09-30-2017, 11:45 PM
On December 16, 342, Constantine and Constans emperors approved a law, included in the Theodosian Code, Cod.Theod. IX, 7, 3 (Cod. Justin IX, ix, 30)(1), which recited:
"Emperors Constantine and Constans to the people:
When a man gives himself sexually as a woman, that is, as a woman gives herself to men, what should be seek? [there is no need for further investigation] When sex has lost its meaning and has become a crime which is good that people do not know, when Venus changes in another form, when love is sought but not found? We order the laws to arise and arm the avenging sword so that the guilty criminals, that there are in the present and will be in the future, are subjected to the establishes punishments."
In spite of these accents of moral anger, however, it is known that Roman emperors continued to charge taxes for male prostitution till to the Emperor Anastasius (Emperor of the Orient 491/518).
The law of Constantine and Constans mentioned above was then aggravated by Theodosius (2) (emperor from 379 to 395). How much Theodosius was politically subdued by St. Ambrose, who humiliated him heavily, is well known.
"All those who have the shameful habit of condemning their male body to suffer the sex of others, making them play a female role (in fact apparently they are not different from women) will have to atone for such a serious crime in revenge flames before the eyes of people. This law does not need interpretation."
This is about condemning homosexuals to the stake. The norm is "secular" because it comes from Theodosius who does not use ecclesiastical languages not to seem too submissive to St. Ambrose.
It should not be forgotten that by the edict of Thessalonica (of Theodosius) of 380, Christianity became the religion of the Roman State and after the 390 began the persecutions of Paganism. In 393 the Emperor Theodosius officially declared the illegality of Paganism throughout the empire and definitively closed the last temples that were still open; the death penalty became explicitly the penalty reserved for those who refused conversion to Christianity.
The date of the law condemning homosexuals to the stake is August 6, 390, as it is deduced from the reference to the consuls. The intervention of St. Ambrose against Theodosius because of the Thessalonica massacre is in the summer of 390, and it is very likely that the legal rules that condemn homosexuals to the stake are the first of a long series of behaviors to which Theodosius vas forced by the Church a few years after his death, it is in essence the birth of the subordination of imperial power to the Church, even though formally the legislation of Theodosius still echoes the style of ancient Roman laws.
It is very interesting to see how things have changed a century and a half later when ecclesiastical power was firmly consolidated. I quote here the full text of Novella 77 (3) by Justinian, probably of the year 538. I suggest you to reflect on the substantial change of tone.
"NOVELLA [new law] LXXVII
SO THAT NO ACTS OF LUST AGAINST NATURE ARE COMMITTED NOR SWEAR AGAINST GOD.
The Emperor Justinian to the inhabitants of Constantinople.
PREMISE. We feel that it is manifest to all those who have the right wisdom that We much do and pray so that those who have been entrusted to us by the Lord God live rightly and meet his peace, for God's mercy does not want the perdition but the conversion and salvation, and God welcomes the delinquents that correct themselves. For this reason, we invite all to keep in mind the fear of God and to invoke his peace, we know that all those who love God and sustain his mercy so behave.
Chapter I.
Therefore, given that some, animated by diabolical instigation, engage in gross acts of lust and that they themselves do things against nature, We order those to keep in mind the fear of God and the future judgment and abstain from evil and illicit acts of lust of this kind, not to be caught up by the wrath of God for the sake of such deeds, and not to ruin the cities with all their inhabitants. We are aware through the divine writings of the fact that because of such impious acts went to ruin cities together with their inhabitants.
1 - Omissis - In fact, because of these crimes are famines, earthquakes and plagues, so we warn you to abstain from the aforementioned illicit acts so as not to lose your souls. If, after this warning, some will still be found to insist on these crimes, they will first become unworthy of God's mercy and will be subjected to torments established by the laws.
2 In fact, we order the very glorious prefect of the imperial city to arrest and subdue the most extreme tortures those who remain in these illicit and impious acts after our admonition, so that our city and state do not suffer damage because of the contempt for such individuals. If then, after this exhortation, some will find such people and will not punish them, they will also be condemned in the same way by the Lord God. And the same very glorious prefect, if he has found someone committing something like this without pursuing him according to our laws, he will first be bound to God's judgment and, moreover, will have to uphold our indignation."
I leave these documents to everyone's reflection.
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(1) CTh.9.7.3 Impp. Constantius et Constans aa. ad populum. Cum vir nubit in feminam, femina viros proiectura (quum vir nubit in feminam viris porrecturam) quid cupiat, ubi sexus perdidit locum, ubi scelus est id, quod non proficit scire, ubi venus mutatur in alteram formam, ubi amor quaeritur nec videtur, iubemus insurgere leges, armari iura gladio ultore, ut exquisitis poenis subdantur infames, qui sunt vel qui futuri sunt rei. Dat. prid. non. dec. Mediolano, proposita Romae XVII kal. ianuar. Constantio III et Constante II aa. conss. (342 dec. 4).
CJ.9.9.30 Imperatores Constantius, Constans Cum vir nubit in feminam, femina viros proiectura (quum vir nubit in feminam viris porrecturam) quid cupiat? ubi sexus perdidit locum, ubi scelus est id quod non proficit scire, ubi venus mutatur in alteram formam, ubi amor quaeritur nec videtur: iubemus insurgere leges, armari iura gladio ultore, ut exquisitis poenis subdantur infames, qui sunt vel qui futuri sunt rei. * constantius et constans aa. ad pop. * <a 342 pp. romae xvii k. ian. constantio iii et constante ii aa. conss.>
(2) CTh.9.7.6 [=brev.9.4.5] Iidem aaa. Orientio vicario urbis Romae. Omnes, quibus flagitii usus est, virile corpus muliebriter constitutum alieni sexus damnare patientia (nihil enim discretum videntur habere cum feminis), huius modi scelus spectante populo flammis vindicibus expiabunt. Pp. in foro Traiani VIII. id. aug., Valentiniano a. IV. et Neoterio coss. Haec lex interpretatione non indiget.
(3) Idem Aug. Constantinopolitanis.
<Praefatio> Omnibus hominibus qui recte sapiunt manifestum esse putamus, quia omne nobis est studium et oratio, ut crediti nobis a domino deo bene vivant et eius inveniant placationem, quoniam et dei misericordia non perditionem sed conversionem et salutem vult, et delinquentes qui corriguntur suscipit deus. Propter quod omnes invitamus dei timorem in sensibus accipere et invocare eius placationem, et novimus quia omnes qui deum diligunt et eius misericordiam sustinent hoc faciunt.
CAPUT I. Igitur quoniam quidam diabolica instigatione comprehensi et gravissimis luxuriis semetipsos inseruerunt et ipsi naturae contraria agunt, et istis iniungimus accipere in sensibus dei timorem et futurum iudicium et abstinere ab huiusmodi diabolicis et illicitis luxuriis, ut non per huiusmodi impios actus ab ira dei iusta inveniantur et civitates cum habitatoribus earum pereant. Docemur enim a divinis scripturis, quia ex huiusmodi impiis actibus et civitates cum hominibus pariter perierunt.
- omissis - Propter talia enim delicta et fames et terrae motus et pestilentiae fiunt, et propterea admonemus abstinere ab huiusmodi praedictis illicitis, ut non suas perdant animas. Sin autem et post huiusmodi nostram admonitionem inveniantur aliqui in talibus permanentes delictis, primum quidam indignos semetipsos faciunt dei misericordia, post haec autem et legibus constitutis subiciuntur tormentis.
Praecepimus enim gloriosissimo praefecto regiae civitatis permanentes praedictis illicitis et impus actibus et post haec nostram admonitionem et comprehendere et ultimis subdere suppliciis, ut non ex contemptu talium inveniatur et civitas et respublica per hos impios actus laedi. Si enim et post hanc nostram suasionem quidam tales invenientes hos subtercelaverint, similiter a domino deo condemnabuntur. Et ipse enim gloriosissimus praefectus in invenerit quosdam tale aliquid delinquentes et vindictam in eos non intulerit secundum nostras leges, primum quidem obligatus erit dei iudicio, post haec autem et nostram indignationem sustinere.