Iria Flavia
Encyclopedia
Iria Flavia or simply Iria in Galicia, northwestern Spain
, was a Celtiberian
port, the main seat of the Caporos, on the road between Braga
and Astorga. The Romans rebuilt the road as via XVIII or Via Nova http://www.carmalaga.com/information-galicia/roman-galicia.htm and refounded the Celtiberian port as Iria Flavia ("Flavian Iria") to complement Vespasian
. Iria was the seat of a sixth-century Christian bishopric
that shared its seat with Compostela
, then moved there in 1095. The modern city on the site of Iria Flava is Padrón
.
The followers of Priscillian
were deeply embedded in the culture of Iberia's northwest. To restore catholic orthodoxy in the Visigothic marches
that were recovered from the Kingdom of the Suevi in a series of campaigns during the years leading up to 585, nine dioceses were established in Galicia, including Iria Flavia, mentioned in the document Parroquial suevo (ca 572–582); the Parroquial divides the region into dioceses and marks the first definitive integration of this zone in the monarchy of the Visigoth
s, who had been catholicized from Arianism
in 587 (Quiroga and Lovell 1999). The list of the bishops of Iria present at councils and noted in other sources begins in the sixth century with an Andreas and gains historic credibility in the seventh . No commercial or political rationale for siting a bishop at Iria Flavia seems to present itself, though excavations have identified a cult sanctuary dating to the second half of the sixth century (Quiroga and Lovelle 1999). The relics that were identified with Saint James the Greater and which were transferred to Compostela may originally have determined the location of the diocese at Iria, to control the already sanctified site. The possibility remains open that the relics venerated first at Iria and then at Compostela are those of Priscillian himself.
At any rate, otherwise unidentified considerations dictated that the new bishopric take the place of the older bishopric at Aquae Celenae, which was a Roman municipium
and administrative center that was formerly of considerably more importance than isolated Iria.
Under Adaulfus II the city was destroyed by Norse
pirates, and bishop and chapter took refuge behind the strong walls of Compostela. Soon they petitioned Ordoño II of León
and Pope Nicholas I
to permit them (c. 860 CE) to transfer the see from Iria to Compostela, near the sepulchre and church of St James (founded c. 835 CE). Both pope and king consented on condition, however, that the honour of the see should be divided between the two places. From the second half of the ninth century the bishops of this see are known as Irienses or Sancti Jacobi, even ecclesiae apostolicae sancti Jacobi—though no apostolic succession was possible—and finally as Compostellani (Catholic Encyclopedia). In 1095, through reverence for the body and the sepulchre of St James, Urban II
, by a Bull of December 5, withdrew from Iria its episcopal rank and transferred the see in its entirety to Compostela, in favour of the Cluniac
bishop, Dalmatius, present at the Council of Clermont
that year. At the same time Urban exempted it from the authority of the metropolitan and made it immediately subject to the Holy See.
About the year 1000 Diego Gelmírez
, bishop of Compostela, rebuilt the former cathedral church, Santa Maria Adina, which had been destroyed by Almanzor. Excavations have revealed that the site was built on Roman foundations. A Roman votive figure of a bull has been found, published in Corpus Artis Gallaeciae http://www.uc.pt/aia/galiza.html.
As the legend of Saint James the Greater having proselytized in Hispania spread, Iria Flavia came to be accounted the first site of his preaching.
King Juan Carlos of Spain granted the writer Camilo José Cela
the title of Marqués de Iria Flavia.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, was a Celtiberian
Celtiberians
The Celtiberians were Celtic-speaking people of the Iberian Peninsula in the final centuries BC. The group used the Celtic Celtiberian language.Archaeologically, the Celtiberians participated in the Hallstatt culture in what is now north-central Spain...
port, the main seat of the Caporos, on the road between Braga
Braga
Braga , a city in the Braga Municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese city and one of the oldest Christian cities in the World...
and Astorga. The Romans rebuilt the road as via XVIII or Via Nova http://www.carmalaga.com/information-galicia/roman-galicia.htm and refounded the Celtiberian port as Iria Flavia ("Flavian Iria") to complement Vespasian
Vespasian
Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
. Iria was the seat of a sixth-century Christian bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
that shared its seat with Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
, then moved there in 1095. The modern city on the site of Iria Flava is Padrón
Padrón
Padrón is a concello in the Province of A Coruña, in Galicia within the comarca of O Sar. It covers an area of 48.4 km², is 95 km from A Coruña and, , had a population of 8968 according to the INE....
.
The followers of Priscillian
Priscillian
Priscillian was bishop of Ávila and a theologian from Roman Gallaecia , the first person in the history of Christianity to be executed for heresy . He founded an ascetic group that, in spite of persecution, continued to subsist in Hispania and Gaul until the later 6th century...
were deeply embedded in the culture of Iberia's northwest. To restore catholic orthodoxy in the Visigothic marches
Marches
A march or mark refers to a border region similar to a frontier, such as the Welsh Marches, the borderland between England and Wales. During the Frankish Carolingian Dynasty, the word spread throughout Europe....
that were recovered from the Kingdom of the Suevi in a series of campaigns during the years leading up to 585, nine dioceses were established in Galicia, including Iria Flavia, mentioned in the document Parroquial suevo (ca 572–582); the Parroquial divides the region into dioceses and marks the first definitive integration of this zone in the monarchy of the Visigoth
Visigoth
The Visigoths were one of two main branches of the Goths, the Ostrogoths being the other. These tribes were among the Germans who spread through the late Roman Empire during the Migration Period...
s, who had been catholicized from Arianism
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
in 587 (Quiroga and Lovell 1999). The list of the bishops of Iria present at councils and noted in other sources begins in the sixth century with an Andreas and gains historic credibility in the seventh . No commercial or political rationale for siting a bishop at Iria Flavia seems to present itself, though excavations have identified a cult sanctuary dating to the second half of the sixth century (Quiroga and Lovelle 1999). The relics that were identified with Saint James the Greater and which were transferred to Compostela may originally have determined the location of the diocese at Iria, to control the already sanctified site. The possibility remains open that the relics venerated first at Iria and then at Compostela are those of Priscillian himself.
At any rate, otherwise unidentified considerations dictated that the new bishopric take the place of the older bishopric at Aquae Celenae, which was a Roman municipium
Municipium
Municipium , the prototype of English municipality, was the Latin term for a town or city. Etymologically the municipium was a social contract between municipes, the "duty holders," or citizens of the town. The duties, or munera, were a communal obligation assumed by the municipes in exchange for...
and administrative center that was formerly of considerably more importance than isolated Iria.
Under Adaulfus II the city was destroyed by Norse
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
pirates, and bishop and chapter took refuge behind the strong walls of Compostela. Soon they petitioned Ordoño II of León
Ordoño II of León
Ordoño II was king of Galicia from 910, and king of Galicia and León from 914 until his death. He was the second son of King Alfonso III the Great and his wife, Jimena of Pamplona....
and Pope Nicholas I
Pope Nicholas I
Pope Nicholas I, , or Saint Nicholas the Great, reigned from April 24, 858 until his death. He is remembered as a consolidator of papal authority and power, exerting decisive influence upon the historical development of the papacy and its position among the Christian nations of Western Europe.He...
to permit them (c. 860 CE) to transfer the see from Iria to Compostela, near the sepulchre and church of St James (founded c. 835 CE). Both pope and king consented on condition, however, that the honour of the see should be divided between the two places. From the second half of the ninth century the bishops of this see are known as Irienses or Sancti Jacobi, even ecclesiae apostolicae sancti Jacobi—though no apostolic succession was possible—and finally as Compostellani (Catholic Encyclopedia). In 1095, through reverence for the body and the sepulchre of St James, Urban II
Pope Urban II
Pope Urban II , born Otho de Lagery , was Pope from 12 March 1088 until his death on July 29 1099...
, by a Bull of December 5, withdrew from Iria its episcopal rank and transferred the see in its entirety to Compostela, in favour of the Cluniac
Cluny
Cluny or Clungy is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France. It is 20 km northwest of Mâcon.The town grew up around the Benedictine Cluny Abbey, founded by Duke William I of Aquitaine in 910...
bishop, Dalmatius, present at the Council of Clermont
Council of Clermont
The Council of Clermont was a mixed synod of ecclesiastics and laymen of the Catholic Church, which was held from November 18 to November 28, 1095 at Clermont, France...
that year. At the same time Urban exempted it from the authority of the metropolitan and made it immediately subject to the Holy See.
About the year 1000 Diego Gelmírez
Diego Gelmírez
Diego Gelmírez was the second bishop and first archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. He is a prominent figure in the history of Galicia and an important historiographer of the Spain of his day...
, bishop of Compostela, rebuilt the former cathedral church, Santa Maria Adina, which had been destroyed by Almanzor. Excavations have revealed that the site was built on Roman foundations. A Roman votive figure of a bull has been found, published in Corpus Artis Gallaeciae http://www.uc.pt/aia/galiza.html.
As the legend of Saint James the Greater having proselytized in Hispania spread, Iria Flavia came to be accounted the first site of his preaching.
King Juan Carlos of Spain granted the writer Camilo José Cela
Camilo José Cela
Camilo José Cela y Trulock, 1st Marquis of Iria Flavia was a Spanish novelist and short story writer. He was awarded the 1989 Nobel Prize in Literature "for a rich and intensive prose, which with restrained compassion forms a challenging vision of man's vulnerability".-Biography:Cela published his...
the title of Marqués de Iria Flavia.
External links
- Catholic Encyclopedia: Compostela
- "Iria de Flavia" (In Spanish)
- "Academia Iria Flavia"
- Jorge Quiroga and Monica R. Lovelle, "Ciudades atlánticas en transición: La “ciudad” tardo-antigua y alto-medieval en el noroeste de la Península Ibérica (s.V-XI)" from Archeologia Medievale vol xxvii (1999), pp 257–268