From Roman to Merovingian Gaul

Alexander Callander Murray is a member of the Department of History and Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Toronto, where he teaches at the Erindale Campus. He is author of Germanic Kinship Structure: Studies in Law and Society in Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages (1983), editor of After Rome's Fall: Narrators and Sources of Early Medieval History (1998), and has written articles on Merovingian administration and office-holding, and on the dating of Beowulf.

• List of Illustrations and Maps  Abbreviations Preface Chapter One: The Early Franks A. The Earliest Sources 1. Aurelius Victor, From the Emperors (De Caesaribus)2. From the Latin Panegyrics (Panegyrici Latini)B. Raiders, Invaders, and Roman Soldiers, a. 354-60I. Silvanus the Usurper 3. The History of Ammianus Marcellinus, XV 5 II. Julian in Gaul: Salians and Chamavi, a. 357-58 4. The Emperor Julian, From his Letter to the Athenians 5. The History of Ammianus Marcellinus, XVII 2, 8 6. Libanios of Antioch, From his Funeral Oration over Julian 7. Eunapius of Sardis, Fragment 18.6. III. Julian Proclaimed Augustus, a. 360 8. The History of Ammianus Marcellinus, XX 4 Chapter Two: Orosius on Empire, Barbarians, and Usurpers in the Late Fourth and Fifth Centuries 9. From the Histories against the Pagans Chapter Three: Three Gallic Courtiers and Poets: Thoughts on Life, Love, and Patriotism A. Ausonius of Bordeaux 10. A Ranking of Famous Cities, ca 390 11. Bissula 12. From the Epigrams 13. From the Nuptial Cento: The Deflowering of the Bride B. Rutilius Claudius Namatianus 14. From His Voyage Home a. In Praise of Rome b. Trouble in Armorica c. Judaism d. Monasticism e. StilichoC. Paulinus of Pella 15. From the Thanksgiving (Eucharisticus) Chapter Four: The Antique Chronicle Tradition in the Fifth and Sixth Centuries 16. Prosper of Aquitaine17. The Gallic Chronicle of 45218. From the Chronicle of Hydatius19. The Gallic Chronicle of 51120. The Chronicle of Marius of Avenches Chapter Five: Salvian of Marseilles on God's Judgment 21. On the Governance of God Chapter Six: Priscus of Panium on Attila the Hun  22. An Embassy to the Court of Attila, a. 449 23. Attila and the West, a. 450-52 i. Attila and Honoriaii. Vandals and Huns iii. Attila and the Franks iv. Attila's Terms v. Attila Meets the Pope24. Attila's Death, a. 453 Chapter Seven: Fragments and Scraps of Fifth-Century History  25. The Franks and Imperial Politics, a. 388-420 i. Sulpicius Alexander ii. Claudian on the Consulship of Stilicho, a. 400 iii. Renatus Profuturus Frigeridus  26. An Anonymous Sketch of the Reign of Honorius  27. Olympiodorus on Galla Placidia and the Goths28. From the Thanksgiving of Paulinus of Pella: The Sack of Bordeaux and the Siege of Bazas, a. 414/415 29. The Establishment of the Gallic Council of the Seven Provinces, a. 41830. From the Comedy Querolus: Laws of the Forest Along the Loire 31. Renatus Profuturus Frigeridus on Aetius32. From the Imperial Decrees of the Theodosian Code and its Interpretatio a. Ranking Roman Society; b. Praescriptio Fori 33. From the Life of St. Germanus by Constantius of Lyons: Taxes, Alans, and Bacaudae in Farther Gaul  34. From Sidonius Apollinariss Panegyrics on Avitus and Majorian a. The Election of Avitus as Emperor; b. Majorian and the Fight at Vicus Helena 35. From Lost Annals of Angers: Aegidius, Childeric, and Odoacer36. Sales in the Code of Euric, ca. 475 Chapter Eight: The World of Sidonius Apollinaris: From Roman to Visigothic Gaul 37. From the Letters of Sidonius Apollinaris i. Early Years, Before 467 ii. Sidonius Goes to Rome, a. 467-68 iii. From Prefect and Patrician to Bishopiv. Sidonius the Bishopv. Blockade of Clermont, a. 471-74vi. Cession of Clermont and the Auvergnevii. Sidonius, a Subject of Euricviii. Last Thoughts on Latin Culture, History, and Nobility Chapter Nine: Clovis, King of the Franks, a. 481/2-511 38. Letter of Bishop Remigius of Rheims to Clovis, a. 481/2 39. Letter of Bishop Avitus of Vienne to Clovis Regarding the King's Baptism, ca. 496-99 40. Letter of Bishop Remigius to Clovis on the Death of the Kings Sister41. Three Letters of Theoderic the Great from the Variae of Cassiodorus, a. 506/0742. Letter of Clovis to Aquitanian Bishops on the Kings Peace and Apostolic Letters, a.507/08 43. Letter of the Bishops of the Council of Orleans to Clovis, a. 511 44. Letter of Bishop Remigius Regarding the Ordination of a Certain Claudius, ca. 51245. Letter of Nicetius, Bishop of Trier, to Chlodoswintha, Queen of the Lombards, ca. 56446. The Career of Clovis According to Gregory Bishop of Tours (594) Chapter Ten: The Histories of Gregory of Tours: The Frankish Kingdom, a. 511-90 47. From the Death of Clovis to the Death of Chlothar I, a. 511-61 (Books III-IV)48. From the Division of Chlothars Kingdom to the Death of Sigibert I, a. 561-75 (Book IV) 49. The Reign of Childebert II, a. 576-90 (Books V-X)i. To the Death of Chilperic, a. 576-84 (October) (Books V-VI) ii. The Aftermath of Chilperics Death and the Revolt of Gundovald, a. 584 (October)-586 (Books VII-VIII) iii. Revolt in Austrasia and the Fall of Egidius, a. 587-90 (Books IX-X) Chapter Eleven: The World of Gregory of ToursA. Antique Poetry and the Merovingian Court50. Venantius Fortunatus Before the Synod of Berny, a. 580: On the Virtues of Chilperic B. Episcopal Appointments in Gregory of Tours' Histories 51. The Rivalry of Cato and Cautinus in Clermont52. Cato and Tours53. Doing it the Wrong Way: A Bishop for Saintes 54. Doing it the Right Way: Avitus, Bishop of Clermont C. Feuds in Gregory of Tours' Histories 55. Feud in the Family: Silvester's Son and Gregory's Brother Peter, a. 57656. The Feuds of Sichar, a. 585 and 58857. Fredegund Buries the Hatchet, a. 591 Chapter Twelve: Fredegar on Frankish History, a. 584-64258. The Sixth Chronicle of Fredegar (Book IV)Chapter Thirteen: Kings and Mayors: The Anonymous History of the Franks (LHF) and the Frankish Kingdom, 639-72759. Chapters 43-53 of the History of the Franks (LHF) Chapter Fourteen: Sanctity and Politics in the Times of Balthild and Her SonsA. Queenship, Religion, and Politics 60. The Life of Lady Balthild, Queen B. A View From Abroad 61. Balthild, Ebroin, and Dagobert II in Stephen's Life of Wilfrid C. The Politics of Martyrdom in Seventh-Century Saints' Lives 62. The Passion of Leudegar 63. From the Passion of Praejectus Chapter Fifteen: Frankish Law A. The Salic Law (Lex Salica) 64. Wergelds and Compensation 65. Ordinary Procedure 66. Special Procedure I: Tracking and Third-Hand Procedure 67. Special Procedure II: Charging and Interrogating Slaves 68. Miscellaneous OVenses 69. Inheritance B. Legislation of the Merovingian Kings  70. The Agreement of Childebert I and Chlothar I for Keeping the Peace, a. 511-5871. The Decree of Childebert II, a. 59672. Constitution of Chlothar (II?, 584-629)73. The Edict of Paris of Chlothar II, October 614 C. Ecclesiastical Legislation 74. Clerical Privilege and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in the Canons of Church Councils a. Orleans (I), a. 511 b. Epaone, a. 517c. Orleans (III), a. 538d. Orleans (IV), a. 541e. Macon (I), a. 581/3f. Macon (II), a. 585g. Paris (V), October 614h. Clichy, a. 626/27i. Losne, a. 673/5D. From The Formularies75. Angers Fomulary a. Loans and Mortgages;b. Debt Bondage;c. Manumissions;d. A Judgment and Notice of its Performance; e. Warranting and Default;f. Notice of Discharge (Securitas);g. Divorce76. The Formulary of Marculf a. Royal Appointment of a Count, Duke, or Patricius;b. Enrolling in the King's Retinue;c. A License to Become a Cleric;d. Grants of Immunity;e. Loan and Interest;f. A MandateE. Royal Charters 77. Dispute Settlement Before the King's Court: A Judgment of Childebert III, a. 709 or 710Chapter Sixteen: History, Legend, and Romance A. The Origins of the Franks and Their Kings 78. Gregory of Tours, Hist. II 9-1079. Fredegar, Chron. II 4-6, 8-9, and III 2, 980. The Anonymous History of the Franks (LHF) 1-5 B. Historical Tales and Historical Romance in Fredegar's Chronicle 81. Aetius, the Huns, and the Goths (II 53)82. The Deeds of Theoderic the Great (II 56, 57, 59)83. Chroc Follows His Mothers Advice (II 60)84. Justinian, Belisarius, And Their Wives (II 62)85. The Lombards, Narses, and Italy (III 65)C. Tales of the Early Franks and Their Kings I. Fredegar's Chronicle 86. Overthrow of Trier (III 7)87. Childeric and Wiomad (III 11)88. Basina, Childeric, and Visions in the Night (III 12)89. Clovis, Aurelianus, and Chlothild (III 18, 19) 90. The Baptism of Clovis (III 21)91. Paternus, Clovis's Envoy to Alaric (II 58)92. The Expulsion of Marcatrude by Guntram (III 56)93. Gogo, Brunhild, and Chrodin (III 57-59)94. The Death of Sigibert and the Rescue of Childebert II (III 70-72)95. The Death of Chilperic (III 93) II. The Anonymous History of the Franks (LHF) 96. Clovis, Aurelianus, and Chlothild (LHF 11-14)97. From Cloviss Campaign Against the Goths (LHF 17)98. Fredegund Displaces Audovera (LHF 31)99. Fredegund, Landeric, and the Death of Chilperic (LHF 35)100. Fredegund Defeats the Austrasians at Droizy (LHF 36)101. The Battles of the Orvanne and Zulpich, and the Death of Brunhild (LHF 37-40)102. Chlothar and Dagobert (LHF 41)Chapter Seventeen: Epilogues and Postscripts: From Charles Martel to the End of Merovingian Kingship A. The Victories of Charles Martel 103. The First Continuator of Fredegar, a. 724-35104. The Battle of Poitiers in the Mozarabic Chronicle of 754B. From The Correspondence of Saint Boniface 105. Charles Martel Commends Boniface to all Frankish Officials, a. 723 [XIV, 22] 106. Bishop Daniel of Winchester Advises Boniface on the Method of Conversion, a. 723-24 [XV, 23] 107. Replies of Pope Gregory II to Questions of Boniface, 22 November 726 [XVIII, 26] 108. Pope Gregory III Promotes Boniface to the Rank of Missionary Archbishop and Sends him the Pallium, ca. 732 [XX, 28] 109. Boniface to Pope Zacharias on the Latters Accession to the Papacy, early in 742 [XL, 50] 110. A Decree of Carloman, Mayor of the Eastern Franks, Based on Deliberations of Synods in 742 and 743 [XLIV (56)]C. From Mayoralty to Kingship 111. From the Second and Third Continuation of Fredegar112. From the Royal Frankish Annals D. Einhard on the last Merovingians 113. From the Life of CharlemagneIndex of Source Types, Authors, and WorksList of Illustrations and Maps Figures1. The origin of the Franks according to Fredegar IGenealogies 1. The Early Merovingians: Clovis, his Sons, and Grandsons 2. The Early Merovingians: Sigibert I, Brunhild, and their Descendants 3. The Early Merovingians: Chilperic I, Fredegund, and their Descendants 4. The Later Merovingians: Dagobert I and his Descendants 5. The Arnulfings or Pippinids (Early Carolingians) Maps 1. Western Provinces of the Roman Empire ca. 400 2. Gaul in the Early Fifth Century3. Spain and the Western Mediterranean in the Fifth Century4. Bishoprics, Late Fifth to Late Seventh Centuries, Keyed to a List of Bishoprics and Civitates of the Fifth-century Notitia Galliarum 5. Regions of Gaul and Its Neighbours in the Merov