The research of Frauke Krautheim examined how Christianity utilizes public space in Antiochia and the ways in which it uses the public sphere of the Antiochian way of life to establish itself.
Research
The project analysed homilies by John Chrysostom about Antiochian martyrs, which he held on their memorial days. These martyrs, themselves a product of the fight for the public position of Chrisianity, are present in an architectural way because of the martyrion Antioch, where they are adored. These sermons about martyrs are an example of how John Chrysostom transports Christianity into the public sphere. He uses agonistic metaphors, typical of Hellenistic rhetoric style, and allows Christianity to compete linguistically against the Antioch Hellenistic entertainments and offers Christianity as an aspect of Hellenistic public life.
The dissertation project was successfully completed in 2013.
Related Publication
Frauke Krautheim, Das öffentliche Auftreten des Christentums im spätantiken Antiochia. Eine Studie unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Agonmetaphorik in ausgewählten Märtyrerpredigten des Johannes Chrysostomos, Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2018