Polemius Silvius
Encyclopedia
Polemius Silvius was the author of an annotated Julian calendar
that attempted to integrate the traditional Roman festival cycle with the new Christian holy days. His calendar, also referred to as a laterculus
or fasti
, dates to around 448–449. He was active in southeastern Gaul
.
. He was a friend of Hilarius of Arles. The Gallic Chronicle of 452, year 438, calls him "mentally disturbed."
Polemius was assigned to Eucherius
, bishop of Lyon
(ancient Lugdunum
), and produced the calendar for him. Because fixed Christian feasts were still few in number, Polemius faced the challenge of fulfilling the conventions of a traditional Roman calendar
with named holidays while "disinfecting" it of the Imperial Roman
and other festivals now regarded as "pagan
." Although the Calendar of Filocalus in 354
had recorded the traditional religious holidays freely, by the time of Polemius the Christian state had begun to legislate against other religions and to divorce Rome's religious heritage from the culture and civic life of the Empire. Polemius, who had probably consulted the Calendar of Filocalus, filled gaps with meterological and seasonal markers, and the "Egyptian Days," days considered unpropitious for new undertakings and for certain medical practices. Bede
was among those who drew information from it.
In Polemius's calendar, the word ludi
, "games" in classical Latin
, means more specifically theatrical performances, while circenses is used for chariot races
. His work provides significant examples of Gallo-Romance vocabulary, regional variations of the Latin language
, and local survivals of Gaulish words.
and praetor
s took office. Column 3 gives weather conditions; Columella
's 1st-century treatise on agriculture may have influenced the inclusion of references to weather. Polemius also provided information from his own research, such as the birthdays of Cicero
, Vergil, and a Faustina who was the divinized wife (diva) of an Antonine emperor.
Because the Roman calendar had traditionally served a didactic purpose, the laterculus of Polemius provided several other lists and tables under the month-by-month chronographic presentation:
.
Lost portions are known only from the introductory synopsis. For each month, the calendar also presents the equivalent Hebrew, Egyptian, Athenian, and Greek names.
Julian calendar
The Julian calendar began in 45 BC as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year .The Julian calendar has a regular year of 365 days divided into 12 months...
that attempted to integrate the traditional Roman festival cycle with the new Christian holy days. His calendar, also referred to as a laterculus
Laterculus
In late antiquity or the early medieval period, a laterculus is an inscribed tile, stone or terracotta tablet used for publishing certain kinds of information in list or calendar form. The term thus came to be used for the content represented by such an inscription, most often a list, register, or...
or fasti
Fasti
In ancient Rome, the fasti were chronological or calendar-based lists, or other diachronic records or plans of official and religiously sanctioned events...
, dates to around 448–449. He was active in southeastern Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
.
Background
Polemius was among the Christian cultural elite working within the imperial bureaucracy in Gaul under Valentinian IIIValentinian III
-Family:Valentinian was born in the western capital of Ravenna, the only son of Galla Placidia and Flavius Constantius. The former was the younger half-sister of the western emperor Honorius, and the latter was at the time Patrician and the power behind the throne....
. He was a friend of Hilarius of Arles. The Gallic Chronicle of 452, year 438, calls him "mentally disturbed."
Polemius was assigned to Eucherius
Eucherius of Lyon
Saint Eucherius, bishop of Lyon, was a high-born and high-ranking ecclesiastic in the Christian Church of Gaul. He is remembered for his letters advocating extreme self-abnegation. Henry Wace ranked him "except perhaps St. Irenaeus the most distinguished occupant of that see".On the death of his...
, bishop of Lyon
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lyon
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lyon is a Roman Catholic Metropolitan archdiocese in France. It incorporates the ancient Archdiocese of Vienne. The current Cardinal-Archbishop is Philippe Barbarin...
(ancient Lugdunum
Lugdunum
Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum was an important Roman city in Gaul. The city was founded in 43 BC by Lucius Munatius Plancus. It served as the capital of the Roman province Gallia Lugdunensis. To 300 years after its foundation Lugdunum was the most important city to the west part of Roman...
), and produced the calendar for him. Because fixed Christian feasts were still few in number, Polemius faced the challenge of fulfilling the conventions of a traditional Roman calendar
Roman calendar
The Roman calendar changed its form several times in the time between the founding of Rome and the fall of the Roman Empire. This article generally discusses the early Roman or pre-Julian calendars...
with named holidays while "disinfecting" it of the Imperial Roman
Imperial cult (ancient Rome)
The Imperial cult of ancient Rome identified emperors and some members of their families with the divinely sanctioned authority of the Roman State...
and other festivals now regarded as "pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
." Although the Calendar of Filocalus in 354
Chronography of 354
The Chronography of 354, also known as the Calendar of 354, was a 4th century illuminated manuscript, which was produced in 354 AD for a wealthy Roman Christian named Valentinus. It is the earliest dated codex to have full page illustrations. None of the original has survived...
had recorded the traditional religious holidays freely, by the time of Polemius the Christian state had begun to legislate against other religions and to divorce Rome's religious heritage from the culture and civic life of the Empire. Polemius, who had probably consulted the Calendar of Filocalus, filled gaps with meterological and seasonal markers, and the "Egyptian Days," days considered unpropitious for new undertakings and for certain medical practices. Bede
Bede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
was among those who drew information from it.
In Polemius's calendar, the word ludi
Ludi
Ludi were public games held for the benefit and entertainment of the Roman people . Ludi were held in conjunction with, or sometimes as the major feature of, Roman religious festivals, and were also presented as part of the cult of state.The earliest ludi were horse races in the circus...
, "games" in classical Latin
Classical Latin
Classical Latin in simplest terms is the socio-linguistic register of the Latin language regarded by the enfranchised and empowered populations of the late Roman republic and the Roman empire as good Latin. Most writers during this time made use of it...
, means more specifically theatrical performances, while circenses is used for chariot races
Chariot racing
Chariot racing was one of the most popular ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine sports. Chariot racing was often dangerous to both driver and horse as they frequently suffered serious injury and even death, but generated strong spectator enthusiasm...
. His work provides significant examples of Gallo-Romance vocabulary, regional variations of the Latin language
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, and local survivals of Gaulish words.
The calendar
The format used by Polemius for the most part followed the conventions of Roman calendars, with days arranged in parallel columns under the name of the month, and each day noted on a separate line. Column 1 numbers the days of the month. Column 2 identifies any special days, not only traditional Roman and Christian holidays, but also the birthdays of emperors, and days when consulsRoman consul
A consul served in the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic.Each year, two consuls were elected together, to serve for a one-year term. Each consul was given veto power over his colleague and the officials would alternate each month...
and praetor
Praetor
Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...
s took office. Column 3 gives weather conditions; Columella
Columella
Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella is the most important writer on agriculture of the Roman empire. Little is known of his life. He was probably born in Gades , possibly of Roman parents. After a career in the army , he took up farming...
's 1st-century treatise on agriculture may have influenced the inclusion of references to weather. Polemius also provided information from his own research, such as the birthdays of Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
, Vergil, and a Faustina who was the divinized wife (diva) of an Antonine emperor.
Because the Roman calendar had traditionally served a didactic purpose, the laterculus of Polemius provided several other lists and tables under the month-by-month chronographic presentation:
- emperors and usurpers;
- the Roman provinceRoman provinceIn Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
s; - animal names, spread out over two months;
- a table for calculating the dateComputusComputus is the calculation of the date of Easter in the Christian calendar. The name has been used for this procedure since the early Middle Ages, as it was one of the most important computations of the age....
of EasterPaschal cycleThe Paschal cycle in the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches, is the cycle of the moveable feasts built around Pascha . The cycle consists of approximately ten weeks before and seven weeks after Pascha. The ten weeks before Pascha are known as the period of the Triodion...
and the phases of the moon (not extant); - buildings and topographical features of RomeTopography of ancient RomeThe topography of ancient Rome is a multidisciplinary field of study that draws on archaeology, epigraphy, cartography and philology.The classic English-language work of scholarship is A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome , written by Samuel Ball Platner, completed and published after his...
; - fabulae poeticae ("poets' tales");
- a breviaryBreviaryA breviary is a liturgical book of the Latin liturgical rites of the Catholic Church containing the public or canonical prayers, hymns, the Psalms, readings, and notations for everyday use, especially by bishops, priests, and deacons in the Divine Office...
of Roman history; - "a register of animal voices";
- weights and measures;
- meters of poetryMeter (poetry)In poetry, metre is the basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in verse. Many traditional verse forms prescribe a specific verse metre, or a certain set of metres alternating in a particular order. The study of metres and forms of versification is known as prosody...
(not extant); - a survey of philosophical sects (not extant).
.
Lost portions are known only from the introductory synopsis. For each month, the calendar also presents the equivalent Hebrew, Egyptian, Athenian, and Greek names.