Rome and the Invention of the Papacy: The Liber Pontificalis (The James Lydon Lectures in Medieval History and Culture)

"The remarkable, and permanently influential, papal history known as the Liber pontificalis shaped perceptions and the memory of Rome, the popes, and the many-layered past of both city and papacy within western Europe. Rosamond McKitterick offers a new analysis of this extraordinary combination of historical reconstruction, deliberate selection and political use of fiction, to illuminate the history of the early popes and their relationship with Rome. She examines the content, context, and transmission of the text, and the complex relationships between the reality, representation, and reception of authority that it reflects. The Liber pontificalis presented Rome as a holy city of Christian saints and martyrs, as the bishops of Rome established their visible power in buildings, and it articulated the popes spiritual and ministerial role, accommodated within their Roman imperial inheritance. Drawing on wide-ranging and interdisciplinary international research, Rome and the Invention of the Papacy offers pioneering insights into the evolution of this extraordinary source, and its significance for the history of early medieval Europe"--Jacket Provided by publisher Cover 1 Half-title 3 Series information 4 Title page 5 Copyright information 6 Dedication 7 Contents 9 List of Maps 12 Preface 13 List of Abbreviations 17 1 The Liber pontificalis: Text and Context 21 Introduction 21 Rome and the Liber pontificalis in Modern Scholarship 23 The Text of the Liber pontificalis 27 The Liber pontificalis: Historical Context of Production 36 Rome and Byzantium 40 Doctrinal Schism and Dispute 44 The Arsenal of the Past: Dating the Sixth-Century Liber pontificalis 45 Conclusion 55 2 The Liber pontificalis and the City of Rome 58 Introduction 58 The People of Rome 62 The City of Rome 74 'Textualizing' the City of Rome through Narrative 80 Conclusion 85 3 Apostolic Succession 88 Introduction 88 St Peter 92 Name and natio and Comparison with Jerome's De viris illustribus 93 Texts by Peter 95 Peter and Simon Magus 99 The Succession: Linus and Cletus 102 The Burial of St Peter 105 The Early Christian Community in Rome 107 Conclusion 115 4 Establishing Visible Power 117 Introduction 117 The Life of Pope Silvester in the Liber pontificalis and its Implications 117 The Emperor Constantine's Churches in Papal Rome 121 The Constantinian Basilica 123 The Lateran Baptistery 127 St Peter's Basilica 129 San Paolo fuori le mura 131 San Lorenzo fuori le mura 134 Sant'Agnese fuori le mura 135 Donor Portraits: Reaching to Heaven 136 The Cult of Mary the Virgin 140 The Communion of Saints 143 Imperial Emulation? 145 Conclusion 150 5 Bishop and Pope 152 Introduction 152 Liturgy in the Liber pontificalis 153 Doctrine and Law 165 Textual Authority 171 The Liturgical Past and Papal History 177 Conclusion 189 6 Transmission, Reception, and Audiences: The Early Medieval Manuscripts of the Liber pontificalis and their Implications 191 Introduction 191 A Roman Text 194 Roman Script? 195 Papyrus or Parchment? 196 The Liber pontificalis: Sequential Production and Distribution? 198 Distribution and Reception of the Liber pontificalis up to the Eighth Century 204 Late Eighth- and Ninth-Century Manuscripts Containing the Liber pontificalis 209 The Epitomes and their Implications 1: the Felician Epitome 215 The Epitomes and their Implications 2: the Cononian Epitome 219 The Epitomes and their Implications 3: the Shorter Epitomes 221 Frankish Interpolations 226 The Frankish Interpolations and the Frankish Royal Court 230 The Contribution from the Abbey of St Denis? 236 Arn of St Amand and Salzburg 239 Conclusion 240 Conclusion: The Power of a Text 244 Bibliography 249 Primary Sources 249 Secondary Literature 253 Index of Manuscripts 277 General Index 279 "The remarkable, and permanently influential, papal history known as the Liber pontificalis shaped perceptions and the memory of Rome, the popes, and the many-layered past of both city and papacy within western Europe. Rosamond McKitterick offers a new analysis of this extraordinary combination of historical reconstruction, deliberate selection and political use of fiction, to illuminate the history of the early popes and their relationship with Rome. She examines the content, context, and transmission of the text, and the complex relationships between the reality, representation, and reception of authority that it reflects. The Liber pontificalis presented Rome as a holy city of Christian saints and martyrs, as the bishops of Rome established their visible power in buildings, and it articulated the popes spiritual and ministerial role, accommodated within their Roman imperial inheritance. Drawing on wide-ranging and interdisciplinary international research, Rome and the Invention of the Papacy offers pioneering insights into the evolution of this extraordinary source, and its significance for the history of early medieval Europe"-- Del editor The First Full Study Of The Most Remarkable History Of The Early Popes And Their Relationship With Rome, The Liber Pontificalis.