Christian Martyrdom in Late Antiquity (300-450 AD) History and Discourse, Tradition and Religious Identity by Peter Gemeinhardt

Description

The present volume's focus lies on the formation of a multifaccetted discourse on Christian martyrdom in Late Antiquity. While martyrdom accounts remain a central means of defining Christian identity, new literary genres emerge, e.g., the Lives of Saints (Athanasius on Antony), sermons (the Cappadocians), hynms (Prudentius) and more. Authors like Eusebius of Caesarea and Augustine employ martyrological language and motifs in their apologetical and polemic writings, while the Gesta Martyrum show more Romanorum represent a new type of veneration of the martyrs of a single site. Beyond the borders of the Roman Empire, new martyrs' narratives can be found. Additionally, two essays deal with methodological questions of research of such sources, thereby highlighting the hitherto understudied innovations of martyrology in Late Antiquity, that is, after the end of the persecutions of Christianity by Roman Emperors. Since then, martyrology gained new importance for the formation of Christian identity within the context of a Christianized imperium. The volume thus enlarges and specifies our knowledge of this fundamental Christian discourse. show less

Members

Recently Added By: UUC, jkellner, Crooper, Den85, alrajul, WebsterVienna, Chandra97, shikari

All Members

Author Information

Peter Gemeinhardt

Editor

11+ Works 44 Members

Peter Gemeinhardt is Professor of Church History at Gottingen University, Germany. He is director of the DFG-funded Collaborative Research Centre 'Education and Religion in Cultures of the Mediterranean and Its Environment from Ancient to Medieval Times and to the Classical Islam' at the University of Gttingen. Recent publications include: show more Antonius: Der erste Mnch and Die Kirche und ihre Heiligen. Studien zu Ekklesiologie und Hagiographie in der Sptantike. show less