Power, Religion, and Popular Violence in the Later Roman Empire: the Calama Riots in June 408 C.E.

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to present the general lines of the current debate on the urban violence and the religious conflicts in the Later Roman Empire. We also discuss the importance of to change the prevailing perspective of the current studies to understand the reasons and the motivations of the popular involvement in these disputes. This alternative approach is applied here to the specific case of the involvement of pagans and Christians in the riots of June 408 in the small town of Calama, in North Africa. This is a typical example of collective violence that has been traditionally analyzed as an expression of the innate hostilities between the religious groups, or even as a clash between the loyal clienteles respectively of the civic leaders and the Christian bishop acting on behalf of the interests of its heads. Yet, as it is argued here, this collective action can be seen in an entirely new light if it is analyzed in its social and political context and if we pay attention to the aims and experiences not only of the leaders, but of all social agents.