Rutilius Claudius Namatianus facts for kids

Rutilius Claudius Namatianus was an important Roman poet who lived in the 400s AD. He is famous for his Latin poem called De reditu suo, which means "About His Return." This poem describes a trip he took by boat from Rome to Gaul (modern-day France) in the year 417.

His poem was originally in two parts, but sadly, the beginning of the first part and most of the second part are now lost. What we still have is about 700 lines of poetry.

People have wondered if Rutilius became a Christian, which was the main religion of the Roman Empire at his time. However, experts who have studied his work believe he probably stayed true to the old Roman gods. He didn't seem to dislike most Christians. Instead, he was against monks who chose to leave public life and live alone. He believed people should be involved in society.

His Life

Where Rutilius Came From

Rutilius was born in southern Gaul, maybe in Toulouse or Poitiers. His family was very important, like many other leading families in the Gallic provinces.

His father, named Lachanius, held many high-ranking jobs in Italy and at the emperor's court. He was a governor in different regions, an imperial treasurer, a royal recorder, and even the governor of Rome in 414.

Rutilius's journey, which he wrote about in his poem, happened in 417 AD. This date was confirmed by a small piece of his lost poem found in 1973.

Rutilius's Career

Rutilius was very proud that his own career was just as impressive as his father's. He mentioned that he was a secretary of state and also the governor of Rome.

He wrote his poem during a very difficult time for the Roman Empire. This was after the death of Emperor Theodosius I in 395. During this period, he saw many big events. These included the powerful general Stilicho acting like an emperor and the Goths, led by Alaric I, attacking and even sacking Rome in 410. He also saw many people try to become emperor and fail.

His Religious Views

Rutilius clearly supported those who disagreed with the emperor's policies during this time. He was good friends with Quintus Aurelius Symmachus, a famous speaker who opposed Stilicho. Symmachus and others wanted to bring back the old Roman gods.

Rutilius's poem shows how strongly he felt about the old Roman religion, known as Paganism. He believed that literature and culture were, and should always be, pagan. He thought anything outside of Paganism was uncivilized.

He felt superior to the new religious ideas of his time. He was confident that the ancient gods of Rome would continue to be glorious. He didn't openly attack Christianity much, but he did criticize monks. He saw them as people who abandoned their duties to society.

He also disliked Judaism, seeing it as the origin of Christianity. Interestingly, the first Christian missionary in Ireland, Palladius (bishop of Ireland), was a relative and friend of Rutilius.

His Poem: De reditu suo

Style of the Poem

Rutilius wrote his poem using a style called the elegiac couplet. He used this style very well, showing he had studied the poetry from the time of Emperor Augustus. His Latin is very clear and proper for his era.

While he wasn't as brilliant as another poet named Claudian, Rutilius's writing was more direct and less over-the-top. Some people think he might be called "the last of the Roman poets" because his style was so traditional.

What the Poem is About

Rutilius starts his poem by praising the goddess Roma, saying that her glory shines even brighter after disasters. He believed Rome would rise again and defeat its enemies.

He then talks about the damage caused by the Goths, like destroyed roads and buildings. He mentions the poor condition of the harbors near the Tiber River and how many old trading ports on the coast were falling apart. He even exaggerates how deserted the city of Cosa in Etruria was.

However, the port that served Pisa was still doing well. Rutilius describes villagers there celebrating a festival for the god Osiris.

History of De reditu suo and Its Copies

Most of the copies of Rutilius's poem that we have today came from an old, damaged handwritten book. This book was found in 1493 at a monastery called Bobbio by a man named Giorgio Galbiato.

This original handwritten book has not been seen since 1706. However, three good copies were made from it before it disappeared:

• One copy in Vienna (called V) made in 1501.
• A second copy in Rome (called R) made around 1530.
• The very first printed version of the poem, published in Bologna in 1520.

In 1970, a small piece of the original Bobbio manuscript was found. It had been used in the binding of another book. This fragment was written in the 600s or 700s AD. It contains the ends of 39 lines from a part of the poem that was otherwise lost.

The Poet's Name

There are slight differences in how Rutilius's name is spelled in different old copies. The copy in Rome (R) uses "Rutilius Claudius Namatianus." Another copy (V) has "Rutilius Claudius Numantianus."

Experts believe "Namatianus" is the correct name. This is because a document from 412 AD, called the Codex Theodosianus, mentions a "magister officiorum" (secretary of state) with that name. This person is likely the poet himself.

Film

An Italian film called The Voyage Home was made in 2004. It is based on Rutilius Namatianus's poem.

See also

In Spanish: Claudio Rutilio Namaciano para niños