Iconoclasts

[ASCLEPIADES]

Salve, Amici

 

 

This Solidus, struck in 692-95, shows Justinian II "pre"-Rhinotmetus, last of the Heracleans, in the reverse, with the legend, "The servant of Christ."

 

The "Greek-type" Christ (long hair) in its anverse was the first time a sacred image (icon) appeared on an Imperial coin, being that the main excuse for Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan to forbade it from the Caliph and to introduce the first muslim currency (without sacred images), and also to declare war on the Empire.

 

This was presumably one of triggers for the edict of Justinian's successor (and deposer) Leo III the Isaurian that eventually gave place to the century-long Iconoclastic conflicts

Edited June 11, 2008 by ASCLEPIADES

[ASCLEPIADES]

This evidence doesn't really support the claim either. First, we've been talking about the monasteries in the era of the iconoclasts (c. 750 AD), and Cassiodorus practiced nearly two hundred years prior. Second, the only classical text known as being familiar to Cassiodorus was the Latin Josephus, and there is no evidence that Cassiodorus promoted its being copied.

Not me, MPC, sorry. I was only trying to answer Lady N question:

 

QUOTE:"But, seriously, I'd like to know, too: What evidence is there to support the apparently widely held belief that monasteries promoted education in the classics?"

 

Erasmus is some centuries away of this period too.

 

Anyhow, if you really care about monastical classical transcription during this period, John of Damascus ought to be the obvious first choice for your search. I fear there are not many more examples I can think about, as document destruction (of any kind) was an oustanding characteristic of the Iconoclastic conflicts.

 

BTW, Cassiodorus De Musica (my link) has a lot on classical references, but not on Josephus, as far as I remember.

[ASCLEPIADES]

But, seriously, I'd like to know, too: What evidence is there to support the apparently widely held belief that monasteries promoted education in the classics?

-- Nephele

Another examples: all extant works from Publius Cornelius Tacitus.

 

Annales I to V only copy (from the Codex Medicaeus of Lorenzo the Magnificent) was done at the scriptorium of the Benedictine abbey of Fulda circa 850 and were found at the library of the Imperial benedictine Abbey of Corvey in H

Edited June 23, 2008 by ASCLEPIADES