Proof and reproof: the judicial component of episcopal confrontation

Abstract

Nicetius of Trier was one of the most temperamental bishops to have a place in the writings of Gregory of Tours. In the tradition of St Martin, Nicetius represented one extreme of the relationship between ecclesiastical and secular authority in sixth‐century Gaul. He stands out as an example of conflict between those two spheres, in both contemporary and modern portraits. This article attempts to place Nicetius within a tradition of episcopal behaviour that undermines the element of conflict. By focusing on the judicial functions that Nicetius fulfilled in the context of penance and oath swearing, it argues that Nicetius was less an extreme example of spiritual audacity than he was an exceptional model for commonplace virtues of the ideal bishop. This article is, therefore, a case‐study for a larger project.