The Origins Of Roman Christian Diplomacy

This book illuminates the origins of Roman Christian diplomacy through two case studies: Constantius II’s imperial strategy in the Red Sea; and John Chrysostom's ecclesiastical strategy in Gothia and Sasanian Persia. Both men have enjoyed a strong narrative tradition: Constantius as a persecuting, theological fanatic, and Chrysostom as a stubborn, naïve reformer. Yet this tradition has often masked their remarkable innovations. As part of his strategy for conquest, Constantius was forced to focus on Alexandria, demonstrating a carefully orchestrated campaign along the principal eastern trade route. Meanwhile, whilst John Chrysostom' s preaching and social reform have garnered extensive discussion, his late sermons and letters composed in exile reveal an ambitious program to establish church structures outside imperial state control. The book demonstrates that these two pioneers innovated a diplomacy that utilised Christianity as a tool for forging alliances with external peoples; a procedure that would later become central to Byzantine statecraft. It will appeal to all those interested in Early Christianity and late antique/medieval history.

"This book illuminates the origins of Roman Christian diplomacy through two case studies: Constantius II's imperial strategy in the Red Sea; and John Chrysostom's ecclesiastical strategy in Gothia and Sasanian Persia. Both men have enjoyed a strong narrative tradition: Constantius as a persecuting, theological fanatic, and Chrysostom as a stubborn, naèive reformer. Yet this tradition has often masked their remarkable innovations. As part of his strategy for conquest, Constantius was forced to focus on Alexandria, demonstrating a carefully orchestrated campaign along the principal eastern trade route. Meanwhile, whilst John Chrysostom' s preaching and social reform have garnered extensive discussion, his late sermons and letters composed in exile reveal an ambitious program to establish church structures outside imperial state control. The book demonstrates that these two pioneers innovated a diplomacy that utilised Christianity as a tool for forging alliances with external peoples; a procedure that would later become central to Byzantine statecraft. It will appeal to all those interested in medieval history"--

The Roman world was fundamentally a face-to-face culture, where it was expected that communication and negotiations would be done in person. This can be seen in Romea (TM)s contacts with other cities, states, and kingdoms a " whether dependent, independent, friendly or hostile a " and in the development of a diplomatic habit with its own rhythms and protocols that coalesced into a self-sustaining system of communication. This volume of papers offers ten perspectives on the way in which ambassadors, embassies, and the institutional apparatuses supporting them contributed to Roman rule. Understanding Roman diplomatic practices illuminates not only questions about Romea (TM)s evolution as a Mediterranean power, but can also shed light on a wide variety of historical and cultural trends. Contributors are: Sheila L. Ager, Alexander Yakobson, Filippo Battistoni, James B. Rives, Jean-Louis Ferrary, Martin Jehne, T. Corey Brennan, Werner Eck, and Rudolf Haensch.

Constantius II, son of Constantine the Great, ruled the Roman Empire between 337 and 361 CE. Constantius’ reign is characterised by a series of political and cultural upheavals and is rightly viewed as a time of significant change in the history of the fourth century. Constantius initially shared power with his brothers, Constantine II and Constans, but this arrangement lasted a short period of time before Constantine II was killed in a contest over authority by Constans. Further threats to the stability of the empire arose with the usurpation of the ambitious Roman general Magnentius between 350 and 353, and additional episodes of imperial instability occurred as Constantius’ relations with his junior Caesars, Gallus and Julian, deteriorated, the latter to the point where civil war would have been on the cards once again if Constantius had not died on 3 November 361. This book examines the dynastic, political and cultural impact of Constantius' reign as a member of the Constantinian family on the later empire, first as a joint ruler with his brothers and then as sole Augustus. The chapters investigate the involvement of Constantius in the imperial, administrative, legal, religious and cultural life of the Roman Empire in the fourth century. Constantius’ handling of various threats to Roman hegemony such as the ambitions of the neighbouring Sasanian Empire, and his relationships with Gallus and with Julian are explored. The book’s analysis is guided by the epigraphic, iconographic, literary and legal evidence of the Roman and Byzantine periods but it is not a conventional imperial ‘biography’. Rather, it examines the figure of Constantius in light of the numerous historiographical issues surrounding his memorialisation in the historical and literary sources, for instance as ‘Arian’ tyrant or as internecine murderer. The over-arching aim is to investigate power in the post-Constantine period, and the way in which imperial and episcopal networks related to one another with the ambition of participating in the exercise of power. The Reign of Constantius II will appeal to those interested in the Later Roman Empire, the Constantinian imperial family, Roman-Sasanian relations, and the role of religion in shaping imperial dynamics with Christianity.

This volume brings together some of the leading scholars of Vatican history to examine papal diplomacy in the 19th and 20th centuries. Essays consider the role of the Vatican in the major events of the modern era (the unification of Italy, World Wars I and II, the Holocaust, the war in Vietnam, the Nicaraguan revolution). Other essays examine the way in which the Papacy conducts its relations with secular states, specifically addressing its relationship with Ireland, Canada, the United States, and Yugoslavia. And three essays consider the place of the Vatican in the politics of the contemporary Middle East. This important work provides a sense of the complex nature of the Papacy's involvement in the political and diplomatic issues of the modern world.

Practices of Diplomacy in the Early Modern World offers a new contribution to the ongoing reassessment of early modern international relations and diplomatic history. Divided into three parts, it provides an examination of diplomatic culture from the Renaissance into the eighteenth century and presents the development of diplomatic practices as more complex, multifarious and globally interconnected than the traditional state-focussed, national paradigm allows. The volume addresses three central and intertwined themes within early modern diplomacy: who and what could claim diplomatic agency and in what circumstances; the social and cultural contexts in which diplomacy was practised; and the role of material culture in diplomatic exchange. Together the chapters provide a broad geographical and chronological presentation of the development of diplomatic practices and, through a strong focus on the processes and significance of cultural exchanges between polities, demonstrate how it was possible for diplomats to negotiate the cultural codes of the courts to which they were sent. This exciting collection brings together new and established scholars of diplomacy from different academic traditions. It will be essential reading for all students of diplomatic history.

In this study of the political uses of perceived kinship from the Homeric age to Byzantium, Jones provides an unparalleled view of mythic belief in action and addresses fundamental questions about communal and national identity.