Early Medieval Era

Nito Gnoci
Apr 25
3 min read

Updated: Jun 1

Lactantius wrote The Phoenix around the year 300 about a rare bird that lives in an Eastern paradise.

The Phoenix

Confessions by St. Augustine around 400

St. Augustine’s conversion took place in a garden and is described in his Confessions.

The Conversion of St. Augustine by Fra Angelico

The Sack of Rome by the Visigoths led by Alaric in 410

The Fall of Rome caused great dismay. St. Jerome wrote: "If Rome can perish, what can be safe?"

The City of God by St. Augustine early 400s

Histories Against the Pagans by Orosius early 400s

“Rightly, therefore, does God reprove the ungrateful, the unbelieving, and also the disobedient with various chastisements. Such, we must agree, has always been the case; but it was especially so at the time when there was as yet no church in all the world”

Germanic tribes (Vandals, Goths, Franks) vandalized and seized the Western Roman Empire. The Angles, Saxons, Jutes invaded Britain.

The Marriage of Philologia and Mercury by Martianus Capella, early 400s

Mercury represents profitable pursuits and Philologia represents the love of learning.

The Muses celebrate the marriage: “Ascend into the temples of heaven, maiden, deserving of such a marriage; your father-in-law Jupiter asks you to rise to the lofty stars.”

The Muses & friends on Mt. Parnassus by Raphael

Philologia is gifted with seven maidens as servants, each representing one of the seven liberal arts.

The Seven Liberal Arts

Trivium: Grammar Rhetoric Dialectic

Quadrivium: Arithmetic Geometry Music Astronomy

Commentary on the Dream of Scipio by Macrobius early 400s
An elucidation of Cicero’s work

Macrobius ponders the harmony of the spheres.
Confessio by St. Patrick around 450
Patrick was enslaved in Ireland. He escaped but later returned and eventually served as bishop of Ireland.

Metaphysical Elements by the Neoplatonist Proclus 400s
On the Divine Names by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite early 500s
Neo-Platonic philosopher muddled with Dionysius the Areopagite (the companion of St. Paul) and St. Denis of Paris.
Psychomachia by Prudentius early 500s

In this influential allegory the Virtues engage in furious battle against the Vices and triumph over them. Both the Virtues and the Vices are personified as women.

Faith vs. Idolatry

Chastity vs. Lust

Patience vs. Wrath

Lowliness vs. Pride

Sobriety vs. Luxury

Charity vs. Greed

Concord vs. Discord

Boethius wrote On the Consolation of Philosophy while unjustly imprisoned in 523. In the book he was visited by Lady Philosophy who taught him that transient things do not bring happiness.

Dante called Boethius the "last of the Romans and first of the Scholastics".

Philosophy (left) tells Boethius that Fortune (right) cannot be trusted.

The Four Church Fathers St. Augustine, Pope St. Gregory, St. Jerome, St. Ambrose

Gregory of Tours’s History of the Franks, late 500s,

Gregory chronicled the antics of the turbulent Merovingian dynasty
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/74955/pg74955-images.html#Page_203

Ecclesiastical History of England by Bede about 731

Bede described the mission of St. Augustine of Canterbury to Britain, which occurred around 600. Augustine was sent by Pope Gregory.

The Venerable Bede quoted Pope Gregory: “It is said that one day, when some merchants had lately arrived at Rome, many things were exposed for sale in the market place, and much people resorted thither to buy: Gregory himself went with the rest, and saw among other wares some boys put up for sale, of fair complexion, with pleasing countenances, and very beautiful hair. When he beheld them, he asked, it is said, from what region or country they were brought? and was told, from the island of Britain, and that the inhabitants were like that in appearance. He again inquired whether those islanders were Christians, or still involved in the errors of paganism, and was informed that they were pagans. Then fetching a deep sigh from the bottom of his heart, “Alas! what pity,” said he, “that the author of darkness should own men of such fair countenances; and that with such grace of outward form, their minds should be void of inward grace.” He therefore again asked, what was the name of that nation? and was answered, that they were called Angles. “Right,” said he, “for they have an angelic face, and it is meet that such should be co-heirs with the Angels in heaven.”