Monasticism, art and wealth in late antique Gaul

Peter Brown recently described Paulinus of Nola's conversion to monasticism, in 394, as the renouncement of the mystique of wealth. According to Brown, such a mystique, noticeable in the material remains of fourth-century villas, expressed splendor and pleasure. Architectural refinement, decorative luxury and body care celebrated owners' wealth and abundance of nature. My purpose in this paper is to use Brown's concept of mystique of wealth as a thermometer, in order to understand how other contemporary Gallic aristocratic monks reconciled their conversion to monasticism with their own wealth. I argue that their conversion could take on a range of different meanings. Not every aristocratic monk felt the need, as Paulinus did, to reject the signs that identified him as a rich man and to dedicate his wealth to a saint or God.