Classica et Christiana, 16/1, 2021 /33-46
Les uicarii dans la parénétique tardo-antique : des icônes morales de la doulologie chrétienne [The Vicarii in paranoetic preaching in Late Antiquity: moral icons for the Christian doulologia]
Marianne BÉRAUD
ABSTRACT
The uicarii in paranoetic preaching in Late Antiquity: moral icons for the Christian doulologia. The uicarius – that is to say the slave who belonged to another slave – was viewed as an ignominious person since the Republican period. However uicarii were shown as virtuous exempla by Christian theology in the 4th century AD. It is to be noticed they were quoted as an example by numerous moral, exhortative passages of paranoetic patristic. In the Christian doulologia (speech about slaves), vicariat came to the rescue of the orthodox faith. In Augustine’s sermons, uicarii were hold up to flocks as models of humility. The message preached by Augustine proved that vicariat was an antidote against Donatist heretics in Africa. In John Chrysostom’s opinion, slaves of slaves were paragon of good Christian.
KEYWORDS
uicarius, slavery, paranoetic, predication, heretics, humility, Augustine, John Chrysostom, Late Antiquity