Jeremy M Schott Knihy

In this work, Jeremy M. Schott explores the conflicts between Christian and pagan intellectuals that shaped Roman imperial rhetoric and ideology in the early fourth century C.E. The period, marked by Diocletian's persecution of Christians and Constantine's rise to power, saw a fierce literary battle for the empire's cultural and religious identity. Schott focuses on key figures, including the Platonist philosopher Porphyry of Tyre, and his Christian counterparts Lactantius, Eusebius, and Constantine. Unlike previous scholarship that framed the Christianization of the empire as a straightforward conquest of classical culture, this study challenges static views of religious identity. It emphasizes the dynamic processes through which Christian and pagan identities were constructed. Utilizing postcolonial discourse analysis, Schott argues that the formation of Christian identity and the development of a Christian imperial discourse were deeply intertwined with the broader politics of Roman imperialism. This nuanced examination reveals the complexities of identity politics in the later Roman Empire and highlights the intricate interplay between religious and political transformations during this pivotal era.