of Amida in 359 by Ammianus Marecllinus [At De Re Militari] [Internet Archive versionhere]
- Jordanes (fl.c.550 CE):History of the Goths Chap. 20: The Devastation of the Goths in the Reign of Gallienus, 260-268
- Ammianus Marcellinus (330-395 CE):The Battle of Adrianople 378
- Ammianus Marcellinus (c.330-395 CE):History, XIV.16: The Luxury of the Rich in Rome, c. 400
- St. Jerome (c.340-420):The Fate of Rome, from Letter to Agenuchia 409, lamenting the Visigoths
- Rutilius Numantius:On His Return, I.xi.47, The Greatness of Rome in the Days of Ruin, 413
- The Siege of Amida in 502, according to Pseudo-Joshua the Stylite [At De Re Militari] [Internet Archive versionhere]
- Cassiodorus (490-c.585):Warfare and Military Affairs in the Letters of Cassiodorus [At De Re Militari] [Internet Archive versionhere]
- The Gallic Chronicle of 452: translation and commentary by Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi [At Aymennjawad.org] [Internet Archive versionhere]
- The Gallic Chronicle of 511: translation and commentary by Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi [At Aymennjawad.org] [Internet Archive versionhere]
- Edward Gibbon:On the Fall of the Roman Empire.. Not exactly a source, but Gibbon's views are very commonly discussed in class.
- Arnold Toynbee:Christianity and Civilization [At Church of Greece] [Internet Archive versionhere] A very different view than Gibbon's.
- Walter Goffart: :Rome’s Final Conquest: The Barbarians, History Compass 6/3 (2008): 855–883 [At TTU] Views of a modern historian dedicated to the "accommodationist" theory. [Internet Archive versionhere]
- Procopius:The Plague, 542, History of the Wars, II.xxii-xxxiii:
Christian Late Antiquity - Fourth-Century Christianity 311-383, [At Wisconsin Lutheran College] [Internet Archiveversion]
A site promoting and storing research tools and texts for the study of the Church and its environment in the Fourth Century AD. This is a major e-text, research, and teaching resource. - Early Church Texts
Latin and Greek originals of many early church documents, freely available [and with an English translation for a subscription]. - Socrates Scholasticus (c.379-440): Ecclesiastical History [At New Advent site] [From Ante-Nicene and Nicene Fathers Series] [Covers 305-446 CE]
- Socrates Scholasticus (c.379-440): Ecclesiastical History [Wikisource] [Covers 305-446 CE]
- Early Christianity After 100
- Persecution of Christians
- The "Triumph of the Church"
- Eusebius of Caesarea (c 260/265-339):Ecclesiastical History: conversion of Constantine. See alsoCatholic Encyclopedia: Labarum (Chi-Rho)
- Eusebius of Caesarea (c 260/265-339):In Praise of the Emperor Constantine [At Calgary] [Internet Archive Versionhere]
- Edit of Galerius and the "Edict of Milan", 311/313.
- Constantine I:Laws for Christians.
- Constantine I:On the Keeping of Easter.
- Jews and the Later Roman Law 315-531
Laws by Constantine the Great, Constantius (337-361), Theodosius II (408-410), and Justinian (527-565). - Julian and the Jews, 361-363
From Sozomen,Ecclesiastical History written about 443-450 - Anonymous Sermon on the Pantheon, trans. William North. PDF [At Carleton] [Internet Archive version here]
Sermon describing the conversion of the Roman Pantheon into a Christian Church by Pope Boniface IV (608-15). - Legislation Affecting the Jews, 300 to 800 CE
Index to Roman, Western and canonical laws - Prayers for Making a Synagogue into a Church, in Latin.
From the Liber Sacramentorum Romanae Ecclesiae
- Persecution by Christians/The End of Paganism
- Theodosian Code XVI.i.2: Banning of Other Religions, 379-395.
- Theodosian Code: On Religion
- Chart:Imperial Laws and Letters Involving Religion AD 395-431 [Internet Archive versionhere]
- Zosimus:Historia Nova. [Was At Then Again, now Internet Archive]
On the ending of Paganism. - Celsus (Africanus) (2nd Century CE):To Vigilius, “Letter on Jewish Disbelief” [At Andrew Jacobs] [Internet Archive versionhere]
- Mark the Deacon:Life of Porphyry of Gaza, 5th Century, [full text]
fascinating account of the Christian destruction of Paganism in Gaza. - Socrates Scholasticus (c.380-after 439):The Murder of Hypatia.
A leading female philosopher, Hypatia was murdered by a Christian mob in Alexandria, urged on by St. Cyril. See alsoThe Hypatia Page. Three historical version's of Hypatia's murder are available, and useful for comparative purposes:- Damascius:The Life of Hypatia, from theLife of Isidore, reproduced inThe Suda. [Was At cosmopolis.com, now Internet Archive]
- Socrates Scholasticus (c.380-after 439):The Life of Hypatia, [Was At cosmopolis.com, now Internet Archive]
- John of Nikiu (fl. 680-690):The Life of Hypatia. [Was At cosmopolis.com, now Internet Archive]
- Early Dogmatic Disputes
- Disputes over the Trinity: Arianism
- A Chronology of the Arian Controversy 311-383, [At Church of the East]
With the texts of the Ten Arian Confessions,(although some of the links are broken). - Athanasius (c296-298-373):History of the Arians, trans M. Atkinson, full text [At EWTN [Internet Archive versionhere]
- Gregory of Nyssa (335-c.395):Popular Discussion of Theology in the Streets of Constantinople, fromOn the Divinity of the Son and the Spirit (August 383)
- Documents of the Early Arian Controverey [At Fourth Century Christianity] [Internet Archive versionhere]
- Collectio Avellana:An account of the schism which occurred between the bishops Liberius and Felix and continued under Damasus and Ursinus The Papal Schism between Liberius and Felix [At Fourth Century Christianity] [Internet Archive versionhere]
- Conciliar Creeds of he Fourth Century [At Fourth Century Christianity] [Internet Archive versionhere]
| Doc. No. | Date | Council | Name | Page No. | Ancient Sources | CPG | | *see below | 325 | Antioch | The Pre-Nicene Creed | | Only available in Syriac: Paris Ms. (Cod. Par. Syr. 62) Vatican Cod. Syr. 148; Mignana Cod. Syr. 8. For the Syriac text and a reconstruction of Greek, see E. Schwartz, Zur Geschichte des Athanasius, VI in Nachricht. Gott. 1905,pp. 272-9 | 8509 | | 142 | 325 | Nicaea | The Nicene Creed with anathemas | 160-161 | Athanasius, Defense of the Nicene Defenition, 37; Theodoret, HE 1.12; Socrates, HE 1.8.29-30; Gelasius History of the Council of Nicaea, 2 | 8512 | | 153 | 341 | Antioch | First Creed of Antioch | 183-184 | Athanasius, De Synodis, 22; Socrates, HE 2.10.4-9 | 8556 | | 154 | 341 | Antioch | Second Creed of Antioch | 184-186 | Athanasius De Synodis, 23; Hilary, De Synodis, 29; Socrates HE 2.10.10-18 | 8557 | | 155 | 341 | Antioch | Third Creed of Antioch | 186-187 | Athanasius, De Synodis, 24 | 8558 | | 156 | 341 | Antioch | Fourth Creed of Antioch | 187-188 | Athanasius, De Synodis, 25; Socrates, HE 2.18.3-6a | 8559 | | 157 | 343 | Serdica | Creed of the Western Serdican Council | 188-190 | Theodoret, HE 2.8.37-52 | 8560 | | 158 | 343 | Philippopolis | Creed of the Eastern Serdican Council | 190-191 | Hilary, De Synodis 34 | 8573 | | 159 | 345 | Antioch | Ekthesis Makrostichos or “The Long-lined Creed” | 192-196 | Athanasius, De Synodis, 26; Socrates, HE 2.19.3-28 | 8575 | | 160 | 351 | Sirmium | First Creed of Sirmium | 196-199 | Athanasius, De Synodis, 27; Socrates, HE 2.30.5-30; Hilary, De Synodis, 38 | 8577 | | 161 | 357 | Sirmium | Second Creed of Sirmium or “The Blasphemy of Sirmium” | 199-201 | Athanasius, De Synodis, 28; Hilary, De Synodis, 11; Socrates, HE 2.30.31-41 | 8578 | | 162 | 358 | Ancyra | The Anathemas of the Council of Ancrya | 201-204 | Epiphaniuis, Panarion 73.10.1-73.11.10 | 8579 | | 163 | 359 | Sirmium | Fourth Creed of Sirmium or “The Dated Creed” | 204-205 | Athanasius, De Synodis, 8; Socrates, HE 2.37.18-24 | 8581 | | 164 | 359 | Nike (Thrace) | The Thracian-Nicaean Creed | 205-206 | Theodoret, HE 2.21.3-7a | 8588 | | 165 | 359 | Seleucia (in Isauria) | 9th Confession | 206-208 | Athanasius De Synodis, 29; Socrates, HE 2.40; Epiphianus, Pan. Haer. 73.25 | 8589 | | 167 | 360 | Constantinople | The Homoian Creed | 208-209 | Athanasius, De Synodis, 30; Socrates, HE 2.41.8-16 | 8591 | | 144 | 381 | Constantinople | The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed or “The Nicene Creed” | 162-165 | E. Schwartz, ACO II 1.2 (1935) | 8599 | | 168 | 400 | Toledo | The Creed of the First Council of Toledo | 209-213 | Collectio Hispanna; Collection of the Ms. of Saint-Amand (Massen p. 216-217) | — |
- The Nicene Creed. See alsoCatholic Encyclopedia: Nicene Creed
- Canons of the Council of Nicea, 325. See alsoCatholic Encyclopedia: Arianism
- Alexander:Deposition of Arius, [At CCEL].
- Athanasius of Alexandria:Apologia Contra Arianos.[At CCEL]
- Philostorgius (c.368-c.439):Ecclesiastical History [From beginning of Arian Schism to 425] [At Tertullian]
Ostensibly a continuation of Eusebius but in reality a late apology for the extreme Arianism of Eunomius. - Philostorgius (c.368-c.439):Ecclesiastical History [From beginning of Arian Schism to 425] [Wikisource]
- Disputes over Christology: Nestorianism and Monophysitism
- Justinian:Dialogue with Paul of Nisibis, translated by Dr. Jeffrey Macdonald, 1998 [At Pachomias]
- Documents Leading to the Council of Ephesus [At Fourth Century Christianity] [Internet Archive version here]
| Date | CPG | Title | Eng. Transl. | | late 419 | 5240.08 | Cyril, Festal Letter 8, for 420 | FCC; FC118:137-154 | | late 428 | 5240.17 | Cyril, Festal Letter 17, for 429 | FCC; FC127: 58-73 | | | 6028 | Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica, 7.32 | FCC; NPNF2 2:170-171 | | Dec. 24, 428 | 5800/8630 | Proclus, sermon on Mary | FCC; Constas 137-147 | | early Jan. 429 | 5716/8631 | Nestorius, Sermon 27, on Mary | FCC | | early 429 | 5940/8620 | Eusebius of Doryleum, Protest [contestatio] | FCC; CE #1 | | spring 429 | 5301/8621 | Cyril (Letter 1), to the Egyptian monks | FCC; McG 245-261; FC 76 13-33 | | mid 429 | 5665/8634 | Nestorius, 1st Letter to Celestine | FCC; CE #2 | | mid 429 | 5309/8622 | Cyril (Letter 10), to his apocrisiarii | FCC; CE #4; FC76: 55-59 | | summer 429 | 5302/8627 | Cyril (Letter 2), 1st Letter to Nestorius | FCC; CE #8; FC76: 34-36 | | summer 429 | 5666/5303 | Nestorius, 1st Letter to Cyril (= Cyril, Letter 3) | FCC; FC 76:37; CE 117-120 | | mid-late 429 | 5307/8624 | Cyril (Letter 8), to his critics | FCC; CE 112; FC76:-51-52 | | mid-late 429 | 5308/8623 | Cyril (Letter 9), to a student of Nestorius | FCC; FC76: 53-55 | | late 429 | 5667/8635 | Nestorius, 2nd Letter to Celestine | FCC; CE #3; DelCog |
- The World of the Church Fathers
- Christian Classics Ethereal Library
For many theological works, including entire contents of the Ante-Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers series, - New Advent Fathers of the Church
Another online version of the Ante-Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers series. - St. Pachomius Library: Alphabetical Index, for listing of Orthodox documents online.
- St. Vincent of Lerins:The "Vincentian Canon", 434 CE
A classic definition of "orthodoxy". - Eastern Fathers
- Gregory of Nyssa (c.335-d.c.395):Life of Macrina, trans. W.K. Lowther Clarke.
One of the most important lives of a female saint. This is an account of Gregory's strongminded sister, Macrina (c.327-379). - Amphilochius of Iconium:Against the Heretics (Against False Asceticism) tran. by Andrew S. Jacobs [Internet Archive versionhere] Ps.-Amphilochius of Iconium:On the Circumcision and Basis [BHG 262], trans. Andrew Jacobs (5th or 6th Cent) [Internet Archive version here]
- The Teaching of Jacob Newly Baptized (Doctrina Jacobi Nuper Baptizati) trans. Andrew Jacobs (7th Cent) [Internet Archive versionhere]
A Greek dialogue text set in 7th-century Carthage (specifically, the action takes place in spring and summer of the year 634).
- Western Fathers
- Augustine of Hippo (354-430):Confessions: His Conversion
- Dispute Between Symmachus and Ambrose.
- Ambrose of Milan (c.340-397):Ambrose: Letter to Valentian II, 386, defending the autonomy of the Church.
- Ambrose of Milan (c.340-397):Ambrose: Letter to Theodosius, 390, rebuke for massacre.
- Ambrose of Milan (c.340-397):Selected Letters, [At Calgary][Internet Archive versionhere]
- Theodoret (c.393-466):St. Ambrose Humiliates Theodosius the Great, fromEcclesiastical History, V.17-18
- Augustine of Hippo (354-430):On Christin Doctrine [CCEL]
- Augustine of Hippo (354-430):City of God, excerpts. The full text of theCity of God is available inPDF orhtml formats
- Augustine of Hippo (354-430):The City of God: excerpts on the Two Cities
- Zeno of Verona:On the Lord's Birth II. trans. Andrew Jacobs (late 4th Cent) [Internet Archive versionhere]
Notable for its early and robust defense of the perpetual virginity of Mary and its unselfconscious reliance on so-called apocrypha. - Quicunque Vult, or The Creed of St. Athanasius
Reflects a Latin view of Trinitarian Doctrine. - Council of Orange 529
The canons of this council attacked the "semi-Pelagians", and supported Augustine's position on grace and freewill.
- Christianity and Classical Learning
The German Impact - Early Germans
- Invading Germans/Other "Barbarians"
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