Bibliograph

Friendship in the Merovingian kingdoms, Venantius Fortunatus and his contemporaries, by Hope Williard

Type

Label

Friendship in the Merovingian kingdoms, Venantius Fortunatus and his contemporaries, by Hope Williard

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references and index

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Friendship in the Merovingian kingdoms

Medium

electronic resource

Nature of contents

dictionariesbibliography

Responsibility statement

by Hope Williard

Series statement

CARMEN monographs and studiesCambridge Social Sciences eBooks

Sub title

Venantius Fortunatus and his contemporaries

Summary

This volume explores how one early medieval poet survived and thrived amidst the political turbulence of sixth century Gaul - with a little help from his friends. Born in northern Italy, Venantius Fortunatus made his career writing for and about members of the Merovingian elite. Although he is no longer dismissed as an opportunistic poetaster who wrote undistinguished flattery for undeserving kings and aristocrats, his work remains unduly neglected. This book reframes Fortunatus as a writer uniquely suited to his times, a professional poet who addressed his contemporaries' needs and wishes for the prestige and sophistication of Classical culture. His poems and letters enabled his aristocratic patrons to situate themselves in networks, which they made and maintained in order to navigate a post-imperial but not post-Roman world.--, Provided by publisher

Target audience

specialized

Classification