Antike Autoren, höhere Mächte und der Name Vatikan. Auf der Suche nach dem Gott Vaticanus

Priester, Sascha (2022): Antike Autoren, höhere Mächte und der Name Vatikan. Auf der Suche nach dem Gott Vaticanus. In: Römische Quartalschrift für Christliche Altertumskunde und Kirchengeschichte, Bd. 117, Nr. 3-4: S. 155-166

Abstract

Ancient authors, higher powers and the name Vatican: Searching for the god Vaticanus - The term Vaticanus is of substantial significance for understanding the ancient definition of the ager Vaticanus or Vaticanum, the territory of the Vatican area in antiquity. This article re-evaluates the texts of Roman authors, who write about the origin of the name Vaticanus;our testimonials are Marcus Terentius Varro (116-27 BC), Marcus Verrius Flaccus (c. 55 BC - 20 AD), Aulus Gellius (c. 125 - after 180 AD), Sextus Pompeius Festus (later 2nd century AD) and Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD). Some aspects, that are discussed in this study: Vaticanus has been described as a (birth) deity, who owes his name to the first sounds of newborn children and has been experienced as a higher power. The ager Vaticanus has been mentioned as the home of this deity, which manifested itself in actions and prophecies. Though we have not yet been able to encounter a deity Vaticanus outside the analyzed authors' texts, neither in epigraphic nor in archaeological findings, it has been a religious reality for centuries.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Kulturwissenschaften > Department für Kulturwissenschaften und Altertumskunde
• Themengebiete: 900 Geschichte und Geografie > 900 Geschichte
• ISSN: 0035-7812
• Sprache: Deutsch