The object of this study is two-fold: 1) to show that the Liber Cathemerinon of Prudentius Aurelius Clemens is not just a series of unrelated hymns, but a poetic breviarium, or handbook, of fundamental Nicene Christian belief. Behind the literal narrative lies a salvation history, running through the chief elements of the Old and New Testaments. 2) To examine how Prudentius not only presents the salvation-history narrative, but also translates it into the Augustan poetic idiom through intertextual dialogue with Augustan pagan authors, primarily Vergil, Horace, and Ovid. By reinterpreting and refuting pagan religious sentiment through developed intertextual dialogue, Prudentius produces a hybrid world-view that is both Roman and Christian. / A thesis examining the cross-cultural context of Prudentius' Liber Cathemerinon.

Gregory of Nazianzus (ca. AD 330-390) was one of the most learned men of his time and is one of the most important theologians of the early Christian Church. His orations, letters and poetry were widely studied and greatly copied in the Middle Ages. However, there is a lack of modern scholarship on Gregory's poetry, which is why there is such need for this thesis, a study of carm. II 1. 22, with introduction and commentary. The introduction focuses primarily on aspects of carm. II. 1. 22 while outlining the events of Gregory's life and situating the poem within them. The commentary is largely linguistic with autobiographical and historical features discussed and brief mention of theological matters.

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the nuances and implications of the negative portrayals of bishops and the bishopric in late antique and medieval Catholic hagiography. I will consider how and why members of the episcopacy were painted so negatively, and how hagiographers got away with drawing such negative connotations around the office itself. In doing this, I will consider how these texts address real social anxieties surrounding the bishopric, and argue that they work apologetically for the episcopacy by establishing the corruptibility of the office's human aspect as an expected norm, and highlighting in contrast the extreme difficulty and laudability of living up to the office's divine aspect.

Gregory of Nazianzus (ca. AD 330-390) was one of the most learned men of his time and is one of the most important theologians of the early Christian Church. His orations, letters and poetry were widely studied and greatly copied in the Middle Ages. However, there is a lack of modern scholarship on Gregory's poetry, which is why there is such need for this thesis, a study of carm. II 1. 22, with introduction and commentary. The introduction focuses primarily on aspects of carm. II. 1. 22 while outlining the events of Gregory's life and situating the poem within them. The commentary is largely linguistic with autobiographical and historical features discussed and brief mention of theological matters.

This thesis reviews the architectural context of four churches in western Cilicia. These churches, namely the East Church at Alahan, the Cupola Church at Meryemlik, the Domed Ambulatory Church at Dagpazari, and the Tomb Church at Corycus, have been tentatively grouped by Stephen Hill under the name of Domed Basilicas based on their resemblance to the early 6th century models in Constantinople, the most famous being the Hagia Sophia. However, the dome comes forward in the Constantinopolitan context mainly as a feature in the establishment of a new architectural scheme that integrates a vertical axis into the oblong horizontal axiality of the basilica. Firstly, this thesis suggests that a similar integration visible in the planning of the Cilician churches is the essential point that needs to be studied. This seems to have been ignored by previous research. Consequently, the analytical approach that has concentrated on the possibility of a dome is criticized and a spatial interpretation is attempted. Moreover, as some scholars propose, these provincial examples might be the possible source of influence for the capital, if they are a local model dated to the end of the 5th century. Thus, issues pertaining to function, dating and patronage are overviewed, in order to obtain a wider perspective of interpretation. Finally, the general information concerning the Cilician examples was found to be based on surprisingly scanty and unverifiable physical testimony which points to the urgency and necessity of further fieldwork.

The topic of violence in Late Antiquity is a heavily debated subject and many scholars have focused on this issue, as evidenced by the many studies published within the last ten years. The perception of Late Antiquity as a period of widespread religious violence is mainly influenced by Christian literary sources, who document accounts of violence against temples, statuary, and people alike. Egypt, in particular, has often been used as an example to demonstrate the destructive nature of religious violence that existed in the ancient world. However, the concept of religious violence is a complicated and nuanced topic. In Egypt, the many accounts by the Christian sources were written with specific intentions and the events documented in the texts were often exaggerated. The objective of this thesis is to provide a study of statue destruction by Christians between the fourth to seventh centuries CE in Egypt, and determine whether these destructions were acts of religious violence or were carried out for another reason in order to provide a more nuanced understanding of violence in Late Antiquity. By juxtaposing accounts from literary sources and archaeological evidence, the study seeks to determine whether the literary sources are accurate in their documentation of widespread statue destruction, or whether the violent discourse present in the literary sources is the result of Christian polemical purposes.

Cette étude s’efforce de comprendre de quelles manières la figure biblique d’Étienne (Actes 6-8) s’est transmise et a été reçue dans le christianisme des six premiers siècles de notre ère. Du texte des Actes des apôtres à la translation de ses reliques à Rome en 589, notre enquête tente de saisir les mécanismes conduisant à la construction d’Étienne comme un saint dont le culte fut central dans l’histoire du christianisme. Nous nous attachons en particulier à l’étude des diverses formes que son culte a revêtues après la découverte de ses reliques, en Palestine au ve siècle, et de sa rapide diffusion en Méditerranée orientale et occidentale. À cette fin, nous examinerons l’ensemble des pièces du dossier hagiographique d’Étienne à la lumière des recherches les plus récentes sur le culte des saints, l’hagiographie et l’histoire de la Palestine dans l’Antiquité tardive. Au terme de cette étude, nous espérons surtout exposer les motivations idéologiques de l’usage des reliques du saint dans un contexte où s’entrecroisent controverses doctrinales, topographie sacrée, antijudaïsme et construction de la mémoire chrétienne. / This study aims at understanding in what ways the biblical figure of Stephen (Acts 6-8) was transmitted and received in Christianity during the first six centuries of our era. From the text of the Acts of the apostles to the translation of his relics to Rome in 589, our investigation attempts to grasp the mechanisms that led to the construction of Stephen as a saint whose cult was central in the history of Christianity. In particular we shall concentrate on the various forms of his cult that appeared after the discovery of his relics, in Palestine in the vth century, and on its rapid spreading in the eastern and western parts of the Mediterranean. With this aim in view, we shall examine all the documents of the hagiographical dossier of Stephen in the light of the most advanced research on the cult of saints, hagiography and the history of Palestine in Late Antiquity. At the end of this study, we hope, above all, to expound the ideological motives of the use of the saint’s relics in a context in which doctrinal controversies, sacred topography, antijudaism and construction of the Christian memory intersect.

<p>Teza se bavi religijskom istorijom rimske provincije Druge Panonije (Pannonia Secunda), formirane administrativnim reformama cara Dioklecijana (284-305) na prostoru jugoistočnog dela nekada&scaron;nje provincije Donje Panonije (Pannonia Inferior). Hronolo&scaron;ki tema je ograničena na 4. vek s obzirom da u to vreme dolazi do krupnih i dalekosežnih promena u religijskoj politici Rimskog carstva. Ovo je period tranzicije između stare helensko-rimske religioznosti i hri&scaron;ćanstva u razvoju. U toku jednog veka učinjen je prelaz od progonjenog hri&scaron;ćanstva kao religio illicita iz vremena prve tetrarhije (293-305) do potpuno afirmisanog hri&scaron;ćanstva kao jedine legitimne državne religije (381).<br />Druga Panonija je tokom 4. veka postala caput Illyrici ne samo kao administrativni i politički centar novoformirane teritorijalne prefekture Ilirik, već i u crkvenom pogledu sedi&scaron;te Sirmijske mitropolije. Podizanje vojno-političkog značaja ove provincije, donelo je rimskoj koloniji Sirmiju rang carskog grada u kome su zbog nestabilnosti donjedunavskog limesa često boravili carevi i dvor. Shodno tome, Sirmij je u progonima hri&scaron;ćana tetrarhijskog perioda zabeležio najveći broj mučenika u odnosu na ostatak Ilirika. Zapisi o stradanju sirmijskog episkopa Irineja, njegovog đakona Dimitrija, cibalskog lektora Poliona, sirmijske građanke Anastazije i ba&scaron;tovana Sinerota i drugi udarilo je temelj martirolo&scaron;koj književnosti Ilirika i dalo osnov za poznavanje organizacije i života prvih hri&scaron;ćanskih zajednica u Drugoj Panoniji. Prvi deo teze proučava ovu bogatu literarnu tradiciju, podrvrgava je istorijskoj kritici i nadopunjuje podacima arheolo&scaron;kih izvora vezanih za kultove mučenika Druge Panonije.<br />Posle legalizacije hri&scaron;ćanstva i zahvaljujući stalnom prisustvu carske administracije i dvora, Sirmij je za celo područje Ilirika postao glavno crkveno sedi&scaron;te, u kome su se u periodu od 349. do 378. održali crkveni sabori i donete formule vere od velikog značaja za op&scaron;ti tok istorije hri&scaron;ćanstva.&nbsp; Tako je značajan segment teze posveće ulozi Druge Panonije u hristolo&scaron;kim raspravama od Nikejskog do Akvilejskog sabora (325-381), analizi sirmijskih sabora i formula vere, ulozi mursanskog episkopa Valensa u crkvenoj politici homojskih pristalica, učenju sirmijskog episkopa Fotina i teolo&scaron;koj poziciji Germinija Sirmijskog.<br />Hronolo&scaron;ki poslednja tema disertacije jeste period konsolidacije nikejskog pokreta na Akvilejskom saboru (381), na kom sirmijski episkop Anemije bio aktivni učesnik i &scaron;tićenik moćnog Ambrozija Milanskog. Verska konsolidacija Druge Panonije i njeno pristajanje uz trinitarnu teologiju, odigrala se u periodu političke i kulturne dezintegracijom prouzrokovane ubrzanim padom donjedunavskog limesa i varvarizacije panonskih provincija.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />S obziroma na značajne rezultate arheologije u proteklih pet decenija, autor je na osnovu materijalne ekspresije religije stanovnika Druge Panonije prikazao odlike načina sahranjivanja i formiranje verske topografije najznačajnijih lokaliteta. Autor je sakupio i obradio neobjavljenu rukopisnu građu relevantnu za martirologiju Druge Panonije, kao i neke neobjavljene ranohri&scaron;ćanske natpise sa ovog područja, koji pomažu u rekonstrukciji religijskog života stanovnika Druge Panonije u 4. veku.<br />Cilj teze bio je sveobuhvatno interdisciplinarno istraživanje ključnog perioda religijske istorije Druge Panonije, praćeno sintezom danas dostupnih izvora, kao polazne tačke svih daljih istraživanja.</p> / <p>The thesis deals with religious history of Roman province Pannonia Secunda, formed in the southeastern part of the former province Pannonia Inferior within the administrative reforms of emperor Diocletian (284-305). The subject is chronologically limited to the 4th century in light of the fact that this period saw fundamental and far-reaching changes in the religious policy of the Late Roman Empire. It is a period of transition from the old Hellenic-Roman religion to freshly institutionalised Christianity. This century witnessed a paradoxical leap from the persecuted Christanity as religio illicita to the fully accepted Christianity as the only legitimate religion.<br />In the 4th century Pannonia Secunda became caput Illyrici not only of the newly-established prefecture Illyricum, but as the religious capital within the Metropolis of Sirmium. The increase of military and political importance of the province brought the Roman colony Sirmium a rank of imperial city, in which due to instability of the Lower Danube limes Roman emperors often dwelt. Consequently, Sirmium listed the greatest number of martyrs in comparison to the rest of Illyricum during the tetrarchic persecutions. Records of martyrdoms of Sirmian bishop Irenaeus, his deacon Demetrius, lector Pollio from Cibalae, Sirmian citizen Anastasia, gardener Syneros and many others became the core of the martyrological and hagiographical literature of Illyricum as well as the foundation for the study of Christian communities in Pannonia Secunda. First segment of the thesis studies this rich literary tradition, subjects it to historical criticism and corroborates it with archaeological evidence coming from the cult of these martyrs.<br />After legalization of Christianity, Sirmium became the main ecclesiastical see, which housed several church council from 349 to 378. These councils brought creeds that influenced Christological disputes in the entire state.&nbsp; Thus a significant segment of the thesis is concerned with the role of Pannonia Secunda in the Christological disputes from the Nicene council to the Council of Aquileia (325-381), analyzing Sirmian councils and formulas, the role of Valens of Mursa in homoian party, theology of Photinus of Sirmium and theological position of Germinius of Sirmium.<br />Chronologically the last theme is the period of Nicenian consolidation in the Council of Constantinople and the Council of Aquileia (381), where Sirmian bishop Anemius was active participant and a prot&eacute;g&eacute;e of the mighty Ambrose of Milan. However, this religious change in the religious affiliation of Pannonia Secunda&#39;s clergy and adherence to trinitarian theology, coincided with political and cultural disintegration of the province due to the collapse of the northern frontier and permanent barbarian settlement within its borders.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />In view of significant archeological discoveries within the last five decades, the author dedicated a chapter to the material expression of religion of the Pannonia Secunda&rsquo;s population through forms of burial and cult architecture. The author also collected and analysed unpublished manuscripts relevant to reconstruction of Pannonian martyrology, along with some unpublished epigraphic material which bring beter understanding of religious life of the 4th century Pannonia Secunda.<br />The aim of the thesis was a comprehensive interdisciplinary study of the key period in the religious history of Pannonia Secunda accompanied with a synthesis of most significant sources as the basis for all future research.</p>

Between the fourth and the seventh centuries CE, Christian patrons erected thousands of churches, chapels, and monasteries in cities and villages across the Mediterranean, decorating the apses, walls and floors of many of these structures with figural and geometric mosaics. These late antique Christian mosaics have been studied for their iconography, their Graeco-Roman components, and as evidence for the religious beliefs of newly-Christian patrons. However, art historians largely have ignored the ways that texts, inscribed within the visual field and composed of the same mosaic material, functioned as images in Christian spaces. For the first time, this thesis assembles the foundations of a comprehensive catalogue of early Christian mosaic inscriptions, places them back into the physical spaces in which they were meant to be read, and analyzes how these texts functioned both verbally and visually for the late antique reader/viewer, against the backdrop of Graeco-Roman traditions. I first examine the ekphrastic components of Christian inscriptions and look more closely at the different ways in which texts work with and against images and spaces, encouraging the viewer to react physically and mentally. Second, I study the language of light used by the inscriptions, and argue that this language linked text to the material of mosaic and enabled patrons to make complex statements about their cultural erudition and religious affiliation. Third, I investigate the functions and visual forms of short tituli which label scenes or name figures to simplify, authenticate or transform static images into narratives in motion. Finally, I turn to the frames of the inscriptions and contend that different forms conveyed powerful visual arguments. By writing these texts back into their mosaics, this thesis argues that texts and images were inseparable in the period, and that text written into images performed and played in more complex ways than has been previously thought.

Dans ce travail, nous proposons une étude de la poétique des Dionysiaques de Nonnos de Panopolis qui tient compte des critères esthétiques en vigueur dans l’Antiquité tardive. Pour cela, nous prenons pour point de départ les images du monstre et de la mosaïque, parce qu’elles cristallisent le goût de l’époque pour la fragmentation et l’accumulation. Ces deux caractéristiques se retrouvent à la fois dans le jeweled style (M. Roberts) et la spatial form (J. Frank), deux concepts développés à partir d’une comparaison avec les arts visuels et destinés à expliquer des esthétiques non classiques comme celle de Nonnos. Nous menons d’abord une étude de la temporalité du récit pour montrer que la picturalité est au centre de son art : non seulement le poète disloque la séquence temporelle, mais surtout il donne la primauté au mode descriptif. Tout son récit est fragmenté en une série de miniatures, comme celles que l’on trouve sur les mosaïques. L’épopée nonnienne exige donc le même type de lecture, à savoir la lecture thématique. Nous explorons ensuite ce deuxième aspect en étudiant les références internes qui dessinent une véritable architecture paradigmatique à l’intérieur de l’œuvre : les épisodes en écho se réécrivent les uns les autres selon une poétique de la métamorphose. Enfin, nous nous intéressons au caractère composite et cumulatif des Dionysiaques en le mettant en parallèle avec la pratique du remploi en architecture et en art : Nonnos conçoit son récit comme un empilement de blocs parmi lesquels il peut intégrer des fragments des œuvres de ses prédécesseurs, valorisant ainsi une hétérogénéité irréductible. / This thesis aims at studying the poetics of Nonnus’ Dionysiaca according to the principles of late antique aesthetic. As a starting point, we consider the images of the monster and the mosaics because they illustrate the then current tendencies towards fragmentation and accumulation. These two characteristics are part of both jeweled style (M. Roberts) and spatial form (J. Frank), which were based on a comparison with visual arts and designed to explain non classical aesthetics such as Nonnus’. First of all, we study the temporal organization of the narrative and show that picturality lies at the core of his art : Nonnus not only dislocates the narrative sequence, but he also gives the primacy to the descriptive mode. The whole narrative is fragmented into a series of miniatures just like a mosaic. Therefore Nonnus’ epic calls for the same kind of reading, i.e. the thematic reading. We then turn to an analysis of the internal references which are the key to a paradigmatic architecture inside the poem : echoing episodes are rewritten according to the poetics of metamorphosis. Lastly, we are concerned with the composite and cumulative aspect of the Dionysiaca, which can be paralleled with the use of spolia in architecture and art : Nonnus conceives of his narrative as a stacking of blocks among which he can insert fragments of former works — a way to advertise an irreducible heterogeneity.