The real Cassian revisited : monastic life, Greek paideia, and Origenism in the sixth century / / by P. Tzamalikos.

• Superior document: Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae, v. 112
• Author: Tzamalikos, P. 1951-
• Year of Publication: 2012
• Language: English
• Series: Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae ; v. 112.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (566 p.)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.

This is a critical analysis of texts included in Codex 573 (ninth century, Monastery of Metamorphosis, Meteora, Greece), which are published along with the present volume, in the same series. The Codex, entitled ‘The Book of Monk Cassian the Roman’, reveals a sixth-century heretofore unknown intellectual, namely, Cassian the Sabaite, native of Scythopolis, being its real author. By means of Medieval forgery, he has been eclipsed by a figment currently known as ‘John Cassian of Marseilles’, native of Scythia. Exploration reveals critical aspects of the interplay between Hellenism and Christianity, the Origenism and pseudo-Origenism of the sixth century, and Christian influence upon Neoplatonism in Late Antiquity. Cassian the Sabaite is probably the last great representative of a prolonged fruitful autumn of Late Antique Christian scholarship, who saw Hellenism as a treasured patrimony to draw on, rather than as a demon to be exorcised -which resulted in his ‘second death’(Rev. 2,11). Two edition volumes are now being published along with the present monograph. One, A Newly Discovered Greek Father, Cassian the Sabaite Eclipsed by John Cassian of Marseilles (folia 1r-118v). Two, An Ancient Commentary on the Book of Revelation: A Critical Edition of the Scholia in Apocalypsin . These Scholia were falsely attributed to Origen a century ago, but their real author is Cassian the Sabaite mainly drawing on a lost commentary on the Apocalypse by Didymus the Blind, as well as on Origen, Theodoret, Clement of Alexandria, Irenaeus, and others (folia 210v-290r).

Table of Contents

Preliminary Material / P. Tzamalikos -- Introduction. Monk Cassian, the Sabaite of Scythopolis in Palestine and John Cassian, the Scythian of Marseilles. The Resurrection of an Eclipsed Author / P. Tzamalikos -- Testimonies, Addressees, and Cassian’s Real Milieu / P. Tzamalikos -- Cassian the Sabaite / P. Tzamalikos -- A Greek Writer / P. Tzamalikos -- An Eclipsed Author / P. Tzamalikos -- Hellenism in The Sixth Century / P. Tzamalikos -- Doctrinal Decorum and Imperial Power / P. Tzamalikos -- Late Antique Intellectual Interplay / P. Tzamalikos -- Conclusion / P. Tzamalikos -- Appendix I. The Book of Cassian Copied by Posterity / P. Tzamalikos -- Appendix II. Greek References to Cassian / P. Tzamalikos -- Appendix III. Cassian and Caesarius Reviewed By Photius / P. Tzamalikos -- Bibliography / P. Tzamalikos -- Index of Persons of Antiquity, Locations, and Notions / P. Tzamalikos -- Index of Greek Terms and Expressions / P. Tzamalikos -- Index of Modern Authors / P. Tzamalikos -- ILLUSTRATIONS / P. Tzamalikos.