Justinian's Indecision

How Social Networks Shaped Imperial Policy

Since the time of Eduard Schwartz, scholars have tended to treat ecclesiastical policy under the influence of Justinian as inconsistent and even capricious. This book argues that such an image of Justinian, although seeming to provide a coherent narrative concerning the emperor’s character, falls apart when the details are scrutinized.

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Publisher: Gorgias Press LLC

SKU (ISBN): 978-1-4632-4227-5

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- Hardback (In Print) ISBN 978-1-4632-4227-5

Publication Status: In Print

Series: Gorgias Studies in Classical and Late Antiquity28

Publication Date: Feb 26,2021

Interior Color: Black

Trim Size: 6 x 9

Page Count: 282

Languages: English

ISBN: 978-1-4632-4227-5

$120.00

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Since the time of Eduard Schwartz, scholars have tended to treat ecclesiastical policy under the influence of Justinian as inconsistent and even capricious. To this day Justinian is depicted as a pragmatist, ready to support different and even contradictory confessions in an effort to see the unity of his Empire. Given his fast changing position on the Theopaschite confession, the alternating patronage and persecution of the supporters of Severus, his simultaneous support of Chalcedon and rejection of those restored by the council, along with his sometimes flattering and sometimes harsh treatment of the bishops of Rome, it is little wonder that the emperor might seem fickle. This book argues that such an image of Justinian, although seeming to provide a coherent narrative concerning the emperor’s character, falls apart when the details of each of these episodes are scrutinized. Of particular importance is considering what Justinian was able to know, when he was able to know it, and how he had to account for the interests of other actors in order to advance his consistent goal of achieving lasting unity between East and West under a banner of a Cyrillian Chalcedonianism.

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	Contributor	Biography
	JoshuaPowell	Joshua McKay Powell (Ph.D., University of Kentucky) teaches Latin language and literature in Atlanta, Georgia. His research interests include Late-Antique History, Patristics, and Platonism.

Table of Contents (v)
Acknowledgments (ix)
Abbreviations (xi)
Introduction (1)
The Context of Imperial Administration (6)
Networks, Symbols, and Social Boundaries (10)
An Overview of This Work (17)
A Note on Nomenclature (19)
Chapter 1. Resolving the Acacian Schism (21)
The Acacian Schism under Anastasius: An Uncomfortable Conversation (21)
Vitalian as Champion of Orthodoxy (28)
Delegation and Negotiation under Justin (38)
The Expectation of Reciprocity (56)
Conclusion: Reconciliation and Connections (58)
Chapter 2. The Deacon Dioscorus and the Power of Position (61)
The Theopaschite Controversy as Paradigm of Justinianic Policy Making (61)
The Theopaschite Formula (65)
The Theopaschite Formula Rejected (73)
Two Sudden Changes of Heart (99)
Conclusion: Connections and Influence (107)
Chapter 3. The Court’s Anti-Chalcedonians (109)
The Colloquium of 532 (109)
Severans at the Court (129)
The Arrival of Agapetus (139)
The Council of 536 (144)
Conclusion: Influence and Association (146)
Chapter 4. Heretics, Living or Dead (149)
The Three Chapters and Origenism (150)
Unitas Facta Est Ecclesiarum (161)
Origenism and Origenisms (167)
Origenism in Sixth-Century Sources (176)
From Symbolic Boundaries to Social Boundaries (199)
Conclusion: Association and Condemnation (216)
Chapter 5. To Loose and to Double Bind (219)
Who Was Vigilius? (220)
The Three Chapters Condemnation becomes a Controversy (228)
Vigilius in a Double Bind (239)
Conclusion: Condemnation and Character (249)
Conclusion. Justinian’s Decision (253)
Bibliography (257)
Primary Sources (257)
Secondary Sources (260)
Index (265)

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