Year: 2017
Type: article
Abstract: This paper examines the use of the language of the eternal damnation as applied by Gregory, bishop of Tours, writing in the 6 th century in Merovingian Gaul.Instead of trying to elucidate the bishop's views of hell in the light of what late antique Christian authors prior to him had written on that subject, this paper takes the writings of Gregory as a point of departure.Various types of people (who are regrouped around their religious creeds) which Gregory explicitly sees as damned are examined and the possible causes behind the application of the language of hell are adduced.The instances where Gregory chooses to refrain from the use of the language of damnation are given equal attention and the political limits of the application of the threat of hell are explored through the example of the Merovingian king Chilperic.
Source: Graeco-Latina Brunensia
DOI: 10.5817/glb2017-2-11
Author: Kamil Choda
Institution: University of Tübingen
Language: English
Subfield: History
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2789935767