Early Christianity in Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Areas : : From Paul to Justinian I (1st–6th cent. AD) / / Cilliers Breytenbach and Elissavet Tzavella.

• Superior document: Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity ; 114
• VerfasserIn: Breytenbach, Cilliers,; Tzavella, Elissavet,
• TeilnehmendeR: Tzavella, Elissavet,
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden ;, Boston : : Brill,, [2022]; ©2023
• Year of Publication: 2022
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Series: Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity ; 114.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (625 pages)

This volume focuses on the rise and expansion of Christianity in Athens, Attica, and adjacent areas, from the Pauline mission until the closing of the philosophical schools under Justinian I. It takes into account all relevant literary, epigraphical, and archaeological evidence.

This volume focuses on Christianity in Attica and its metropolis, Athens, from Paul’s initial visit in the first century up to the closing of the philosophical schools under the reign of Justinian I in the sixth century. Underscoring the relevance of epigraphic resources and the importance of methodological sophistication in analysing especially archaeological evidence, it readdresses many questions on the basis of a larger body of evidence and aims to combine literary, epigraphic, and archaeological evidence in order to create the outlines of a narrative of the rise and development of Christianity in the area. It is the first interdisciplinary study on the local history of Christianity in the area.

Table of Contents

Intro -- Contents -- Preface -- Figures -- Abbreviations -- 1 Introduction: The Christianization of Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Areas from Paul to the End of the Reign of Justinian I (527-565) -- 1 Previous Research on the Christianization of Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Areas -- 1.1 The Initial Research about the Beginnings of Christianity in Athens -- 1.2 Athenian Christianity until Late Antiquity: Alison Frantz and Frank R. Trombley -- 1.3 Recent Studies Drawing on Epigraphy and Archaeology -- 2 Literary Sources for the Study of Christianity in Athens -- 2.1 1 Thess 3:1 and Acts 17:15-18:1 -- 20:2 -- 2.2 The Athenian Apologists -- 2.3 Other Literary References to Christianity in Athens and Attica -- 2.4 The Bishops of Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Areas -- 3 Christian Inscriptions from Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Areas -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Identifying Christian Inscriptions -- 3.3 Classifying, Dating, and Locating Christian Inscriptions from Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Areas -- 4 Archaeological Evidence on Christianity in Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Areas -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Research History: Excavating the Evidence -- 4.3 Research History: Discussing the Evidence -- 5 Setting Limits and Crossing Boundaries -- 2 Stability and Crisis in Athens and Attica from Paul's Visit to the End of Justinian's Rule (a Geographical and Historical Overview) -- 1 The Physical Environment: Introduction -- 2 Geographical Overview -- 2.1 Mountains -- 2.2 Plains -- 2.3 Seacoast -- 2.4 Rivers -- 3 Population and Settlement -- 3.1 Population -- 3.2 Settlement -- 4 Administration -- 4.1 General -- 4.2 The Late Antique Poleis or civitates according to the Synecdemus -- 4.3 Relevance of the Status of a Polis with Ecclesiastical Administration -- 5 Historical Outline of Attica between the First and the Sixth Centuries.

5.1 The First and Second Centuries -- 5.2 The Third Century -- 5.3 The Fourth Century -- 5.4 The Fifth Century -- 5.5 The Sixth Century -- 3 Christianity and Philosophy in Polytheistic Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Areas -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Luke's Paul and Athenian Polytheism -- 2.1 The Lukan Paul before the Areopagus (Acts 17) -- 2.2 Polytheism in Roman Athens -- 3 Second-Century Christian Apologists -- 3.1 The Sacred City-Scape in Second-Century Athens -- 3.2 Aristides of Athens -- 3.3 Athenagoras -- 3.4 Summary -- 4 Religion in Athens in the Third and Fourth Centuries -- 4.1 The Third Century -- 4.2 The Fourth Century -- 5 Christian Theologians and Athenian Paideia in the Fourth Century -- 5.1 Prohaeresius versus Himerius -- 5.2 Gregory of Nazianzus and Basil of Caesarea -- 5.3 Diodore of Tarsus and John Chrysostom -- 5.4 Summary -- 6 Christianity and the City of Athena: From the Late Fourth until the Mid-Sixth Century -- 6.1 Christian Emperors Encroaching on Polytheistic Athens -- 6.2 The 'Religious Turn' of the Neoplatonic School in Athens -- 6.3 When the Sad End Is Not the Said End -- 7 Conclusion -- 4 The Expansion of Christianity: Archaeological Evidence -- 1 Introduction -- 2 The Transformation of Cultic Spaces -- 2.1 The Lasting Use of Pagan Temples and Sanctuaries -- 2.2 Natural Cultic Locations in Attica -- 2.3 Indications for Jewish Presence and Jewish Cult -- 2.4 The enkainion as the raison d'être of a Church -- 2.5 Christian Cult Spaces in the Urban Zone (asty) -- 2.6 Christian Cultic Spaces in Minor Towns and the Countryside -- 3 The Transformation of Burial Spaces -- 3.1 The Topography of Athenian Cemeteries -- 3.2 The Topography of Cemeteries in Attica and Adjacent Areas -- 3.3 Construction of Graves -- 3.4 Corporeal Treatment -- 3.5 Multiple Burial -- 3.6 Objects Found in Graves -- 3.7 Any Privileged Burials?.

3.8 The Transformation of Burial Practices -- 3.9 Conclusions: Tradition and Transformation in Burial Practice -- 5 Christianity in Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Areas: A Survey of the Epigraphic Evidence -- 1 Introduction to the Christian Inscriptions of Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Areas -- 2 Christian Identity Markers -- 3 Persons Identified as Christian by Inscriptions on Monuments from Athens and Surroundings -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Names as Markers of Personal Identity -- 3.3 Toponyms and Ethnonyms -- 3.4 Summary -- 4 Persons Identified as Christian by Inscriptions on Locatable Monuments from the Territory of Athens -- 5 Persons Identified as Christian by Inscriptions on Monuments from Piraeus -- 6 Attic Christianity beyond Athens -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Eleusis: The New Saviour -- 6.3 Monuments toward Lavrion -- 6.4 Monuments from the Attic Mesogeia Plain -- 6.5 Liturgical Formula on the Graves in the Basilica on Amygdaleza Hill (Stamata) -- 7 Christianity in Areas Adjacent to Attica -- 7.1 The Megarid -- 7.2 The Islands -- 6 Aspects of Christianity in Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Areas -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Gender and Family Relations -- 3 Occupations and Social Status -- 3.1 Occupations -- 3.2 Social Status and Authority -- 4 Churches as Loci -- 4.1 Churches as Locations -- 4.2 Churches as Buildings -- 4.3 By Whom Was Church Construction Funded? -- 4.4 Control of Agricultural Surplus by the Church? -- 4.5 Evidence for Monastic Life -- 5 Churches as Organized Institution -- 5.1 Belonging to the Church, Serving the Lord -- 5.2 Clergy -- 5.3 Martyrs -- 6 The Role of the Bible and Theology in Inscriptions -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Inscribed Theology -- 6.3 Biblical Allusions in Liturgical Texts -- 6.4 Keeping Grave Desecrators at Bay: Formulas of Imprecation -- 7 Religious Violence -- 8 Organization of Cemeteries.

8.1 Who Administered Burial Spaces? -- 8.2 Purchase of a Tomb -- 9 Christian Hope for Life after Death -- 10 Changing the Religious Landscape -- 10.1 The Once Polytheistic City under the Rule of Christian Emperors -- 10.2 Consolidating Worship at Various Locations -- 10.3 Dissolving Cults, Absorbing Functions -- 7 Résumé: Expansion of Early Christianity in Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Areas -- 1 A Summary of the Contents -- 2 An Exemplary Résumé of the Characteristics of Christianity in Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Regions -- 2.1 From the Perspective of Archaeology -- 2.2 From the Perspective of Epigraphy -- 3 Factors Determining the Rise of Christianity in Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Regions -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Intellectual Factors: Athenian Philosophical and Christianity's Biblical Traditions -- 3.3 Religious Factors: Athenian Polytheism and the Triune Christian Creator God -- 3.4 Social Factors Impeding Christianity's Spread in Athens and Attica -- 3.5 Economic Factors: Early Christian Settlements and the Harbours of Attica -- 3.6 Ecclesiastical Factors: Churches within an Attic and Achaean Network -- 4 Conclusion -- Appendix: Catalogues -- Catalogue A: Early Christian Churches in Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Areas -- Part I: The Urban Zone of Athens (asty) -- Part II: Minor Towns and the Rural Countryside -- Part III: Adjacent Areas -- The Megarid -- Aigina -- Salamis -- Catalogue B: Late Antique Cemeteries of Athens, Attica, and Adjacent Areas -- Part I: The Urban Zone of Athens (asty) -- Cemeteries outside the Valerianic City Wall -- Cemeteries inside the Valerianic City Wall -- Part II: Attica and Adjacent Areas -- Bibliography -- Concordance of Inscriptions -- Index of Ancient Sources -- Index of Personal Names -- Index of Places -- Index of Buildings and Monuments -- Index of Selected Subjects and Persons.