The Epistola Anne ad Senecam in its literary and historical context
Aron C. Sterk
The early 9th century Carolingian manuscript of the Epistola Anne ad Senecam was discovered by B. Bischoff in Archiepiscopal library Cologne and published him 1984. It is a short, incomplete Latin text some ninety lines that identified as late antique Jewish missionsschrift addressed to certain unidentified fratres. There little agreement current literature on identity author or addressee(s), nor date its composition, it has been proposed fact Christian. titulus taken later interpolation with no relation work. have two subsequent editions (Jacobi Hilhorst) German translation (Wischmeyer) all dependent Bischoff?s editio princeps. No extended study published. present reexamines presents corrected edition from original together an English translation. An analysis latinity rhetoric shows be written highly literate aimed at pagan, aristocratic audience similar group seen works Macrobius. fratres are not prime addressee but represent Iamblichan neoplatonic apostrophe within text. use mixed cursus clausulae indicates 4th-5th date. work shown allude Genesis sapiential texts, particularly Wisdom does quote directly them. indications using Biblical texts substantially different Vulgate possibly Hebrew. also appears show familiarity number Seneca; Naturales Quaestiones, De Beneficiis Supersitione. intertextual link between Augustine?s Civitate Dei Reditu Suo Rutilius Namatianus suggest composition second decade fifth century, c. 415. This would allow Annas didascalus Iudaeorum mentioned Theodosian code active behalf community imperial court Ravenna, plausible context reconstructed for such scenario.Placed historical paganism, interpreted constituting protreptic exhorting avoid obscurities neoplatonism inanities cult Liber Pater follow philosophical faith consonant author. can thus attempt establish Jewish-Pagan dialogue face continuing Christianisation empire time when this process still irreversible.
[Thesis]. Manchester, UK: The University of                    Manchester; 2014.