The barbarians themselves are offended by our vices’
Slavery, sexual vice and shame in Salvian of Marseilles’ De gubernatione Dei
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11883121 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Chris L De Wet (0000-0002-2628-2013, University of South Africa, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2019 |
| Volume | 75 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Publication date | 2019-04-16 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0259-9422 • E-ISSN: 2072-8050 |
| Publisher | AOSIS (PUBLISHER • ZA) |
| DOI | 10.4102/hts.v75i3.5302 |
| OpenAlex | W2939907928 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 23 |
The purpose of this article is to examine Salvian of Marseilles’ (ca. 400–490 CE) invective in De gubernatione Dei against his Christian audience pertaining to their sexual roles and behaviour as slaveholders. It is argued that rather than considering the oppressive practice of slavery in itself as a reason for moral rebuke and divine punishment, Salvian highlights the social shame that arose from the sexual vices Christian slaveholders committed with their slaves. Salvian forwards three accusations against his opponents that concern slavery and sexual vice. Firstly, he asserts that Christian slaveholders have no self-control. Secondly, the polyamorous relationships slaveholders have with numerous slaves resemble shameful and adulterous unions, namely concubinage and even polygamy. Thirdly, Roman-Christian slaveholders behave in a worse manner than barbarians (i.e. the argument of ethnicity). Each of these accusations is examined in detail in the study
Criminology · Psychoanalysis · Shame · Classical Antiquity Studies · Historical and Literary Studies · Medieval Literature and History · Psychology · Social Psychology
From Shame to Sin
The Writings of Salvian, the Presbyter
Augustine of Hippo
The World of the Huns
Gender, Manumission, and the Roman Freedwoman
The Roman Wedding
Slavery as Salvation
Slavery in the Late Roman World, AD 275–425
Salvian of Marseille, De gubernatione dei 5.38-45 and the “colonate” problem
Law and Family in Late Antiquity
Obstacles to Slaves' Participation in the Corinthian Church
Abandoned to Lust
Women and the Law in the Roman Empire
Antikes Bildungsgut bei Salvian von Marseille
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |