100 EARLY MEDIEVAL SPAIN
hierarchy of the city that it offers: that is the archdeacon. Mter the
bishop this was the most important church office-holder. As can be
seen from a number of Gallic examples to be found in the pages of
Gregory of Tours's History and elsewhere, bishops in the early Middle
Ages often had trouble with their archdeacons. For one thing the
archdeacon, effectively the bishop's lieutenant and controller of his
household, with also a significant role to play in the performance of
the liturgy, might in many cases expect to succeed to the episcopate
- this was often the case in Rome - and thus would be foremost in
opposing a hereditary succession, such as that of Fidelis to Paul.
Further, where the succession of the archdeacon was likely or even
inevitable, he would have a vested interest in ensuring that the present
incumbent did not disperse too many of the goods of the church
under his control. Some bishops, for both worthy and unworthy
motives, were quite capable of doing this. Pope Agapetus (535-536)
had to turn down a request by Caesarius of ArIes (502-542) to be
allowed to give away all of the wealth of his church in charity. Instead
Caesarius handed over complete control of his church's material
resources to his deacons to administer, leaving himself free for the
pastoral responsibilities he felt distracted from. Similarly Gregory of
Tours records how Sidon ius Appolinaris of Clerment-Ferrand (c. 470-
- was threatened by two of his clergy with loss of control over the
property of his church.^22 A story about Masona makes sense when
seen in this context. On his deathbed the bishop manumitted, that
is to say gave legal status of freedom, to some of the slaves owned by
the church, who had served him particularly well. Such gestures were
not uncommon. Fidelis had cancelled all debts owing to the church
of Merida prior to his death. However, the archdeacon Eleutherius,
who clearly expected to be elected to the bishopric once vacant,
warned the freed slaves that they would be made to return the money
and other property given them by Masona when the bishop died and
he had succeeded him. He showed his hand too soon, as the freed
slaves told Masona of the archdeacon's threat. The sick bishop then
prayed in the Basilica of St Eulalia that Eleutherius should prede-
cease him and refused to be persuaded to retract his plea despite the
frenzied appeals of the unfortunate archdeacon's mother. Clearly
the whole proceeding was a public and awesome occasion. Not surpris-
ingly, within a few days Eleutherius fell ill and died. In due course
Masona came to be succeeded by Innocent, the youngest of the
Meridan deacons, who, like his predecessor, was peculiarly efficacious
