Letters of Ruricius of Limoges, Caesarius of Arles, Euphrasius of Clermont, Faustus of Riez, Graecus of Marseille, Paulinus of Bordeaux, Sedatus of Nîmes, Sidonius Apollinaris, Taurentius and Victorinus of Fréjus.
Translated with introduction, commentary and notes by Ralph W. Mathisen.
The letter collection of Ruricius, bishop of Limoges c. 485-510, describes the last quarter of the fifth century, when it had seemed that the Visigothic kingdom of Toulouse, not the kingdom of the Franks, would become the primary barbarian power of Gaul. The letters illustrate how literary life continued under barbarian rule, and demonstrate how well-to-do Gauls responded to the changing times. They provide priceless insights not only into the private and public lives of individual letter writers, but also into life and activities in Visigothic Gaul at the local level in general. More than any other source, these letters tell the tale of the "end of Roman Gaul".
Author(s): Ralph W. Mathisen (transl.)
Series: Translated Texts for Historians, 30
Publisher: Liverpool University Press
Year: 2011
Language: English
Pages: XII+290
Preface vi
List of Maps and Figures vii
Abbreviations viii
Introduction 1
Limoges and Aquitania: The First through the Seventh Centuries 5
Ruricius' Family, Friends, and Historical Context 19
The Correspondence: Contents, Style, Organization 51
The Manuscript Tradition 63
Translation Notes 77
The Translations:
Poems of Sidonius Apollinaris Relating to Ruricius and his Family 79
The Correspondence of Ruricius of Limoges: Book I 87
The Correspondence of Ruricius of Limoges: Book II 133
Appendix I: Other Letters By and To Faustus of Riez 237
Appendix II: Epitaph of Ruricius and Ruricius II Proculus 253
Appendix ID: Hagiographical Sources Referring to Ruricius and Limoges 255
Bibliography 263
Index 275
