Abstract:
The funeral orations for Valentinian II and Theodosius I, as well as two letters that Bishop Ambrose sent to Theodosius I (Epp. Extra coll. 2 e 3), immediately after receiving from him the news of the victory at the Frigidus river, show that the bishop spoke emperors, and about the emperors without forgetting his senatorial birth and rank. Some subjects, which he developed between the death of Valentinian II and that of Theodosius I, were the same that a group of Roman senators put in circulation - victories only in civil wars, false triumph, two children raised to the throne as augusti- to arouse opposition to Theodosian policy. Ambrose turned them into Christian themes to support emperor Gratian first, then Theodosius I and his dynasty. The classic theme of victory due to divine intervention became the bloodless victory guaranteed by imperial pietas. After Frigidus’ battle, it was completed by the idea that the usurpers were wicked (impii), regardless of the religion professed, because they opposed a pius imperator. The bishop legitimized also the power of Honorius and Arcadius - principes pueri - by invoking their pietas, and valued the clementia towards opponents by making a traditional political virtue into a typically Christian virtue. This attitude of Bishop Ambrose is clarified by some liturgical innovations: he inserted the members of two domus augustae on the list of the deceased, who were remembered during mass, and offered on the altar the imperial letter, which announced the victory of Theodosius I, during the Eucharistic celebration. Theodosius I, following the bishop’s request, granted indulgence not only for those who had sided with Eugene but also for those who, after his defeat, had taken refuge in the church of Milan and were protected by Ambrose. Getting this right (ecclesiastical asylum) was also an innovation, although it was not preserved after the death of Theodosius I.
Keywords:
Funeral laudations; Ambrose of Milan; Emperor Valentinian I; Emperor Theodosius I