ABSTRACT
Episodes of exiled bishops abound in Late Antique texts, but surprisingly this phenomenon has not attracted much attention in recent scholarship.1 By contrast, the new status and privileges enjoyed by bishops as a result of Constantine’s conversion has been long recognized.2 However, the vulnerability of bishops, as they continued to depend on the support of imperial authorities for their prominent position, has not been sufficiently emphasized by historians. An investigation of exile as a sanction used against bishops by Christian rulers will certainly help to redress the balance concerning the status of this new elite.Moreover, it will allow us both to nuance our view of the role and power of bishops in the political landscape of Late Antiquity and understand the circumstances under which violent resolutions could be negotiated and, as in this instance, mitigated.
