Christian Emperors, Divination, and Curiositas
This article discusses the notion of curiosity (curiositas) in fourth-century Christian emperors' legislation on divination. Curiosity or inquisitiveness was mainly treated negatively in legislation and in ecclesiastical polemical literature, especially where ›pagans‹ and ›heretics‹ were concer...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Print Article |
| Language: | German |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2018
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| In: |
Jahrbuch für Antike und Christentum
Year: 2018, Volume: 61, Pages: 133-147 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Roman Empire
/ Curiosity
/ Fortune-telling
/ Legislation
/ History 300-399
B Augustinus, Aurelius, Saint 354-430 / Church fathers / Curiosity / Appraisal |
| IxTheo Classification: | KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity XA Law |
| Further subjects: | B
Emperors
B Divination B Curiosity B Christian Literature B CHRISTIAN attitudes B Primitive & early church, ca. 30-600 |
| Summary: | This article discusses the notion of curiosity (curiositas) in fourth-century Christian emperors' legislation on divination. Curiosity or inquisitiveness was mainly treated negatively in legislation and in ecclesiastical polemical literature, especially where ›pagans‹ and ›heretics‹ were concerned. How did the Christian emperors' attitudes differ from those of their non-Christian predecessors, and in which aspects were they similar? hat was forbidden knowledge and which were the forbidden ways and tools of attaining it? In addition, I survey the idea of curiositas in the writings of early Christian writers, with the main focus on Augustine. My analysis reveals the emergence of new ways of defining legitimate and illicit knowledge, but also continuities in making these distinctions and in attempts to control knowledge. |
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| ISSN: | 0075-2541 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Jahrbuch für Antike und Christentum
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