Concerning the origins of Christianity in Basilicata, the literary, epigraphic and archaeological sources do not allow us to go back beyond the beginning of the fourth century, even though it is likely that the new faith may have developed in Basilicata between the second and third centuries, initially in centers located along the coast or the major roads, and then spread gradually towards inner and mountainous areas. In the fourth century, Christianity in Basilicata began to undergo a hierarchical organization; between the late fourth and early fifth centuries the Christian presence further strengthened (Basilica of Metaponto; in Venosa the discovery of oil lamps dating back to fourth-fifth centuries; the attestation of many cults in Hieronymianus martyrology). By the end of the fifth century the settlement and the network of the dioceses were officially completed: these included the dioceses of Potenza, Acerenza, Venosa, Grumentum, and most likely Metaponto, proposed to be as an episcopal center, probably the seat of a chorepiscopus, on the basis of the archaeological evidence. At the end of the fifth century, Christianity was active and lively, as demonstrated by the epistles of Pope Gelasius (492-496), who was often interested in the life of the dioceses of Potenza, Venosa, Acerenza and Grumentum (dedication and foundation of private churches; constitution of patrimonium Sancti Petri; questions about ordination of slaves and management of justice). The sixth century experienced a general crisis of the churches of Basilicata, after the war between Greeks and Gothes, which was exacerbated by the arrival of the Lombards. This is documented by the letters of Pope Gregory the Great (590- 604), which refer to different churches of Basilicata deprived of their bishops. In the sixth century, there is evidence for a fairly active monastic life, perhaps seven rural, but showing struggles with serious problems (tense relations between monks and clerics; interference of the laity in the administration of monasteria and their possessions). Regarding hagiography, from the analysis of Hieronymianus Martyrology and hagiographical traditions of Basilicata, there is evidence for a complex situation, difficult to be reconstructed in every detail. It is also hard to explain in regard to the transition from one cult to another, or the transfer of a worship from a specific area or city to another. However, it is difficult to deny the presence of various cults in Basilicata before the middle of the fifth century, time of composition of Hieronymianus Martyrology. The peculiarity in Basilicata is the absence, in historical Martyrologies, of some of the cults recorded in Hieronymianus Martyrology. This is in contrast with the history of the cult of saints in other regions, which often have plenty of Medieval or Early Medieval hagiographic materials not reflected in ancient sources. In the field of hagiography, Basilicata is well connected with Africa, not only in reference to the cults of Hyeronimianus Martirology, but also to later cults, which, in various ways, are linked back to Late Antiquity. The cult of St. Vitus is especially diffused in Basilicata. Recent excavations have confirmed an interesting continuity of this cult, as emphasized by several recensiones of the Passio (sixth-seventh centuries) and historical Martyrologies.
In riferimento alle origini del cristianesimo in Basilicata le fonti letterarie, archeologiche ed epigrafiche non consentono di andare più indietro del IV secolo, sebbene sia probabile che la nuova fede si sia diffusa e sviluppata tra il secondo e il terzo secolo, inizialmente nei centri ubicati sulla costa e lungo le principali vie di comunicazione e poi gradualmente, nelle località interne e nelle aree montuose della Regione. Nel IV secolo il cristianesimo comincia a organizzarsi con una gerarchia ecclesiastica; tra la fine del IV e gli inizi del V secolo la presenza cristiana è ampiamente attestata (la basiklica paleocristiana di Metaponto; la scoperta di lucerne cristiane a Venosa datate IV - V secolo; l'attestazione di numerosi culti nel Martirologio gerolimiano). A partire dalla fine del V secolo la rete delle diocesi è completata (Potenza, Acerenza, Venosa, Grumentum, e molto probabilmente Metaponto, probabilmente una diocesi rurale, sede di un chorepiscopus, sulla base delle evidenze archeologiche. Alla fine del V secolo loa vita cristiana delle diocesi è particolarmente attiva e vivace come dimostrato dall'epistolario di papa Gelasio I (492-496). Per quel che riguarda l'agiografia l'analisi del Martirologio gerolimiano e delle tradizioni agiografiche della Basilicata testimonia una attiva presenza di culti entro la metà del V secolo, epoca di composizione del Martirologio, seguita da una inspiegabile assenza degli stessi culti nei martirologi storici, in controtendenza rispetto alle dinamiche agiografiche di altre regioni dell'Italia meridionale. Ben attestato è il culto di san Vito: recenti campagne di scavo hanno dimostrato una continuità cultuale, come sottolineato dalle diverse recensiones della sua Passio (VI - VII secolo)
Cristianizzazione e nuclei agiografici della Basilicata in epoca tardo antica
CAMPIONE, Ada
2012-01-01
Abstract
Concerning the origins of Christianity in Basilicata, the literary, epigraphic and archaeological sources do not allow us to go back beyond the beginning of the fourth century, even though it is likely that the new faith may have developed in Basilicata between the second and third centuries, initially in centers located along the coast or the major roads, and then spread gradually towards inner and mountainous areas. In the fourth century, Christianity in Basilicata began to undergo a hierarchical organization; between the late fourth and early fifth centuries the Christian presence further strengthened (Basilica of Metaponto; in Venosa the discovery of oil lamps dating back to fourth-fifth centuries; the attestation of many cults in Hieronymianus martyrology). By the end of the fifth century the settlement and the network of the dioceses were officially completed: these included the dioceses of Potenza, Acerenza, Venosa, Grumentum, and most likely Metaponto, proposed to be as an episcopal center, probably the seat of a chorepiscopus, on the basis of the archaeological evidence. At the end of the fifth century, Christianity was active and lively, as demonstrated by the epistles of Pope Gelasius (492-496), who was often interested in the life of the dioceses of Potenza, Venosa, Acerenza and Grumentum (dedication and foundation of private churches; constitution of patrimonium Sancti Petri; questions about ordination of slaves and management of justice). The sixth century experienced a general crisis of the churches of Basilicata, after the war between Greeks and Gothes, which was exacerbated by the arrival of the Lombards. This is documented by the letters of Pope Gregory the Great (590- 604), which refer to different churches of Basilicata deprived of their bishops. In the sixth century, there is evidence for a fairly active monastic life, perhaps seven rural, but showing struggles with serious problems (tense relations between monks and clerics; interference of the laity in the administration of monasteria and their possessions). Regarding hagiography, from the analysis of Hieronymianus Martyrology and hagiographical traditions of Basilicata, there is evidence for a complex situation, difficult to be reconstructed in every detail. It is also hard to explain in regard to the transition from one cult to another, or the transfer of a worship from a specific area or city to another. However, it is difficult to deny the presence of various cults in Basilicata before the middle of the fifth century, time of composition of Hieronymianus Martyrology. The peculiarity in Basilicata is the absence, in historical Martyrologies, of some of the cults recorded in Hieronymianus Martyrology. This is in contrast with the history of the cult of saints in other regions, which often have plenty of Medieval or Early Medieval hagiographic materials not reflected in ancient sources. In the field of hagiography, Basilicata is well connected with Africa, not only in reference to the cults of Hyeronimianus Martirology, but also to later cults, which, in various ways, are linked back to Late Antiquity. The cult of St. Vitus is especially diffused in Basilicata. Recent excavations have confirmed an interesting continuity of this cult, as emphasized by several recensiones of the Passio (sixth-seventh centuries) and historical Martyrologies.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
