#notitia dignitatum

[fabiansteinhauer]

Verlassen/ Verladen

1.

Man sagt, dass Arbeiter verlassen eine Fabrik, der Titel des ersten Film sei, der auf den Schirm gebracht wurde. Das Cover der notitia dignitatum zeigt auch nur einen einzigen Arbeiter, der die Fabrik verlässt, sein Titel lautet anders. Auf dem Cover ist nur einer und die Fabrik ist nicht so groß und modern wie diejenige der Lumieres.

Aber beide Bilder, der Film der Gebrüder Lumière und das Cover kommen aus Lyon, beide zeigen auch eine Lyoner Regung, eine Tor querende, in dem Sinne sogar torkelnde Regung, beide erscheinen als Bild, durch das Regung geht, die flammt oder fackelt, zumindest ziehen die beiden Bilder unruhige, neugierige Betrachter an.

Lyoner Regung ist die Regung einer Flussstadt in klammem Tal, deren Topographie Manhattan und Passau größer und kleiner ähnelt, weil das Centrum und die Schwerkraft der Ahnungen von zwei Flüssen geklammert wird, sich zur Nadel zuspitzt, bis zwei Flüsse einer sind. Hier verfliesst nichts, immer kommt fließend Wasser nach. In solchen Städten mit Landspitzen meint man aber, alles zu versäumen, das sind Geburtstätten der Melancholie, oft nebelig ist es da und man vermisst den Wind.

Der Film, der noch bei Harun Farocki unter dem Titel Arbeiter verlassen eine Fabrik vorgestellt wird, kann die bolische Übersetzung des Covers der notitia dignitatum aus dem 17. Jahrhundert sein. Arbeiter verlädt Fabrik wird zu Arbeiter verlassen die Fabrik. Arbeiter verladen eine Fabrik, Arbeiter verlässt Fabrik: Die Figuren enttäuschen Erwartung an das Textile, die Textur, die man erwartet, erwarten zu lassen. Der Film und das Cover regen und bewegen, sie lassen die Betrachtung schnellen, stoßen den Blick auf und in den Verkehr zurück. Cover und Film entäuschen Erwartung schlicht, in dem sie pendeln, was ja nicht schlimm sein muss. Sie kommen nicht weg, die Fabrik kommt nicht weg, was sie verladen, kommt nicht weg. Der Arbeiter und die Arbeiter kommen nicht weg. Die Entäuschung instituiert, sie trainiert den Umgang mit einer Welt, in der nach der Differenzierung vor der Diffenzierung ist.

Der Arbeiter, der auf dem Lyoner Cover etwas verlässt und etwas verlädt, soll Samson sein, das Verlassene ein Ort in Gaza, was er verlädt, das ist Träbläte, ein beladener Träger mit stoischen Schriftzügen, was er verlässt ist die Zone nach dem Tor um zur Zone vor dem Tor zu treten. Er ist vielleicht vom Lande, kommt im Augenblick aber nicht vom Lande, sondern aus der Stadt, er ist Arbeiter, er quert das Tor, ist ein Torquato, statt davor stehen zu bleiben und K. zu sein. Die Arbeiter, die die Fabrik verlassen, sollen Minore sein, sie gehen haufenweise durch. Die Bretter, die dort verladen werden, um etwas zu verlassen, sollen Torflügel, Flügel von Toren, träge Objekte sein. Werkende verlassen die Faktoren, die Fakten. Eine Welt, die verlassen und verladen ist, erstarrt nicht, sie wellt auch, dreht sich weiter, hört nicht auf, Welt zu sein und mit Norm und Form beladen und getragen zu sein, noch wenn sie vague und ungewollt oder flach und gewollt dreht.

The first film ever brought to the screen: Wer hat den Käse zum Bahnhof gerollt und wer den Film auf den Schirm gebracht? Arbeiter, die juridisches Handwerk gelernt haben. Anfangen ist nämlich eine juridische Kulturtechnik, hier wird ein Film als Norm und Form gegeben, die erstmalig und prinzipiell, präzedenzlos seien sillen. Der Film, dieser, wird als Prinzip, als Cover vorgestellt. Wir brauchen nicht nur den Flicken, wir brauchen das ganze Werk, also: Streik. Das Cover bildet um 1600 einen klammen Film einem dichten Buch, bildet einem eben noch als Akte kursierenden Codex und Kommentar einen klammen Film, durch den Regung geht. Im sowjetischen Film taucht das Verladen wiederholt auf. Sie, um 1600/ um 1900, Streikbrecher haben die Bretter im Rücken, er gekreuzt und sie zur Kiste gemacht. Hier und da Atlanten.

[newhistorybooks]

"This book presents a new history of the leadership, organization, and disposition of the field armies of the east Roman empire between Julian (361–363) and Herakleios (610–641). To date, scholars studying this topic have privileged a poorly understood document, the Notitia dignitatum, and imposed it on the entire period from 395 to 630. This study, by contrast, gathers all of the available narrative, legal, papyrological, and epigraphic evidence to demonstrate empirically that the Notitia system emerged only in the 440s and that it was already mutating by the late fifth century before being fundamentally reformed during Justinian's wars of reconquest. This realization calls for a new, revised history of the eastern armies. "

[totallyhussein-blog]

This Summer, join AMAR and let the sunshine in

Flowers are meant to be photographed. They bring happiness, inspire us and are each diverse in character. But what is their appeal? It was once said that “a flower’s appeal is in its contradictions — so delicate in form yet strong in fragrance, so small in size yet big in beauty, so short in life yet long on effect.”

This Summer, we would like to invite to join the AMAR International Charitable Foundation and let the sunshine in. We want you to get close to nature by sharing your floral tributes and sharing the beauty that's around you. Will you join us and #LetTheSunshineIn?

People can be allot like flowers, whose seeds blow in the wind, settle and then take root. #LetTheSunshineIn is a global campaign in aid of the AMAR Foundation's work with displaced people and did you know, there are an estimated 9 million Iraqi's living outside of Iraq and countless others of mixed Iraqi heritage?

There are also many causes of displacement, as historian Charoltte Higgens illustrated in The Guardian back in 2006. A Roman document dated from AD400 and called the Notitia Dignitatum, describes a regiment of Mesopotamian soldiers patrolling an area of England that is now called South Shields.

Whilst recently displaced Iraqi's maybe new to many towns and cities, these people are following in the footsteps of others like the World War One poet Siegfried Sassoon, whose family arrived from Basra and settled in the British city of Manchester back in 1858.

For further information on the AMAR Foundation's work with displaced people, please contact AMAR on 0207 799 2217. You can also join @AMARLondon on Twitter and share your floral tributes with the hashtag #LetTheSunshineIn.

[mostly-history]

Gariannonum (Norfolk, England).

Gariannonum was a Saxon shore fort, constructed during the late 200s and early 300s AD.  The Notitia Dignitatum states that the Stablesian cavalry were stationed there.  The fortification walls are about 4.6m high, some of the tallest surviving Roman walls in Britain.

During the 1000s and 1100s, a Norman motte was built in the south-west corner of the fort, using the Roman fort as a bailey.

[fabiansteinhauer]

Tafel/ Tabelle

1.

Die Tabelle, dem Namen nach eine kleine Tafel, nennt Vismann in dem Buch über Akten ein Stellenwertsystem. Die Tabelle ist eine Stelle aus Stellen, sie stellt Positionen zur Verfügung, in die etwas eingetragen, an denen etwas ausgetragen und übertragen wird. Tabellen weisen Beträge aus, machten betrachtbar. In dem Sinne stellt eine Tabelle etwas, indem es wahrnehmbar macht, die stellt etwas her und dar und lässt es dann in weiter Praxis damit umgehen. Sie wertet, misst, rechnet und rechnet auch, was inwieweit reicht. Sie billigt. Sie ist das Objekt einer Technik, die Recht und billig macht, damit auch Objekt einer Technik, die veredelt, vergütet, gutmacht und durchgehen lässt.

Ob die Tabelle ein System ist, das ist weniger eine Frage des Ob als eine Frage nach dem Systembegriff. Arbeitet man weder an einer Geschichte noch einer Theorie der Systeme, drängt sich der Systembegriff nicht gleich auf. Vismanns Buch ist zur Zeit dessen geschrieben, was sie und Koschorke in dem Band über Widersprüche der Systemtheorie Faszination nannten, Faszination für den Luhmannismus. Lässt man den Systembegriff weg, bleibt die Tabelle ein stellendes und wertendes Objekt. Es bleibt auch ein messendes Objekt. Wenn man Recht als Regung und das Problem der Regung in der Einfalt von Rain/ Reign, also in der meteorologischen und polaren Bewegung begreift, dann präzisiert sich, was hier stellen oder messen heißen soll. Man macht das wohl am besten an den unterschiedlichen Vorstellungen von Manfred Sommer und Aby Warburg deutlich. Nach Sommers Phänomenologie der Tafel lässt die Tafel alles in der Wiederholung auf auf der Grundlage vom Rektangulären, in dem Sinne vom Rechten erscheinen. Die Tafel lässt danach etwas auf der Grundlage einer Technik erscheinen, die in der Natur nicht vorkäme. Darum glaube ich, dass Sommer dem Dogma großer Trennung anhängt und anthropofager Bewegung nicht anhängt. Sommers große Referenz gründlicher Linie ist der rechte Winkel, als Objekt ist es, was man antik regula nennt, das architektonische Objekt der Regel schlechthin. Eine Tafel wiederholt nach Sommer den Acker, die Wand und das Tuch oder Textil (das velum), weil alle an dieser großen Referenz hängen. Nach Warburg ist das aber, trotz der schwarzen Tafeln, anders. Man kann hier sogar nur schwer vom Feld sprechen. Warburgs Tafeln sind nicht nur zweidimensional. Räumlich sie sind auch dreidimensional. Hinzu kommt die Zeiten, die bei Warburg selten homogenisiert, immer geschichtet und diplomatisch, also in Falten vorkommen. Seine Tafeln sind Teil eines technischen Apparates, in dem vorkommt, was auch in der Natur schon vorkommt. Sie wiederholen nicht unbedingt das Rektanguläre, sie wiederholen den Kosmos, zum Beispiel die elliptischen Bahnen von Körpern, die um Körper kreisen. Tafel 78 mag mit seiner Tabelle und den Kalenderform, dem Nachleben der notitia dignitatum und dem Kalender des Filocalus dem folgen, was Sommer im Blick hat, sagen wir: einem Sommerdispositiv. Tafel 79 folgt diesem Dispositiv aber nicht. Recht muss hier nicht rektangulär sein, es kann sich wie Rain/Reign, wie Regen und wie Regierung regen, kann wirbeln, kann windig kippen, kehren und wenden.

2.

Auf der Tabelle sind das Stellen und das Messen nach dem Sommerdispositiv rekantguläre, rechtwinklige und 'schubladige' Vorgänge. Bei Warburg sind es kosmologische, kreisende und vague, meteorologische und polare Vorgänge. Die Unterscheidung zwischen Natur und Kultur ist bei Sommer fundamental, sie findet an der Spitze oder im Fundament des Begriffes statt. Bei Warburg kommt die Unterscheidung vor, ist aber nicht fundamental, sondern elementar, kommt also in Kleinstem und Größtem vor - dort nicht unbedingt identisch oder gegensätzlich, sondern mit Affinitäten und Wechseln.

3.

Wo Letter sind, da ist City. Das gilt unbedingt auch nach dem Sommerdispositiv, da ist der Letter ein Stab/Baustein und das Plane, mit denen Acker, Tücher und Wände entstehen. Für Warburg gilt: Wo Letter sind ist City, wo City ist sind Letter. Aber die City kann Polos/ polus sein: Ort, an dem und um den sich alles dreht und alles verkehrt. Dazu kommen Letter auch im Pastoralen oder auf hoher See vor, innerhalb und außerhalb der City tauchen die Letter ebenfalls auf.

Untitled #272

[germanicseidr]

Mattiaci

The Mattiaci were a Germanic tribe who occupied territory on the east bank of the river Rhine, between modern day Mainz and Frankfurt in Germany. The Marcomanni lived south of the Mattiaci, the Chatti to the east and the Usipetes to the North.

The meaning of the name Mattiaci is unknown but there are several theories: Maybe the first part of the name, mat, means meat. There is also the theory that the name comes from the name of the Chatti capital Mattiacum, this seems to be the most likely theory as the Mattiaci may have been a branch of the Chatti.

Between 12 and 9BC, Roman emperor Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus starts his conquest of Germania. He manages to defeat several tribes in battle like the Sicambri, Frisii, Batavi, Chauci, Bructeri, Usipites and Marsi. During this campaign he also defeated the Mattiaci which is the earliest mention of this tribe. Drusus was well under his way to conquer all of Germania but he died after falling from his horse during his 4th campaign. His death also ended the campaign against the Germanic tribes.

The tribe has also been mentioned by Tacitus in his work Germania in relation to the Batavi.

"The Batavi are not under the contempt of paying tribute, nor subject to be squeezed by the farmers of the revenue. Free from all impositions and payments, and only set apart for the purposes of fighting, they are reserved wholly for the wars, in the same manner as a magazine of weapons and armour.

Under the same degree of homage are the nation of the Mattiacians. For such is the might and greatness of the Roman People, as to have carried the awe and esteem of their Empire beyond the Rhine and the ancient boundaries.

Thus the Mattiacians, living upon the opposite banks, enjoy a settlement and limits of their own yet in spirit and inclination are attached to us. In other things resembling the Batavians, save that as they still breathe their original air, still possess their primitive soil, they are thence inspired with superior vigour and keenness."

The Mattiaci also took part in the Batavi revolt in 69AD but we lose track of this tribe after permanent borders are established across the Rhine, Limes Germanicus.

There is however another mention of the tribe in the late first century AD. A kind of soap was named after the Mattiaci tribe by Valerius Martialis:

"Sapo: Si mutare paras longaevos cana capillos, Accipe Mattiacas - quo tibi calva?

Soap: If you want to change your highly aged hair, use Pilae Mattiacae - why have a bald head?"

The very last mention that we have is in 395AD. An official register was compiled in the Notitia Dignitatum. Two regiments of Mattiaci are mentioned as auxiliaries serving the Roman army. The tribe was most likely absorbed by the Alemanni.

Here is a photo of a Neoclassical building which pays homage to the tribe that once inhabited the area taken by Carole Raddato in Wiesbaden, Germany.

The other photo is a map of the Roman/Germanic border which shows the location of the tribe.

[peashooter85]

The Evolution of the Roman Army Finale--- The Death of the Roman Army and the Fall of Rome

In case you missed: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII

When we last left off with the previous post, the Roman Empire had just gone through the tumultuous period from 388 - 410 AD, starting with a series of revolts, the campaigns of Stilicho, and the sack of Rome under the watch of Honorious. The empire would never again be the same, nor would the Roman Army, which by the time the Notitia Dignitatum was published in 420 was a shell of its former glory. The events between 420 and 460 would see the total dissolution of the standing Roman Army. Three major events would bring about this end.

First between 427 and 432 the empire once again erupted into a major civil war between a triumvirate of Roman generals; Flavius Aetius, Flavius Felix, and Count Bonifacius. Think of it as like the civil war between Caesar and Pompeii, or Marc Antony and Octavian. The only difference being the winner would not go down in history as a legendary empire builder, but would gain control of the shiny turd that was now the Western Roman Empire. Aetius would be victorious and become de facto ruler of Rome for the next two decades, all the while the emperor Valentinian III spent his time in Ravenna playing backgammon and picking his nose. Second, whilst the empire was warring with itself, the Vandals crossed the Mediterranean and captured North Africa. At the time North Africa was the most important province of the empire as it was the number one grain producer for Rome. After the capture of North Africa, the price of food skyrocketed. The Roman state was forced into a position where it could barely afford to feed its own people, let alone pay for things like standing armies and military fortifications.

The third factor which led to the disintegration of the Roman Army was more of a long developing social change rather than a single event. As the crumbling Roman Empire found itself under more and more stress it raised taxes and continued to raise taxes to the point that it became impossible for the average citizen to make a living. The Roman middle class, already decimated by a failing economy and periods of hyperinflation, crumpled under the burden and were driven into poverty while the lower class was further stomped into the dirt. The only people who prospered during the 5th century were the wealthy upper class patricians, who were able to use their power and influence to gain tax exemptions.  By now the Roman government was thoroughly riddled with corruption and Roman patricians could easily bribe tax officials to look the other way when tax season came around. What resulted was a patronage system headed by elite wealthy Romans. Patronage was common way back in the days of the Roman Republic, however the 5th century would ramp it up to the extreme. Commoners were forced into a situation were it was impossible to make a living on their own, so they would sell out their services to a wealthy patron.  The commoner, now basically a peasant, would perform labor or services for the patron, while the patron would in turn feed him, clothe him, house him, and take care of his taxes. In addition, peasants would be required to take an oath of loyalty to the patron, backing him in any dispute, saluting him in public, and kissing his ring in private. Patrons became so powerful that they eventually came to dominate the politics of the empire. By the 5th century individual patrons were the de facto rulers of villages, towns, and even entire cities. No one really cared about the Roman state anymore or gave a damn what the emperor had to say, not that he had anything particularly intelligent to say anyway. Political power was becoming decentralized to the point that Italy was breaking down into a collection of independent city states. If this sounds a lot like Medieval feudalism, congrats, you've earned a piece of candy. If it sounds like Renaissance era Italian politics, have a cookie. If the patrons seem a lot like late 19th to mid 20th century mafia dons, have yourself an ice cream, you've earned it.

A 5th century Roman patron

The result of this socio-economic change was that Roman's no longer wanted to have anything to do with Roman government, whether as a public official and in the case of the army, as a soldier. Instead, the patrons would pay out of pocket to raise their own private armies manned by soldiers for hire called bucellarii to defend their interests. It was not uncommon for the political and business interests of patrons to conflict, resulting in open warfare or blood feuds that could last centuries. Remember the fighting between the Montagues and the Capulets in the Shakespearean tragedy Romeo and Juliet? Yup, that was a good old fashioned Italian patron family blood feud. Anyway, Roman's were no longer willing to join the Roman Army. If you wanted a military career, it was better to join a patron's private army as a bucellarius rather than become a legionary in the Roman Army. The patrons paid a lot more and equipped and trained their soldiers better. In addition, what self respecting Roman would want to fight for the corrupt farce that was the Western Empire? Who would want to die for dimwitted spoiled brats like Honorius and Valentinian III? 

Thus, as the 5th century progressed the Roman state could no longer afford to equip and maintain standing armies, nor were there a rush of recruits willing to join. As a result the empire became almost entirely dependent on foederati and mercenaries. When the Huns came screaming through Gaul in 451 Aetius marched north with a small Roman army and joined a confederation of Goths, Franks, Burgundians, Saxons, Amoricans, and Alans. The Battle of the Catalaunian Plains was not really a Roman victory, but a victory of barbarian forces aligned against the Huns. When the Huns were defeated, the barbarian forces went home, leaving Rome vulnerable to further Hunnic invasion. When the Huns invaded Italy the next year, Aetius' small army was only able to harass the invasion and slow it down. Fortunately for Rome, the Huns decided to go home rather than pillage all of Italy. 

After the assassination of Aetius in 453, the Roman Army collapsed entirely. Depleted of cash, the empire simply ceased issuing pay to it's soldiers. Units scattered throughout the empire either disbanded, sold out their services to a barbarian king or warlord, or settled where they were and became civilians. One example of this comes from the account of St. Severinus of Noricum who lived along the Danube border. According to Severinus the local cohort of Batavi had long ago stopped receiving their pay. In 460 they sent a delegation to Rome to find out why, but were massacred by a group of barbarians. The Batavi cohort disbanded, became regular civilians, and hired barbarian mercenaries for their protection.

In 355 Petronius Maximus ascended to the throne after orchestrating the assassination of Aetius and Valentininan III. One of his first acts as emperor was to cancel the marriage of Eudocia, daughter of Valentinian III to the Huneric, son of the Vandal King Genseric. Greatly pissed off Genseric prepared an army to invade Rome. Maximus was like "go ahead come at me bro!", believing that the mighty Roman legions would easily deal with the problem. There were no legions to deal with the problem, and the Vandals marched to Rome unopposed. Maximus attempted to flee his post but was seized by an angry Roman mob who stoned him to death for his incompetence. His glorious reign lasted around two months. 

On the 2nd of June 455, the Vandals sacked Rome. As sackings go, this one wasn't so bad. Before the sacking, Pope Leo II requested that the Vandals not burn any of the city, nor harm any of its people. Genseric agreed, and for the next two weeks the Vandals were more like tourists than invaders; enjoying the sights of the city, watching the chariot races, eating good food, drinking all the wine, frequenting the brothels, and relaxing in the baths. Then, when the wining and dining was done, they looted the city of everything of value. Gold, silver, jewelry, fine clothing, furniture, artwork, everything had to go. They even pried the bronze roofing tiles off of the Temple of Jupiter. Due to their thorough plundering, the Vandals are today remembered with the word "vandalism".

By 457, the full time professional standing army was gone, the only standing Roman military forces being the bucellarii. While the bucellarii were required to swear an oath of loyalty to the emperor, in reality bucellari owed more loyalty to their patrons and less to the Imperial State. Sometimes patrons would loan bucellarii to the emperor if doing so furthered the patron's interests or the common good of Italy. However, most emperor's had to hire barbarian mercenaries in order to exert any military power.  By 457 most of the empire was gone as well. Gaul had been carved up by various Germanic tribes, Spain was controlled by the Visigoths, Britain had made a Brexit from the empire way back in 410, and North Africa was controlled by the Vandals. The new emperor, named Majorian, had been installed to the throne by a Germanic Roman general named Flavius Ricimer. Since Ricimer could not claim the throne himself, being a German, he made Majorian his puppet emperor and settled being the power behind the throne. In 458 Majorian personally led an army that defeated a Vandal invasion of southern Italy. From there he would attempt to consolidate his position by instituting a number of reforms to end corruption, regain political control over Italy,  and strengthen the military. In particular he passed a number of reforms forcing wealthy patrons to pay their taxes, and using these new funds was able to hire a large army mostly consisting of barbarian mercenaries.  Over the next three years Majorian would reconquer most of Gaul and Spain. From Spain he attempted to build a fleet to invade North Africa, however his plans were foiled when saboteurs paid off by the Vandals burned his fleet. Majorian made many enemies, most notably the wealthy patrons who believed his anti-corruption reforms were ursurping their power, and Ricimer who believed the "puppet emperor" was becoming too big for his britches. When Majorian returned to Italy he was ambushed by Ricimer's men and assassinated. All of the reforms he made were rolled back, and most of the lands he conquered returned to barbarian control. The reign of Majorian was the last time that the Western Empire was mostly united. It was the last hurrah of the “Western Roman Army”.

Western Roman Empire before and after Majorian’s conquests.

Throughout the rest of Western Roman history Ricimer would firmly hold the reigns of power through puppet emperors who were solidly under his control. In 475 a Roman general named Orestes orchestrated a revolt against the reigning emperor, Julius Nepos. By then the "Roman Army" consisted entirely of Germanic mercenaries. Orestes won their loyalty by promising them more money, pay bonuses, and free land. After the coup Orestes placed his teenage son on the throne, named Romulus Augustus. Ironically the last Roman emperor was named after the founder of Rome, Romulus, and the first emperor, Augustus Caesar. Roman citizens however did not take him seriously, nicknaming him "Momyllus Augustulus", Momyllus meaning "little disgrace" and Augustulus meaning "little Augustus". When Orestes lacked the money to actually keep his promises, the army revolted and executed him, deposing Romulus Augustus in 476.

 The leader of the army, a Germanic general named Odoacer, refused to follow in the footsteps of Ricimer and name a new puppet emperor. Instead he declared himself King of Italy, and dissolved the imperial system entirely.Thus the Western Roman Empire ceased to exist. Bye now.

The End...

Unless someone would like to write a continuation series on the Byzantine Army. In that case please let met know, I would be happy to reblog it.

[rogerpearse]

Depictions of the column of Justinian in manuscripts of the Notitia Dignitatum

Depictions of the column of Justinian in manuscripts of the Notitia Dignitatum

While reading Twitter I happened to see this item:…

”Constantinopla Nova Roma” – Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid, Spain -(15th. c. Manuscript)

What struck me at once was the prominent view of the column of Justinian, complete with the equestrian statue of the emperor pointing towards the east.  The column stood outside Hagia Sophia, and was destroyed by the Turks after they took the city.

But…

[fabiansteinhauer]

Was ist eine Akte?

1.

Eine Akte definieren wir normativ, cooperativ und rekursiv, also indem wir Differenz operationalisieren: durch Operationen, die Operationen aufsitzen. Cornelia Vismann hat von einem Aktenakt gesprochen, also davon, dass eine Akte als Objekt durch Aktionen erscheint, die wiederum durch die Akte erscheinen. Die Akte nannte sie ein Medium, erschloss das Medium aber wiederum nicht über Eigenschaften eines Mediums (etwa fixiert und starr zu sein oder im Schall fließend zu vergehen, sichtbar zu sein oder akustisch), sondern über das, was sie im Buch über die Akten Medientechnik und später dann Kulturtechnik nannte, also über technische Vorgänge, die trennen und assoziieren (kreuzen). Auf die Frage, was eine Akte ist, gebe ich eine normative, operative und rekursive Antwort, die nicht auf eine Universalgeschichte oder eine Epochen- und Gesellschaftsgeschichte der Akte zielt und nicht auf einen allgemeinen Begriff der Akte. Die Antwort zielt darauf, was durch Warburgs Akten mit dem passiert, was Akten machen. Was aus der Geschichte der Akten durchzieht Warburgs Akten, was davon ziehen sie durch?

Die Frage ist Teil eines Forschungsprojektes zu Warburgs Staatstafeln - und in diesem Kontext lautet die Frage, was dort und dann, mehr oder weniger situativ eine Akte ist. Die These lautet, dass die Staatstafel aktenförmig, also auch Akten sind, in einem normativen, operativen und rekursiven Sinn.

Was ist Warburgs Akte? Die Antwort vorab: Warburgs Akte ist ein Grenzobjekt, ein diplomatisches Objekt und ein Polobjekt. Dank und durch seine Akten, teil er sein Wissen mit andererem, anderen Wissenschaftlern, zum Beispiel solchen, die keine Kunsthistoriker oder Bildwissenschaftler sein sollen, sondern Rechtswissenschaftler. Dank und durch die Akten kommt Aby Warburg an seine Grenzen und schärft, was er wissen soll und was er nicht wissen soll. Damit schärft er auch, was Andere wissen sollen und was anders als Wissen sein soll, das ist ein boundary-object, das nur bindet, indem es trennt und nur trennt, indem es assoziiert. Die Akten Warburg sind diplomatisch und dabei polar, beides hängt zusammen, kann aber sehr genau unterschieden werden. Sie sind diplomatisch, weil sie protokollarisch sind und dabei involvierend, einschlagend, umschlagend, sie falten die Züge, die Warburg machen soll, ein und aus, damit etwas tragbar und betrachtbar wird. Auf Tafel 78 wird das in hochgestapeleter Rekursion deutlich, weil Warburg dort das diplomatische Protokoll eines diplomatischen Protokolls entfaltet und wie mal eben nebenbei die Geschichte römischer Verwaltungsbilder in zeitgenössische Bildwissenschaft übersetzt. er arbeiten mit Methoden und Verfahren, die auch in den notitia dignitatum genannten Akten kursieren; er nutzt auch Methoden und Verfahren, die im Kalender des Filocalus (den Warburg ohnehin im Atlas mehrfach verwendet) auftauchen.

2.

Die Akten sind Polobjekte, weil die Züge, die Warburg machen soll, Regungen bilden, in denen Kehren, Kippen und Wenden vorkommen sollen. Das hängt schon mit dem diplomatischen Objekt zusammen, denn das Falten macht auch Züge und regt das Objekt so, dass etwas kippt, kehrt oder wendet. Akten sind insoweit scrinia, Schreine, Aktenordner, die man auf- und zuklappen kann - etwa, um damit auch Zeit und Raum zu organsieren, also etwas nur zu bestimmten Kalendern zu zeigen: Vor Ostern auf, Ostern zu, danach wieder auf. Da sitzen Scharniere, damit etwa Janus und Cardea/ Carnea (der Gott und die Nymphe der Türen und Scharniere), Kardinäle (etwa Pietro Gasparri), Kardinaltugenden und Kardinallaster. Zu, zur Wiedervorlage auf, dann wieder zu. Oder man klappt eine Seite um, um vom Denkraum Januar zum Denkraum Februar zu kommen; simple [João wirkt schon!] und triviale administrative Tätigkeiten stapelt Warburg auf - zu einer Summe seiner Bild- und Rechtswissenschaft.

3.

Moishe hat diesmal leider keine Beschreibung zu dem Objekt gesendet, ich werde recherchieren müssen. Das erscheinen zwei Griffe oder Stäbe im Hintergrund des Schreins/ des Marienakts oder der Mariaakte, die mir wie bei einer Thorarolle erscheinen. Sie lassen die Scharniere nach obenhin herausragen und schließen sie ab, machen sie griffig. Ein seltsames Objekt, seltsam vermengt und seltsam kreuzend - Stoff für Warburgianer.

[fabiansteinhauer]

[canaldelmisterio]

Notitia dignitatum, el documento romano donde aparece el símbolo del yin y el yang

Notitia dignitatum, el documento romano donde aparece el símbolo del yin y el yang

Notitia dignitatum, el documento romano donde aparece el símbolo del yin y el yang

Son varias las referencias existentes a las relaciones más o menos intensas establecidas por la Antigua Roma con Oriente; recordemos que, al fin y al cabo, las legiones llegaron muy lejos hacia el este e incluso hay teorías sobre su presencia en China, como pasa con la famosa legión perdida de Craso. Sea leyenda o…

[bedlamsbard]

150 words today.  I’ve been very tired all day.  SWCC is on Thursday and I have a presentation on Wednesday which is going to be...happening...sure, it will be fine...and my pre-con nerves are starting to ramp up given that my last couple of Celebrations have been...not great, for various reasons, so this is the one where I feel like I’m waiting to find if Celebrations are cursed for me and I should just not go anymore.  (This is probably not true and SWCE was of itself great, it’s just that a lot of stuff went down IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS so I can’t separate the con from all of that; SWCO I was just completely not in a headspace where I should have been there, at all (it was in the middle of my nervous breakdown), and also it was an organizational nightmare.)  Anyway, I’ll be at Celebration!  But first I have to prepare this presentation on the Notitia Dignitatum.

[ieisia]

Palestine and the River Jordan, from the  Notitia Dignitatum illuminated by Peronet Lamy.

[eadingas]

The Song of the Tides - Map Reveal

The Song of the Tides - Map Reveal #map #mapreveal #newrelease #britannia #historicalfiction #histfic #kdp #armorica #brittany

A simple map this time, for a simple, short story – this is Armorica – today’s Brittany – at the end of the 5th century, just as the old, classic Imperial city names from Tabula Peutingeriana change to common tongue ones, as used in Notitia Dignitatum and later texts. The Song of the Tides – a Song of Octa novella – is out on pre-order, to be released on August the 1st.

[mostly-history]

Anderitum (East Sussex, England).

Anderitum was a Saxon shore fort built around 290 AD, on what was then a peninsula of land rising above the coastal marshes.  It seems to have been an important link in the Saxon shore forts, as the Notitia Dignitatum mentions the Classis Anderidaensis fleet, which was probably stationed there.

After the Romans left, the locals moved into the fort, probably for protection against Saxon raiders.  The name Anderitum was still used during the Saxon period.  According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, in 491 the Saxons Aelle and Cissa “besieged Andredes and slew all the inhabitants; there was not even one Briton left there.”

William the Conqueror's army used the fort for shelter after landing in Pevensey Bay.  Around 1100, they converted it into the Pevensey Castle.

[big-takeshi]

Juliano encomendó a los germanos de varias unidades auxiliares de cornuti la tarea de cruzar el río; según la Notitia Dignitatum se trataba de las unidades auxiliares palatinas de los cornuti de alto rango y los cornuti de rango inferior. Los cornuti tenían la costumbre de atravesar a nado los ríos sobre sus escudos de madera y, de ese modo, los auxiliares de Juliano lograron cruzar el Rin. Stephen Dando-Collins.