Caesar was not proudly “tonsured”! Many statues reveal that he attempted to hide his bald spot with a horrible “comb over.” Monks, fortunately, have never been forced to emulate that undignified vanity.

--John Howe, Texas Tech

From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bill East
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2006 10:45 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [M-R] tonsures

medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

Catherine Gunn <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

“Frank Johnson, in the Torygraph, writes that : 'The early Roman Catholic church saw Caesar as the precursor of the empire that was to spread Christianity across the known world. That is why monks had shaven pates, in imitation of Caesar.' First I've heard about it: how 'bout you?”

Respondeo: Did Caesar shave his pate? Even if he did, I can't imagine it had much to do with the monastic tonsure. ODCC: "The cutting of the hair, a religious ceremony of many E(astern) peoples, became a generally received custom in 4th- and 5th-cent. monasticism and thence was introduced into the W(est) as the form of admission into the clerical state . . ." I'm all for rendering unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, but I don't think the tonsure was down to him.

Bill.

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