A Notitia dignitatum képi anyagának vallástudományi vonatkozásai a késő római uralkodókultusz kontextusában = The Notitia dignitatum as a potential source of the late Roman cult of the emperor

Réfi Oszkó, Dániel (2021) A Notitia dignitatum képi anyagának vallástudományi vonatkozásai a késő római uralkodókultusz kontextusában = The Notitia dignitatum as a potential source of the late Roman cult of the emperor. VALLÁSTUDOMÁNYI SZEMLE : VALLÁSTUDOMÁNYI FOLYÓIRAT, 17 (2). pp. 47-68. ISSN 1786-4062

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Abstract

The Notitia dignitatum is one of the most peculiar documents from Late Antiquity. It is a unique list of offices and army units produced around the turn of IVth and Vth centuries AD. Traditionally, it is considered to be an exceptional primary source of the institutional and military history of the Late Roman Empire. However, this paper argues that the Notitia is more than such a source: it possesses a much wider array of research potentials. One possible territory to examine is the appearance of religious symbolism in the document. Our research focuses on the assumption that the Notitia dignitatum might provide us with a deeper insight into the development of Roman state religion, and especially the Imperial Cult, the public worship of the Emperor during the tumultuous time when Christianity became prevalent. By a thorough analysis of the text and the accompanying illustrations, compared with other contemporaneous written, artistic, and archaeological sources, it can be concluded that the Notitia dignitatum, although it mostly omits direct religious messages, is deeply rooted in the Imperial Cult and Roman state religion. The veneration of the Emperor – not his person but the office and the auctoritas he represents – is one of the most prevalent reoccurring themes in the document. Pagan and Christian concepts merge in its perception of imperial power and authority, presenting a very distinct Late Roman world view which strengthens the authenticity of this remarkable historical source.

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