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Duelling with the Past: Medieval Authors and the Problem of the Christian Era,

c. 990!!"#. By Peter Verbist. Studies in the Early Middle Ages 21. Turnhout,

Belgium: Brepols. 21. pp. ! " #$$. %12. &SB' 2 (# (2)# (.

Duelling with the Past is an inno*ati*e +or that o--ers a *aluable insight into the

omple!, tehnial +orld o- computusstudies in the entral Middle Ages. Verbist/s

aim is to analyse ritially t+o ey elements o- the *arious omputistial proesses

that eight medie*al authors undertoo +hen attempting to orret the -la+ed 0hristian

era dating system Anno Domini o- 3ionysius E!iguus c.4)5(44. The -irst relates

to the hronologial and hronographial omponents -or eah o- these arguments

suh as the number o- years by +hih the 3ionysian era +as orreted, and the

omputistial basis -or suh orretions to tae plae. The seond onerns the

underlying themati impetuses -or onduting and reording suh treatises on this

theologially sensiti*e sub6et. Through this t+o7-old e!amination Verbist

suess-ully demonstrates the -orm and e!tent to +hih these treatises hallenged

popular ontemporary methodologial praties regarding the aeptane and

transmission o- the date -or the year o- 0hrist/s birth. At the same time he onsiders

the e--et that these partiular authors had on de*eloping intelletual indi*idualism in

8estern aademia be-ore the ad*ent o- Sholastiism.

The struture o-Duelling with the Pastis ommendably omprehensi*e and

easy to -ollo+. The introdution brie-ly a9uaints the reader +ith the ma6or issues

onerning the onstrution o- early medie*al dating systems to determine 0hrist/s

inarnation and passion Verbist outlines the main di--iulties that computus sholars

enountered +ith auctoritas te!tual authority and *arious argumenta established

rules o- thumb +hen trying to promulgate alternati*e dating systems to that o-

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3ionysius. ;e also pro*ides a brie- sur*ey o- the attempts to establish a onsistent

tradition -or both the ulius A-rianus/ Chronographiac.221 and Bede/sDe

Temporum Ratione c.)2(. Verbist then presents eight hapter ase studies -or the

respeti*e omputistial +ors o- ;eriger o- =obbes d. 1), Abbo o- ?leury d.

14, Marianus Sottus d. 1@2,

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The *alue and impliations o- this timely +or are pro-ound. &n pro*iding us

+ith an up7to7date e!amination o- the urrent orpus o- te!ts dealing +ith

omputistial orretions -rom this partiular era, Verbist has done something that has

not been attempted be-ore, despite the signi-iant amount o- attention reently paid to

entral medie*al apoalyptiism. Moreo*er he has indiretly re*ealed some o- the

pressing ontemporary theologial onerns that guided medie*al computussholars.

8e are also gi*en strong indiations that alulations regarding the -uture ages o- the

+orld +ere not a ma6or onern to these authors. ;is uno*ering o- their 9uest -or

intelletual autonomy, in the -ae o- a +idespread silent a9uiesene about a

generally ano+ledged erroneous dating system, beons to be inorporated into our

present understanding o- medie*al interpretations o- authority as +ell as

millenarianism.

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