Abstract
Law was conceived as a manifestation of cosmic order, and cosmology in turn absorbed contemporary legal and political realities. Multiple traditions converge in this synthesis: Christian theology; Germanic heroic fatalism; Celtic myth and Insular Christianity; Roman jurisprudence; Hebrew covenantal thought; and classical philosophy mediated through Alfredian translation. Reading law codes and penitentials together with Old English poetry reframes cosmology as having a clear juridical dimension and illuminates how authority and identity were grounded in sacred order.
Central Questions
- How did Anglo‑Saxon England articulate cosmological order, and what forces shaped it?
- How did cosmology reflect legal‑political realities of kingship, justice, and communal order?
- Where and how do juridical categories structure creation, providence, fate, and apocalypse?
- How did Alfred’s laws ground earthly sovereignty in divine order (Scripture, Roman models, customary law)?
- What does the reciprocity of law–cosmos reveal about identity, sovereignty, and moral order?
Aims & Objectives
- Establish the mutual constitution of law and cosmology in Anglo‑Saxon England.
- Demonstrate how cosmology was shaped by legal‑political realities.
- Situate sources within Christian, Germanic, Celtic/Insular, Roman, and Hebrew traditions.
- Contribute a case study to law‑and‑humanities on how societies root law in sacred order.
Objectives
- Analyse Alfred’s Doom Book and related codes as sovereignty grounded in divine order.
- Read Old English poetry/prose for juridical metaphors articulating cosmic themes.
- Examine penitentials, homilies, and Alfredian translations on sin, penance, and salvation.
- Compare across traditions to trace influence and convergence.
- Synthesise findings to clarify implications for identity and legitimacy.
Methodology
- Philological & Literary: study in original languages; attention to juridical vocabulary and metaphors.
- Legal‑Historical: law codes/penitentials as frameworks of sovereignty, justice, and order.
- Comparative & Theological: patristic/Insular Christian, Germanic, Celtic, Roman, and Hebrew contexts.
- Synthetic Interpretation: integrate findings to model the law–cosmos framework.
Corpus (indicative)
Legal & Para‑legal
- Alfred’s Doom Book and related law codes.
- Penitentials and homilies as administration of sin, penance, and salvation.
Old English Poetry & Prose
- Genesis B, Exodus, Daniel, The Wanderer; juridical idioms in cosmological expression.
- Alfredian translations (esp. Consolation of Philosophy) as conduits of classical order/justice.
Comparative Matrices
- Christian theology (patristic, Insular, Carolingian); Germanic wyrd and feud; Celtic/Insular cosmologies.
- Roman jurisprudence; Hebrew covenantal law; classical philosophy (Hesiod, Ovid, Plato).
Proposed Work Plan (3 years)
Preparatory Foundations (pre‑candidature)
- Structured Old English; introductory Latin (building on Italian); join AEMA / ISSEME.
Year 1 — Foundations & Frameworks
- Consolidate philology; literature review; annotate Alfred’s laws, penitentials, homilies.
- Present preliminary findings; draft Ch.1–2 (Introduction; Historiography & Theory).
Year 2 — Textual Analysis & Cultural Synthesis
- Analyse poetry/prose for juridical cosmology; apply jurisprudential analysis to legal texts.
- Draft Ch.3–4 (Law & Kingship as Cosmic Order; Poetry, Judgment, Apocalypse).
Year 3 — Integration & Synthesis
- Extend to penitentials/homilies; integrate findings; submit article.
- Draft Ch.5–6 (Sin, Penance, Salvation; Synthesis on Identity, Sovereignty, Moral Order); revise thesis.
Contact
For collaboration, supervision, or speaking enquiries: