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The Byzantinist Issue No.5, Spring 2015 The Byzantinist A Message from the President My first ever experience of current student body who seventeenth year, to be held on Byzantine studies was through volunteered to be mentors and the 27th-28th February in the the Oxford University with so many mentors we History Faculty on ‘Cross- Byzantine Society when I could match mentors to new Cultural Exchange in the attended its 2013 International students according to interests. Byzantine World’. The theme Graduate Conference. I was Oxford and its somewhat naturally lends itself to the struck by the size and vitality idiosyncratic ways can be inter-disciplinary nature of of the postgraduate community quite confusing, so hopefully Byzantine studies in Oxford here, quite unlike any other the society, with the mentoring and has attracted forty-eight university I have been too, the programme and its two confirmed speakers from way the student community mailing lists helps its members institutions coming from as far collaborated and the sense of a find the necessary support and afield as the USA and Japan to shared camaraderie and opportunities for themselves. Oxford. We also hope that it friendships forged through a To further this goal we have will enable us to produce a love for an academic subject. also tried to encourage volume of selected papers that There was a sense that this informal contact between not only enables an would be the right place for retired members of staff and examination of the issue but me. More than the libraries, students as well. With such a demonstrates the importance more than the academics I met, wealth of knowledge available of postgraduates in keeping it was the conference and it seemed a shame for it not to research in Byzantine studies, talking to postgraduates that be used in some way. in the broadest sense possible, convinced me to abandon fresh and innovative. work in a golf shop and to Continuing on with the good return to academic study. It work from last year, we have A taster of this can be seen in has been an honour to be part organised a society research this fifth edition of the of the OUBS committee this road-trip through Serbia and ‘Byzantinist’. The articles and year and to build upon the Kosovo in the upcoming book reviews cover the entire work of my predecessors who Easter holidays. We have only period of Byzantium’s made the society into the been able to do so with the existence and cover topics as beating heart of the Late generous help of members of broad as the Cult of Angels to Antique and Byzantine studies staff and the Oxford Centre for the study of ethnography The community in Oxford. My Byzantine Research. If the trip articles, reviews and the only hope is that I leave the is anything like last year’s to profiles within this newsletter OUBS in the same healthy Thessaloniki we will see many demonstrate the pluralism of state it was before and sites and appreciate them in a the community here and what continues to help foster the way that would not be possible opportunities are available to welcoming and supportive any other way. It is shaping up those who seek them. It is with atmosphere that attracted me into a fantastic trip and a great pride that the OUBS to Oxford way back in 2013. perfect opportunity to forge presents the latest issue of closer friendships within the ‘The Byzantinist’ to you. Long With this in mind, we community. may it and the society continue established a more formalised to flourish in this place that mentoring programme for all And talking of opportunities, will always remain dear to my new postgraduate students. We this brings to mind the heart. were helped by the International Graduate enthusiastic response of the Conference, now in its Andrew M. Small, President 2014-15 Contents ______________________________________ Some Material Evidence for the Origin and Makeup of the Cult of Angels by Sydney Taylor 2 Rage, rage against the dying of the light: Roman resilience in the afterglow of Empire by James Moreton Wakeley 5 Femininity and Subversion in the Synaxarion of the Honourable Donkey by Kirsty Stewart 8 An interview with Tim Greenwood 11 Book reviews 14 Alumnus Profile 18 Graduate Profile 20 About the SPBS 21 The Byzantinist • is published by • The Oxford University Byzantine Society Andrew M. Small President Kirsty Stewart Secretary James Moreton Wakeley Treasurer The texts and images printed herein are © 2015 by the Authors and may not be reproduced without permission Front image: The Rotunda of Galerius, 4th century A.D., Thessaloniki Some Material Evidence for the Origin and Makeup of the Cult of Angels Sydney Taylor, Brasenose College Little scholarly attention has been devoted to Gharizzeh al-Gharbizzeh in the Hauran region. the Christian cult of angels, particularly as Inscriptions invoking archangels but not evident in the archaeological record. Previous associated with churches have been discovered in research related to Christian angeloi, particularly Umm el-Jimal and il-Burdj. In Anatolia and the archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Syria, an additional fifteen churches feature in Uriel, has often only focused upon Michael, literary accounts, including perhaps the most devoting little more than a sentence or two to cult prominently attested cult sites at Chonai, activity surrounding other archangels. These Sosthenion, Anaplus, and Pythia, but most of examinations also tend to focus upon literary these sites have not been fully excavated and in rather than archaeological evidence. This some cases their exact location is unknown. emphasis upon source literature, such as In comparison, the number of surviving or hagiographies, histories, et cetera, is attested sites dedicated to angels in the West is far understandable to some degree in light of the less. The sanctuary at Monte Gargano in Italy limited material evidence available for the cult, may date to the sixth century, and the foundation particularly early churches or cult sites definitely inscription of San Michele in Africisco, Ravenna, linked with these angels. The remains of suggests a date of ca. 545 although very little of churches offer no specific architectural or design the actual church survives. The existence of other features which suggest these were sites of churches associated with archangels in Italy is veneration, and their identification thus depends suggested by literary accounts, but the physical upon epigraphic evidence or, in its absence, evidence remains limited. literary attestations. Although limited, the Gaul provides similarly restricted physical remains permit the generation of a archaeological evidence for cult sites of the geographic distribution of the cult of angels from archangels, although such sites as Mont Saint- AD 300 to 800 as well as provide some insight Michel with its eighth-century foundations are into characteristics of the cult. well attested, as well as the monastery at St A consideration of the geographic Mihiel-Verdun (ca. early eighth century). At the distribution of the Christian cult of angels during time of writing there are no churches associated these centuries indicates a significant number of with Christian angels known to the author from cult sites and churches associated with these this period in Spain, either in the archaeological figures in the East, particularly in Anatolia and evidence or attested in literary sources. In both Syria. In Anatolia for example, the remnants of Gaul and Spain, the cult of saints and in particular churches dedicated to archangels have been of martyrs appears to have been more popular in identified at Germia in Galatia, at Aphrodisias during the late antique and early Byzantine and at Miletus in Caria. The first building phase periods. Evidence for the foundation of churches of the church at Germia may date to the fifth in Spain associated with the archangels only century. The churches in Aphrodisias and begins to appear at the end of the eighth century, Miletus represent sixth-century foundations significantly later than the earliest known sites in which incorporated pre-existing pagan temple the East. structures. An additional four churches of The results of a consideration of the archangels appear in epigraphic evidence, with geographic distribution of churches and cult sites dedications from Çarşamba, Saparta, Sazak, and associated with Christian angels reveals several Sozopolis. In the province of Syria, noteworthy trends. First, the greater prevalence archaeological and epigraphic evidence indicate of sites in the East compared to the West may four churches associated with archangels, namely suggest that the cult was not as popular in the a Michaeleion at Huarte, a church of Michael at latter region, if we take the number of known or il-Anderin, a church to unspecified archangels at attested sacred sites as an indicator of popularity. Fa ͨ lul, and a church to Michael and Gabriel at al- Second, among the angels venerated at such sites, The Byzantinist | 2 the archangel Michael appears most regularly, “by the great god Sabaoth, by Michael, by although other archangels, Gabriel in particular, Gabriel.”1 Based upon such syncretistic elements may appear on their own or in conjunction with evident at Corinth as well as other sites associated Michael. In some instances, the epigraphic with angeloi-veneration, it may be argued, as dedications appear non-specific, noting an Rangar Cline has suggested in his work Ancient unspecified αρχαγγελος or general αρχαγγελοι. Angels, that such formulas were designed not Finally, the plan and architecture of the excavated with regard for orthodoxy but efficacy. churches associated with archangels do not These overlapping ritual elements, as well appear to bear significant differences from those as shared sites of sacred veneration, may provide connected with the veneration of human saints.
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