Sources
De Officiis Ministrorum
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De Officiis Ministrorum, Ambrose of Milan's treatise dated to around 391, is a primary patristic text whose first book gives the earliest surviving account of the deacon Lawrence distributing the church's treasure to the poor, written roughly a hundred and thirty years after the events it describes. Its authority is that of a bishop writing within living memory of a strong Roman Christian oral tradition, though not as an eyewitness. Its limit is exactly that gap: a century and a half between the events and Ambrose's own account leaves room for legendary elaboration that a contemporary record would not carry. Cite it for the earliest documented form of the Lawrence tradition, not as eyewitness history.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier2
Ambrose of Milan's De Officiis Ministrorum, dated around 391, the middle tier reflecting that it is the earliest surviving account of the deacon Lawrence distributing the church's treasure, written roughly a hundred and thirty years after the events, a bishop writing within living memory of a strong oral tradition but not as an eyewitness, leaving room for legendary elaboration a contemporary record would not carry. NotesBook 1 gives the earliest surviving account of Lawrence distributing the church's treasure to the poor; written roughly 130 years after the events it describes.
Citation
AuthorAmbrose of Milan
Publication Year391
Source Typeprimary-text
Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
This source names Ambrose of Milan directly: "De Officiis Ministrorum, Ambrose of Milan's treatise dated to around 391, is a primary patristic text whose first book gives the earliest surviving account of the deacon Lawrence distributing the..."
Claims Backed By This Source (13 claims)
This source backs 13 claims across the atlas. As facts: 8 well-attested, 2 scholarly debate. As cited relationships: 1 holds. Plus 2 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Sources, 7 claims: 6 well-attested, 1 holds.
- Figures, 4 claims: 1 well-attested, 2 scholarly debate, 1 general references.
- Articles, 1 claims: 1 well-attested.
- Cities, 1 claims: 1 general references.
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