Traduction
Masquer
Kirchengeschichte (BKV)
12. Kap. Die Apologie, welche Justin an Antoninus eingereicht hatte.
„An Kaiser Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius Cäsar Augustus, an seinen Sohn Verissimus,1 den Philosophen, an Lucius,2 den leiblichen Sohn des Philosophenkaisers und Adoptivsohn des Pius, den Freund der Wissenschaften, an den heiligen Senat und an das ganze römische Volk richte ich, Justinus, Sohn des Priskus und Enkel des Bacchius, aus Flavia Neapolis im palästinensischen Syrien stammend, für die jedem Volksstamm angehörenden, mit Unrecht gehaßten und verleumdeten Leute, zu denen auch ich zähle, folgende Ansprache und Bittschrift.“ Da der gleiche Kaiser auch von anderen Brüdern Asiens, welche von den dortigen Bewohnern alle möglichen Drangsale zu erleiden hatten, angegangen worden war, geruhte er, an „die Vertretung Asiens“3 folgenden Befehl ergehen zu lassen:
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= Mark Aurel, welcher 139 von Antoninus Pius adoptiert wurde. ↩
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= Lucius Verus, der Sohn des von Hadrian adoptierten Alius Verus, der aber noch vor Hadrian starb. ↩
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τὸ κοινὸν τῆς Ἀσίας. Über die Verfassungen und Kompetenzen dieser Vertretungen oder Landtage vgl. P. Guiraud, „Les Assemblées Provinciales dans l’Empire Romain“ (Paris 1887); Mommsen, „Römische Geschichte“ V (Berlin 1909) S. 317 ff. ↩
Traduction
Masquer
The Church History of Eusebius
Chapter XII.--The Apology of Justin addressed to Antoninus.
"To the Emperor Titus Ælius Adrian Antoninus Pius Caesar Augustus, 1 and to Verissimus his son, 2 the philosopher, and to Lucius the philosopher, 3 own son of Caesar and adopted son of Pius, a lover of learning, and to the sacred senate and to the whole Roman people, I , Justin, son of Priscus and grandson of Bacchius, 4 of Flavia Neapolis in Palestine, Syria, present this address and petition in behalf of those men of every nation who are unjustly hated and persecuted, I myself being one of them." And the same emperor having learned also from other brethren in Asia of the injuries of all kinds which they were suffering from the inhabitants of the province, thought it proper to address the following ordinance to the Common Assembly 5 of Asia.
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On the titles of the Emperor Antoninus Pius, see Otto's notes in his edition of Justin's works (Corpus Apol. Christianorum, Vol. I. p. 2. sq.). ↩
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That is, Marcus Aurelius, whose original name was Marcus Annius Verus, but who, after his adoption by the Emperor Antoninus Pius, was styled Marcus Ælius Aurelius Verus Caesar. As a tribute to his sincerity and truthfulness, he was quite commonly called, instead of Verus, Verissimus. ↩
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The mss. are divided here between the forms philosopho and philosophou. If the former reading be followed, we must translate, "to Lucius, own son of Caesar the philosopher." The mss. are about equally divided, and the latter reading is adopted by Stephanus, Valesius, Stroth, and Burton. But our mss. of Justin support the former reading, which is adopted by Schwegler and Heinichen, and which, as the latter remarks, is far more natural than the other reading, for Justin had greater reason for giving the appellation of "philosopher" to a Caesar who was still living, even though he may not have been noted for his philosophical tastes, than to a Caesar who was already dead, and whose character certainly entitled him to the appellation no more than, if as much as, his son. See Heinichen's note in loco, and Otto's note in his edition of Justin's works, Vol. I. p. 3. ff. The Lucius addressed here was Lucius Ceionius Commodus, whose father, bearing the same name, had been adopted as Caesar by Hadrian. The younger Lucius was adopted as Caesar along with Marcus by Antoninus Pius, and later became Marcus' colleague in the empire, when he added to his own name the name Verus, which Marcus had formerly borne. He is therefore commonly known in history as Lucius Verus (see the respective articles in Smith's Dict. of Greek and Roman Biog.). ↩
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Of Justin's father and grandfather we know nothing except their names. On the place of his birth, see above, chap. 11, note 20. ↩
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This "Assembly of Asia" (to koinon tes 'Asias) was one of the regular provincial diets which Augustus had called into being as fixed institutions. It was an annual assembly of the civic deputies of the province, and served as a general organ of the province, especially in bringing the wishes of the people to the knowledge of the governor, and through him to the emperor, and decrees of the emperor were often addressed to it, and legates chosen by it were sent to the emperor whenever occasion required. See Marquardt, Röm. Staatsverwaltung, I. p. 366. sq. ↩