Ethnicity and Argument in Eusebius' Praeparatio Evangelica

280 Pages·2006·1.42 MB·English

by  Aaron P. Johnson

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Ethnicity and Argument
in Eusebius’
Praeparatio Evangelica
AARON P. JOHNSON
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Preface
WhetherreadingHerodotusonthetiesthatboundtheGreekstogether,
IsocratesonthesuperiorityofGreekpaideia,Lucian’squibblesoverthe
AtticpurityofcertainGreekwords,orJuliantheApostate’sdeclarations
on the Greekness of pagan sacriWcial practice, the modern reader is
persistently struck by the Greeks’ pervasive sense that they possessed a
highlydistinctiveidentityandhadcarvedoutforthemselvesaparticular
nichein aworldof nations(ethne¯). The concernto fortify, manipulate
and reconWgure ethnic identities persisted among Greek authors from
theclassicaltotheearlyByzantineperiods.WhatwasdistinctivelyGreek
about the Greeks, and what marked oV non-Greeks—whether
Scythians, Persians or Egyptians—from Greek identity, were topics
brimming with signiWcance and deserving of a great deal of literary
industry and ingenuity. The apologetic literature produced by Jews
andChristiansjoinedtheoftenheatedconversationoverethnicidentity
and frequently developed its arguments within this ongoing Greek
discourseonethnicity.Eusebius’PraeparatioEvangelica(writtenbetwe-
en ad 313 and 324) stands as the most sustained and comprehensive
workinthistradition,amonumenttotheliterarybattlesfoughtoverthe
contestedWeldofidentityinGreekantiquity.
Often misconstrued as nothing more than a repository of otherwise
lost authors, the Praeparatio may yield more than just the verbatim
quotations of missing works. The present discussion seeks to take
seriously the representations of ethnicity in Eusebius’massive 15-book
defence of Christianity. The role of ethnic identity in the argument
against the Greeks and other nations has often been overlooked in
attemptstodelineateEusebius’methodology,dueinnosmallparttoa
focus on Christianity and its others as merely religious positions,
extracted from their embodiment within the communalwaysof life of
particularpeoples.Iarguethatafullerappreciationoftheargumentof
the Praeparatio is obtained by close analysis of the ethnic identities
constructedbyEusebiuswithinthetext.
I refer to Eusebius’ method as ‘ethnic argumentation’—that is, the
concern to strategically formulate ethnic identities as the basis for an
apologeticargument.Assumingadiscursiveapproachtoethnicity(one
that recognizes the constructedness of such identities as a matter of
viii Preface
boundaryformation),IexamineEusebius’retellingoftwonarrativesof
descent:thatoftheGreeksandtheHebrews(asdistinguishedfromthe
‘Jews’, a later Egyptianized form of Hebrew identity). The former are
representedaslatecomerstohistoryanddependentuponothernations
for their waysof thinkingandliving (which areshown tobe irrational
and impious); the latter are shown to be the most ancient ‘friends of
God’, whose way of life embodied piety and wisdom. By portraying
ChristiansasarestorationoftheancientHebrews,Eusebiuslegitimizes
Christianity as rooted in antiquity and superior to other ethnic iden-
tities. Christians are a nation drawn from other nations (or, a ‘Church
outofthenations’).Eusebiusthusblendsuniversalism(peoplefromany
nation may join this restored Hebrew nation) and particularism (con-
versioninvolvesthetotalrejectionofone’sancestralethniccustomsfora
newwayoflife)inhisconceptionofChristianidentity.
Throughout the course of my work on Eusebius, I have been con-
tinually surprised at the interest taken in my project and the kindness
shown by a great number of people. I am grateful to members of the
ClassicscommunityattheUniversityofColoradoatBoulder,wherethis
book had its beginnings as a doctoral thesis. Eckardt Schutrumpf,
Christopher Shields, Susan Prince, Mark Benassi, John Gibert, and
Peter Hunt, provided helpful suggestions, guidance and encourage-
ment—whether as readers or as friends; Hal Drake, as a guest on my
committee,oVeredagreatdealofhistimeandgoodhumourthrough-
outeverystageofitswriting;NoelLenskiprovedaninsuperableadviser
andfriend,whoseunstintingcareandkindnessIammostfortunateto
have received. The dissertation was completed while I held a Junior
Fellowship at Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies. I am
gratefulfortheWnancialandacademicsupportgrantedbytheTrustees
ofHarvardUniversity,andespeciallytoAlice-MaryTalbot,whocreated
an ideal environment inwhich myworkcould progress. While there,I
receivedmuchhelpfuladvicefromitscommunityofscholarsandothers
whom I met during that year, including Scott Johnson, Kate Cooper,
KevinOsterloh, EvangelosChrysos,ManolisPapoutsakis,andChristo-
pher Jones. I also received warm hospitality from Greg Smith and
MichaelMcCormickwhileavisitingfellowinCambridge.Iamindebted
to the following for having read either a part or the whole of the
manuscript as Iwas revising it for publication: Averil Cameron, David
Olster, Andrew Jacobs, Peter Van NuVelen, Kevin Van Bladel, and
Michael Maas. Their suggestions and criticisms were invaluable; they
certainlybearnoburdenforerrorsthatremain.Myfamilyhasprovided
Preface ix
the support without which I could not have Wnished. My children,
Albian and Asher, have shown a great deal of patience and helped me
to tell better the story of Eusebius, his library, and the ancient Greeks
towardswhom he focused his attention. My wife has shown unlimited
goodwill, encouragement, and self-sacriWce. She provided the initial
impetustoworkonethnicity inEusebius.Heidihasbeenatruefriend
and faithful companion both intellectually and spiritually; it is to her
thatIdedicatethisbook.Finally,inadditiontothosehumanswhohave
givenmesomuch,Ishouldremarkthatthisprojecthasbeensustained
bythegraceofapersistentlycaringGod.Iamgratefulfortherelentless
careoftheOnewhohascarriedmethroughtheselabours.