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Some theories on the dating of Arnobius

Abstract:
The Adversus Gentes of Arnobius is commonly dated to c. 303 A.D. though a date of c. 297 has also been proposed. This article asks whether the case for a later dating, implied by Jerome’s Chronicle and recently defended by Oliver Nicholson (1982) and Mark Edwards (2004), has been conclusively refuted by Michael Simmons (2015). It concludes that, while some of the arguments employed by Edwards and Nicholson carry little weight, the objections to the conventional date of 303 have not been fully answered. The unreliability of Jerome is frequently exaggerated, and the consequences of his testimony that Arnobius wrote with an epideictic, rather than an apologetic, purpose have not been fully appreciated. It is possible that the conflict of evidence can be resolved by postulating a history of redaction.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.2143/ETL.92.4.3183466

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Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
HUMS
Department:
Theology Faculty
Sub department:
Theology and Religion Faculty
Role:
Author


Publisher:
Peeters
Journal:
Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses More from this journal
Volume:
92
Issue:
4
Pages:
671-684
Publication date:
2016-11-16
Acceptance date:
2016-10-03
DOI:
EISSN:
1783-1423
ISSN:
0013-9513


Pubs id:
pubs:652111
UUID:
uuid:fbb14d49-84d7-408b-b209-3b7ebdab7f2c
Local pid:
pubs:652111
Source identifiers:
652111
Deposit date:
2016-10-13
ARK identifier:

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