Thunderbolt as a Sign of God in Orosius’ Seven Books of History against the Pagans

In the preface to the “Seven Books of History against the Pagans” Orosius announces that he will present different disasters which affected mankind throughout history, and mentions among them thunderbolt strikes. The article aims at analysing the descriptions of this phenomenon from the point of view of their circumstances, time, results and meanings. The study shows that although the circumstances are different, it was always God who sent down the lightning strikes and spoke through them. Orosius dedicates a lot of attention to the sacking of Rome by the Visigoths in 410 AD, which ended also with a lightning strike. The analysis of this and of other descriptions shows Orosius’ vision of history and the temporal order based on the power of Rome and faith in the true God.