Carmen Angela Cvetkovic: Episcopal Interactions in the Late Antique West: Niceta of Remesiana and Ambrose of Milan

This paper investigates a possible connection between Ambrose of Milan and his younger contemporary Niceta of Remesiana, a fourth century bishop from the roman province of Illyricum. There is no explicit reference to a relationship between the two bishops in the extant sources; however, due to Ambrose’s episcopal activity which extended on several occasions to the province of Illyricum and to his participation in various councils dealing with matters of Illyrian churches (Sirmium c. 378?, Aquileia 381, Capua c. 392) they would have had ample opportunity to meet each other. In an attempt to shed new light on this issue, this paper will rely on evidence deriving from their respective works on faith and the Holy Spirit which present striking similarities, on their activity as hymn writers, and on evidence from the manuscript tradition which mentions an Ambrose from Milan as editor of one of Niceta’s works, De Lapsu Virginis.