Jessica van 't Westeinde | Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn (original) (raw)

Papers by Jessica van 't Westeinde

in: Mediterranean Flows: People, Ideas and Objects in Motion, 2022

Travel and mobility were characteristic of the privileged few in the world of Late Antiquity. The... more Travel and mobility were characteristic of the privileged few in the world of Late Antiquity. Therefore, they should be interpreted as status symbols. Although basic education was by-and-large accessible, undertaking long-distance travel to study with the brightest minds of one’s time was not. Jerome cleverly fashions himself as a mobile person who went to study under Donatus in Rome; he went on to learn from desert fathers, exchanged ideas in Constantinople, studied in Alexandria. As such, he emphasises his social status to prove he is a match for peers and patrons. In this chapter, I will first demonstrate how exactly Jerome created this profile, with particular focus on his early letters. Subsequently, I will show how he employs the 'Grand Tour' models from the classics, and incorporates it into his epistolary exchange with his patrons: his (prospective) ‘students’. Naturally, it is clear that by then Jerome is the teacher who should be visited by his students, again, putting himself on par with (ancient) vir illustres. Yet, his own ideas – put to paper – have become mobile, also. If his correspondents cannot visit the teacher, at least they will have the opportunity to access his teachings.
In sum, if one had the means, one could cover great distances to expand the mind and count oneself among the ‘happy few’ who, in the footsteps of the great classics, are worthy of memoria dignus.

In his Epitaphium Sanctae Paulae, Jerome describes the journey which he and Paula undertook from ... more In his Epitaphium Sanctae Paulae, Jerome describes the journey which he and Paula undertook from Rome to their eventual place of settlement in Bethlehem. The passage has often been studied in context of pilgrimage, and I recently analysed the segment looking for visual perception of the Mediterranean. However, what would the text reveal if one takes a different approach, namely by asking questions relating to the invisible servants, and especially the slave-girls that had no choice but to accompany their master or matron on such travels? These slaves are anonymised in a collective mass: anonymous and unanimous, a method not dissimilar to ‘grouping’ heretics into a unanimous collective under one label without individual nuances. Is it possible to reconstruct their lives and livelihoods? Take for example Paula’s servants: from the ‘comforts’ of a respectable domus in Rome, they were forced to embark on an arduous and challenging journey that would take them to the Holy Land, where they were to settle in a monastery. Monastic life (including virginity) was forced upon them. Yet, social hierarchy was preserved by having servants sleep in separate living quarters. In this paper, I wish to demonstrate how one could make visible these invisible servants and their possible experience of lived reality. A close reading of a selection of Jerome’s letters – notably his Epitaph on Paula, as well as letters to Eustochium, Demetrias, and Rusticus – will offer the possibility to hypothesise servant perspectives and experiences, rendering them visible, and making them just a little less anonymous.

“Gathering a mob of rustics, [Memnon] has convulsed the city, sending his clerics to the houses o... more “Gathering a mob of rustics, [Memnon] has convulsed the city, sending his clerics to the houses of the most God-beloved bishops and uttering countless dire threats” (ACO I.1.5, 121). This passage reveals an underlying common understanding of markers of urbanity: of urban vs. rural, civilised vs. uncivilised, the use and abuse of urban infrastructure. In this paper, I argue that one may identify a certain ‘rhetoric of urbanity’ when it comes to the documents and proceedings of the Council of Ephesus 431 CE. One may distinguish three categories, pertaining to 1) urban vs. rural (civilised-uncivilised, discipline, lawlessness), 2) urban audience (crowds, mobs, marches, unrest), and 3) urban infrastructure (public manifestations, hiding, separation). Both Cyril’s and Nestorius/John’s parties employ these categories in their rhetoric to cast their antagonists as anti-urban as opposed to themselves as civilised urbanites. I will demonstrate by an analysis of the documents of the Council of Ephesus that on the basis of a ‘rhetoric of urbanity’ there exists a particular shared understanding of urbanity that is used as a tool in ecclesial-political disputes.

When the first session of the Council of Chalcedon opens on the 8th of October 451 CE in the Chur... more When the first session of the Council of Chalcedon opens on the 8th of October 451 CE in the Church of Euphemia, the scene looks as follows: supporters of Dioscorus, bishop of Alexandria, were sat on the one side of the nave, his opponents on the other. The atmosphere was tense, which was reflected in the strict seating arrangements. Many delegates had been present at the Second Council of Ephesus, denounced as ‘Robber Synod’ by Leo, bishop of Rome. In this session, the Acts of that tumultuous council were to be read. The emotions run high, and the imperial officials who preside over the meeting try to keep order. In this paper, I want to demonstrate that there are a variety of coping strategies that were adopted by the imperial officials and the delegates in order to deal with what they witness when the Acts of Ephesus II were being read. How do they try to prevent the debate from escalating into violent conflict, which had been the case in Ephesus back in 449 when Flavian was murdered? For my analysis, I will use a context-sensitive model that has been designed by Katharina Heyden, which is meant to analyse religious conflicts based on coping strategies that aim to re-evaluate stressful situations (Heyden 2019). Three principal coping strategies may be identified – problem-oriented, meaning-focused, emotion-based – which all aim for non-violent conflict management. I will show that strict seating arrangements may be understood as problem-oriented coping to keep order and prevent physical assault; that the detailed reading of Acts and other documents may hint at meaning-focused coping (as does the ensuing debate); and that emotion-based coping may be reflected in the way that delegates come to peace with their part in the disastrous Second Council of Ephesus and the death of Flavian.

RRE, 2020

Roman Dura Europos' (165 CE-256 CE) urban topography, especially the conglomeration of sacred spa... more Roman Dura Europos' (165 CE-256 CE) urban topography, especially the conglomeration of sacred spaces, is most inviting for a study of cross-cultural and interreligious interaction in the city's neighbourhoods. This article focuses on the Jewish edifice: its location, the remains and finds from the excavations, and the traces left by the people who frequented the place. The wall-paintings in the Jewish edifice as well as in other buildings in this quarter seem to bear evidence of shared aesthetic and cultural values, social interaction, or at least the hiring of the same workshops. The article offers a comparative study of the wall-paintings and inscriptions, trying to discern expressions of self-representation of commissioners and perception of onlookers. The consideration of these paintings and inscriptions within their larger urban context will offer refreshing insights into Jews entangled in a complex composition of a multicultural and multi-religious Dura-Europos.

As wealthy Roman aristocrats increasingly focussed their euergetic activities towards Christian b... more As wealthy Roman aristocrats increasingly focussed their euergetic activities towards Christian building projects (monumental churches, monasteries) and Christian clients, this necessarily raised questions about the legal position of and legal relation between benefactors and beneficiaries. It is well known that the State tried to protect families and social structures by setting restrictions to the way in which inheritance was distributed (C.Th. 1.16.27, but repealed in C.Th. 1.16.28, see also C.Th. 12.1.59, C.Th. 12.1.17). However, in this paper I aim to look deeper into this issue by studying who is considered the legal entity and who carries legal liability in such transactions, especially when there is a conflict. Are churches or monasteries considered legal entities, or, if not, which individual is regarded as the legal person when a case is taken to court? Would the benefactor retain the right to decide what exactly happens with a gift, for what it is used, how it is used, or do beneficiaries have the freedom to decide how to use a gift once a transaction has been made? In my paper I will offer some examples from laws and letters from the late fourth and early fifth centuries CE to try answer these questions.

Complete programme with titles and abstracts for the workshop "Shifting Paradigms in the Study of... more Complete programme with titles and abstracts for the workshop "Shifting Paradigms in the Study of Jerome", taking place during the Oxford Patristics Conference 2019, Examination Schools, Room 12 on Wednesday the 20th of August, 4-6.30pm, and Room 14 on Thursday the 21st of August, 4-6.30pm.

In this paper I explore the use of (urban) space in the conflict between the two competing partie... more In this paper I explore the use of (urban) space in the conflict between the two competing parties at the Council of Ephesus 431. For the analysis I use a new model developed by Stefan Rebenich and myself. The paper does not only address how space is narrated and rhetorically used in literary sources, but I also take into account the archaeological sources and topography of the city of Ephesus. As such, this allows me to better visualise the council and the dynamics of the lingering conflict during the 'long summer' of 431.

The aspect of visual experience in Jerome’s writings has not received much scholarly attention. Y... more The aspect of visual experience in Jerome’s writings has not received much scholarly attention. Yet it would be good to analyse his works in light of the idea of changing perception through travel. How do Jerome’s personal visual experiences shape his work and his perception, and moreover: does his perception of landscape, architecture, and travel itself change by his own travels across the Mediterranean basin? The starting point of this study is Jerome’s detailed account of his and Paula’s journey from Rome to Bethlehem where they would eventually settle. This will be complemented by and contrasted with the less detailed accounts of visual experience during Jerome’s earlier travels (e.g. from Rome via Trier, Aquileia, Antioch, the Syrian desert, Constantinople, and back to Rome). How does Jerome narrate visual experience and how does it play a role in his writings? In his longest (visual) expertiential travel account Jerome exalts the holy sites and presents them as worth visiting. A couple of years earlier, when writing to Paulinus of Nola (Ep. 58), he tries to convince his addressee there is no need whatsoever to see the holy places, for this is better contemplated upon in the comfort of one’s own home. Although this rhetoric has to be considered in the framework of Jerome’s fears that Paulinus might visit Jerome’s friend-turned-foe Rufinus in Jerusalem, and possibly feel favour for his arguments, one could also wonder to what extent Jerome’s own experiences and perception play a role in both narratives. Jerome’s frequent uses of nautical metaphors in other correspondence do give the reader a glimpse of his perception of the Mediterranean. Diving under the surface of rhetoric, and taking all these references together, does it become possible to forge a coherent picture how Jerome’s own visual experiences during his travels have shaped his perception of the Mediterranean region?

Adopting concepts and methodologies of spatio-temporality, theatricality, and ekphrasis, in this ... more Adopting concepts and methodologies of spatio-temporality, theatricality, and ekphrasis, in this article I reconstruct the choreography of the hearing of Bassianus, sessions 12 and 13 (in the Greek Acts) of the Council of Chalcedon, 451.

In this paper I presented an analysis of canons from various councils – local and ecumenical –, w... more In this paper I presented an analysis of canons from various councils – local and ecumenical –, which show that these legal texts are not the richest source for anti-Jewish tropes where the Jew is peridigmatic, and even supersessionist arguments are scarce. Rather, they demonstrate how there exists a persistence among their own group members to continue to liaise with their Jewish compatriots or neighbours, and how Christians continue to observe their customs or participate in their rituals. The institutional agents seek to prevent this. The repetition of canons through the ages shows how their attempts have little effect. What is striking, is the in-group use of the label “Jew” as derogative term to out-group (exclude) others. We have seen some examples of this, but again, it is formidably rare. Othering is used as a strategy of defining orthodoxy (who is in who is out); those who for example deny the divinity of Christ (Arians, Nestorians) are labelled Jews – and not just Judaizers: it becomes a derogative term; that what one should be ashamed of, what one should be not.
A better source for anti-Jewish tropes are to be found in the writings that support these legal documents, as well as in Adversus Iudaeos literature from the hand of Christian authors (“Church fathers”). Especially the latter find rich source material in Christian biblical commentaries, which allows them to construct an imaginary Jew wholly detached from any historical Jews. History has shown where such literary tropes can take us.

Selection of a paper (work-in-progress) presented at the EASR conference in Bern, 2018; including... more Selection of a paper (work-in-progress) presented at the EASR conference in Bern, 2018; including a short presentation of the wider IFK research project, see http://www.religious-conflicts.unibe.ch/

A selection of pages from a draft paper presented at the Urban Religion Spring School in Rome, 12... more A selection of pages from a draft paper presented at the Urban Religion Spring School in Rome, 12-16 March 2018, organised by the Max-Weber-Kolleg Erfurt and UrbNet Aarhus. I offer some hypotheseis and new approaches to a renewed understanding of the "Jewish" inscriptions of, chiefly, the Vigna Randanini catacombs in Rome (the paper was presented in situ). It is part of a larger research project on Jewish sacred spaces in cities in the Roman Empire.

Aemillius Paulus entered the sacred enclosure at Olympia and was struck with admiration at the st... more Aemillius Paulus entered the sacred enclosure at Olympia and was struck with admiration at the statue of the god (Plb. 30.10). In this one sentence we encounter a Roman general entering a Greek architectural complex, a sanctuary: the sacred enclosure at Olympia, where he perceives the statue of the god, and as a result was struck with admiration. I will investigate perception of monumental architecture, of sanctuaries in particular, and how persons respond to it. I will attempt to show if any transformation took place, and to what extent. It will be argued that agency and interaction work both ways: from the perceiver and the perceived, as is evident from Aemilius Paulus’ encounter with the statue of the god, which had exceeded his expectations.

Polybius, most fitting for the CRC 1266 E3 project’s theme, voices the opinion that “to see an op... more Polybius, most fitting for the CRC 1266 E3 project’s theme, voices the opinion that “to see an operation with one's own eyes is not like merely hearing a description of it. It is, indeed, quite another thing; and the confidence which such vivid experience gives is always greatly advantageous. . . .” (Plb. 20.12). In this paper I will examine some passages concerning military campaigns and test if we could say anything about landscape perception and transformation of landscape and architecture in this specific context. These aspects particularly relate to the aim of the project to explore the mutual influence between built space and natural space and to link this to specific forms of agency, social behaviour, and social contexts. Military campaigns are a valuable source for such analysis, since they could be examples par excellence for human-environmental interaction. Methodologically, I will adapt and apply the "Resilience & Vulnerability" theory in a tripartite-analyis of selected segments of the situations pre-battle, in-battle, and post-battle, to determine if transformation took place, and on what level (nature, built space, society).

A first attempt to analyse accounts of sacred travel (including but not limited to theoria) for h... more A first attempt to analyse accounts of sacred travel (including but not limited to theoria) for hints at landscape perception and potential or possible transformative aspects. A comparison of Greek and Jewish sacred travel will be offered.

In 385 CE and under dubious circumstances, Jerome was expelled from Rome. He moved east and settl... more In 385 CE and under dubious circumstances, Jerome was expelled from Rome. He moved east and settled in Bethlehem, where he would spend the rest of his life 'in exile'. It is compelling however to see that most of his epistolary correspondence – particularly with Rome – dates from 393 CE onwards. That means we are dealing with a mysterious eight-year-gap. Why? Although Andrew Cain has argued Jerome seems to have needed this time to prepare his business card, I believe it is more complex than that. Approaching the problem from an entangled history view and applying the Erfurt individualisation paradigm, we need to look at how Jerome is taken out of his aristocratic network circles of a metropolis of Latin-speaking people and thrown into a very different culture. Although the question is not what or whom he loses, as we cannot quite tell for certain 'whom he had', one observes how Jerome tries to reconnect with Rome, and only retrospectively seems to claim his circle of Roman grandees. He builds a bridge with the metropolis and other parts of the empire through setting up a chain of correspondence which he might not have needed before. Remoteness therefore, in a way, seems to make entanglement conscious, crucially necessary and provokes Jerome to create presence in absence: not only his own 'presence in absence' in Rome, but also the Romans' presence in absence in Bethlehem. As such, the 'madding crowd' of the Roman metropolis is suddenly not anymore that far from rural and remote Bethlehem.

in: Mediterranean Flows: People, Ideas and Objects in Motion, 2022

Travel and mobility were characteristic of the privileged few in the world of Late Antiquity. The... more Travel and mobility were characteristic of the privileged few in the world of Late Antiquity. Therefore, they should be interpreted as status symbols. Although basic education was by-and-large accessible, undertaking long-distance travel to study with the brightest minds of one’s time was not. Jerome cleverly fashions himself as a mobile person who went to study under Donatus in Rome; he went on to learn from desert fathers, exchanged ideas in Constantinople, studied in Alexandria. As such, he emphasises his social status to prove he is a match for peers and patrons. In this chapter, I will first demonstrate how exactly Jerome created this profile, with particular focus on his early letters. Subsequently, I will show how he employs the 'Grand Tour' models from the classics, and incorporates it into his epistolary exchange with his patrons: his (prospective) ‘students’. Naturally, it is clear that by then Jerome is the teacher who should be visited by his students, again, putting himself on par with (ancient) vir illustres. Yet, his own ideas – put to paper – have become mobile, also. If his correspondents cannot visit the teacher, at least they will have the opportunity to access his teachings.
In sum, if one had the means, one could cover great distances to expand the mind and count oneself among the ‘happy few’ who, in the footsteps of the great classics, are worthy of memoria dignus.

In his Epitaphium Sanctae Paulae, Jerome describes the journey which he and Paula undertook from ... more In his Epitaphium Sanctae Paulae, Jerome describes the journey which he and Paula undertook from Rome to their eventual place of settlement in Bethlehem. The passage has often been studied in context of pilgrimage, and I recently analysed the segment looking for visual perception of the Mediterranean. However, what would the text reveal if one takes a different approach, namely by asking questions relating to the invisible servants, and especially the slave-girls that had no choice but to accompany their master or matron on such travels? These slaves are anonymised in a collective mass: anonymous and unanimous, a method not dissimilar to ‘grouping’ heretics into a unanimous collective under one label without individual nuances. Is it possible to reconstruct their lives and livelihoods? Take for example Paula’s servants: from the ‘comforts’ of a respectable domus in Rome, they were forced to embark on an arduous and challenging journey that would take them to the Holy Land, where they were to settle in a monastery. Monastic life (including virginity) was forced upon them. Yet, social hierarchy was preserved by having servants sleep in separate living quarters. In this paper, I wish to demonstrate how one could make visible these invisible servants and their possible experience of lived reality. A close reading of a selection of Jerome’s letters – notably his Epitaph on Paula, as well as letters to Eustochium, Demetrias, and Rusticus – will offer the possibility to hypothesise servant perspectives and experiences, rendering them visible, and making them just a little less anonymous.

“Gathering a mob of rustics, [Memnon] has convulsed the city, sending his clerics to the houses o... more “Gathering a mob of rustics, [Memnon] has convulsed the city, sending his clerics to the houses of the most God-beloved bishops and uttering countless dire threats” (ACO I.1.5, 121). This passage reveals an underlying common understanding of markers of urbanity: of urban vs. rural, civilised vs. uncivilised, the use and abuse of urban infrastructure. In this paper, I argue that one may identify a certain ‘rhetoric of urbanity’ when it comes to the documents and proceedings of the Council of Ephesus 431 CE. One may distinguish three categories, pertaining to 1) urban vs. rural (civilised-uncivilised, discipline, lawlessness), 2) urban audience (crowds, mobs, marches, unrest), and 3) urban infrastructure (public manifestations, hiding, separation). Both Cyril’s and Nestorius/John’s parties employ these categories in their rhetoric to cast their antagonists as anti-urban as opposed to themselves as civilised urbanites. I will demonstrate by an analysis of the documents of the Council of Ephesus that on the basis of a ‘rhetoric of urbanity’ there exists a particular shared understanding of urbanity that is used as a tool in ecclesial-political disputes.

When the first session of the Council of Chalcedon opens on the 8th of October 451 CE in the Chur... more When the first session of the Council of Chalcedon opens on the 8th of October 451 CE in the Church of Euphemia, the scene looks as follows: supporters of Dioscorus, bishop of Alexandria, were sat on the one side of the nave, his opponents on the other. The atmosphere was tense, which was reflected in the strict seating arrangements. Many delegates had been present at the Second Council of Ephesus, denounced as ‘Robber Synod’ by Leo, bishop of Rome. In this session, the Acts of that tumultuous council were to be read. The emotions run high, and the imperial officials who preside over the meeting try to keep order. In this paper, I want to demonstrate that there are a variety of coping strategies that were adopted by the imperial officials and the delegates in order to deal with what they witness when the Acts of Ephesus II were being read. How do they try to prevent the debate from escalating into violent conflict, which had been the case in Ephesus back in 449 when Flavian was murdered? For my analysis, I will use a context-sensitive model that has been designed by Katharina Heyden, which is meant to analyse religious conflicts based on coping strategies that aim to re-evaluate stressful situations (Heyden 2019). Three principal coping strategies may be identified – problem-oriented, meaning-focused, emotion-based – which all aim for non-violent conflict management. I will show that strict seating arrangements may be understood as problem-oriented coping to keep order and prevent physical assault; that the detailed reading of Acts and other documents may hint at meaning-focused coping (as does the ensuing debate); and that emotion-based coping may be reflected in the way that delegates come to peace with their part in the disastrous Second Council of Ephesus and the death of Flavian.

RRE, 2020

Roman Dura Europos' (165 CE-256 CE) urban topography, especially the conglomeration of sacred spa... more Roman Dura Europos' (165 CE-256 CE) urban topography, especially the conglomeration of sacred spaces, is most inviting for a study of cross-cultural and interreligious interaction in the city's neighbourhoods. This article focuses on the Jewish edifice: its location, the remains and finds from the excavations, and the traces left by the people who frequented the place. The wall-paintings in the Jewish edifice as well as in other buildings in this quarter seem to bear evidence of shared aesthetic and cultural values, social interaction, or at least the hiring of the same workshops. The article offers a comparative study of the wall-paintings and inscriptions, trying to discern expressions of self-representation of commissioners and perception of onlookers. The consideration of these paintings and inscriptions within their larger urban context will offer refreshing insights into Jews entangled in a complex composition of a multicultural and multi-religious Dura-Europos.

As wealthy Roman aristocrats increasingly focussed their euergetic activities towards Christian b... more As wealthy Roman aristocrats increasingly focussed their euergetic activities towards Christian building projects (monumental churches, monasteries) and Christian clients, this necessarily raised questions about the legal position of and legal relation between benefactors and beneficiaries. It is well known that the State tried to protect families and social structures by setting restrictions to the way in which inheritance was distributed (C.Th. 1.16.27, but repealed in C.Th. 1.16.28, see also C.Th. 12.1.59, C.Th. 12.1.17). However, in this paper I aim to look deeper into this issue by studying who is considered the legal entity and who carries legal liability in such transactions, especially when there is a conflict. Are churches or monasteries considered legal entities, or, if not, which individual is regarded as the legal person when a case is taken to court? Would the benefactor retain the right to decide what exactly happens with a gift, for what it is used, how it is used, or do beneficiaries have the freedom to decide how to use a gift once a transaction has been made? In my paper I will offer some examples from laws and letters from the late fourth and early fifth centuries CE to try answer these questions.

Complete programme with titles and abstracts for the workshop "Shifting Paradigms in the Study of... more Complete programme with titles and abstracts for the workshop "Shifting Paradigms in the Study of Jerome", taking place during the Oxford Patristics Conference 2019, Examination Schools, Room 12 on Wednesday the 20th of August, 4-6.30pm, and Room 14 on Thursday the 21st of August, 4-6.30pm.

In this paper I explore the use of (urban) space in the conflict between the two competing partie... more In this paper I explore the use of (urban) space in the conflict between the two competing parties at the Council of Ephesus 431. For the analysis I use a new model developed by Stefan Rebenich and myself. The paper does not only address how space is narrated and rhetorically used in literary sources, but I also take into account the archaeological sources and topography of the city of Ephesus. As such, this allows me to better visualise the council and the dynamics of the lingering conflict during the 'long summer' of 431.

The aspect of visual experience in Jerome’s writings has not received much scholarly attention. Y... more The aspect of visual experience in Jerome’s writings has not received much scholarly attention. Yet it would be good to analyse his works in light of the idea of changing perception through travel. How do Jerome’s personal visual experiences shape his work and his perception, and moreover: does his perception of landscape, architecture, and travel itself change by his own travels across the Mediterranean basin? The starting point of this study is Jerome’s detailed account of his and Paula’s journey from Rome to Bethlehem where they would eventually settle. This will be complemented by and contrasted with the less detailed accounts of visual experience during Jerome’s earlier travels (e.g. from Rome via Trier, Aquileia, Antioch, the Syrian desert, Constantinople, and back to Rome). How does Jerome narrate visual experience and how does it play a role in his writings? In his longest (visual) expertiential travel account Jerome exalts the holy sites and presents them as worth visiting. A couple of years earlier, when writing to Paulinus of Nola (Ep. 58), he tries to convince his addressee there is no need whatsoever to see the holy places, for this is better contemplated upon in the comfort of one’s own home. Although this rhetoric has to be considered in the framework of Jerome’s fears that Paulinus might visit Jerome’s friend-turned-foe Rufinus in Jerusalem, and possibly feel favour for his arguments, one could also wonder to what extent Jerome’s own experiences and perception play a role in both narratives. Jerome’s frequent uses of nautical metaphors in other correspondence do give the reader a glimpse of his perception of the Mediterranean. Diving under the surface of rhetoric, and taking all these references together, does it become possible to forge a coherent picture how Jerome’s own visual experiences during his travels have shaped his perception of the Mediterranean region?

Adopting concepts and methodologies of spatio-temporality, theatricality, and ekphrasis, in this ... more Adopting concepts and methodologies of spatio-temporality, theatricality, and ekphrasis, in this article I reconstruct the choreography of the hearing of Bassianus, sessions 12 and 13 (in the Greek Acts) of the Council of Chalcedon, 451.

In this paper I presented an analysis of canons from various councils – local and ecumenical –, w... more In this paper I presented an analysis of canons from various councils – local and ecumenical –, which show that these legal texts are not the richest source for anti-Jewish tropes where the Jew is peridigmatic, and even supersessionist arguments are scarce. Rather, they demonstrate how there exists a persistence among their own group members to continue to liaise with their Jewish compatriots or neighbours, and how Christians continue to observe their customs or participate in their rituals. The institutional agents seek to prevent this. The repetition of canons through the ages shows how their attempts have little effect. What is striking, is the in-group use of the label “Jew” as derogative term to out-group (exclude) others. We have seen some examples of this, but again, it is formidably rare. Othering is used as a strategy of defining orthodoxy (who is in who is out); those who for example deny the divinity of Christ (Arians, Nestorians) are labelled Jews – and not just Judaizers: it becomes a derogative term; that what one should be ashamed of, what one should be not.
A better source for anti-Jewish tropes are to be found in the writings that support these legal documents, as well as in Adversus Iudaeos literature from the hand of Christian authors (“Church fathers”). Especially the latter find rich source material in Christian biblical commentaries, which allows them to construct an imaginary Jew wholly detached from any historical Jews. History has shown where such literary tropes can take us.

Selection of a paper (work-in-progress) presented at the EASR conference in Bern, 2018; including... more Selection of a paper (work-in-progress) presented at the EASR conference in Bern, 2018; including a short presentation of the wider IFK research project, see http://www.religious-conflicts.unibe.ch/

A selection of pages from a draft paper presented at the Urban Religion Spring School in Rome, 12... more A selection of pages from a draft paper presented at the Urban Religion Spring School in Rome, 12-16 March 2018, organised by the Max-Weber-Kolleg Erfurt and UrbNet Aarhus. I offer some hypotheseis and new approaches to a renewed understanding of the "Jewish" inscriptions of, chiefly, the Vigna Randanini catacombs in Rome (the paper was presented in situ). It is part of a larger research project on Jewish sacred spaces in cities in the Roman Empire.

Aemillius Paulus entered the sacred enclosure at Olympia and was struck with admiration at the st... more Aemillius Paulus entered the sacred enclosure at Olympia and was struck with admiration at the statue of the god (Plb. 30.10). In this one sentence we encounter a Roman general entering a Greek architectural complex, a sanctuary: the sacred enclosure at Olympia, where he perceives the statue of the god, and as a result was struck with admiration. I will investigate perception of monumental architecture, of sanctuaries in particular, and how persons respond to it. I will attempt to show if any transformation took place, and to what extent. It will be argued that agency and interaction work both ways: from the perceiver and the perceived, as is evident from Aemilius Paulus’ encounter with the statue of the god, which had exceeded his expectations.

Polybius, most fitting for the CRC 1266 E3 project’s theme, voices the opinion that “to see an op... more Polybius, most fitting for the CRC 1266 E3 project’s theme, voices the opinion that “to see an operation with one's own eyes is not like merely hearing a description of it. It is, indeed, quite another thing; and the confidence which such vivid experience gives is always greatly advantageous. . . .” (Plb. 20.12). In this paper I will examine some passages concerning military campaigns and test if we could say anything about landscape perception and transformation of landscape and architecture in this specific context. These aspects particularly relate to the aim of the project to explore the mutual influence between built space and natural space and to link this to specific forms of agency, social behaviour, and social contexts. Military campaigns are a valuable source for such analysis, since they could be examples par excellence for human-environmental interaction. Methodologically, I will adapt and apply the "Resilience & Vulnerability" theory in a tripartite-analyis of selected segments of the situations pre-battle, in-battle, and post-battle, to determine if transformation took place, and on what level (nature, built space, society).

A first attempt to analyse accounts of sacred travel (including but not limited to theoria) for h... more A first attempt to analyse accounts of sacred travel (including but not limited to theoria) for hints at landscape perception and potential or possible transformative aspects. A comparison of Greek and Jewish sacred travel will be offered.

In 385 CE and under dubious circumstances, Jerome was expelled from Rome. He moved east and settl... more In 385 CE and under dubious circumstances, Jerome was expelled from Rome. He moved east and settled in Bethlehem, where he would spend the rest of his life 'in exile'. It is compelling however to see that most of his epistolary correspondence – particularly with Rome – dates from 393 CE onwards. That means we are dealing with a mysterious eight-year-gap. Why? Although Andrew Cain has argued Jerome seems to have needed this time to prepare his business card, I believe it is more complex than that. Approaching the problem from an entangled history view and applying the Erfurt individualisation paradigm, we need to look at how Jerome is taken out of his aristocratic network circles of a metropolis of Latin-speaking people and thrown into a very different culture. Although the question is not what or whom he loses, as we cannot quite tell for certain 'whom he had', one observes how Jerome tries to reconnect with Rome, and only retrospectively seems to claim his circle of Roman grandees. He builds a bridge with the metropolis and other parts of the empire through setting up a chain of correspondence which he might not have needed before. Remoteness therefore, in a way, seems to make entanglement conscious, crucially necessary and provokes Jerome to create presence in absence: not only his own 'presence in absence' in Rome, but also the Romans' presence in absence in Bethlehem. As such, the 'madding crowd' of the Roman metropolis is suddenly not anymore that far from rural and remote Bethlehem.

Jerome of Stridon argued that 'the most distinguished privilege loses its prestige when lavished ... more Jerome of Stridon argued that 'the most distinguished privilege loses its prestige when lavished on a crowd' (Ep. 66.7). Recent imperial changes left the senatorial aristocracy with a devaluation of their order. When a number of its illustres showed an appetite for asceticism, Jerome took up his quill to offer them a nobilitas- model that preserved their exclusivity through appropriation of Christian asceticism. Jessica van 't Westeinde shows how Jerome's design restored the Roman exclusivist notion of nobilitas as an antidote to the opening up of senatorial rank to 'country boors' by creating a status group of Christian elites. The nouveau riche may have attempted to enter this social circle, but they could never attain the same level of perfection as the illustres. As such, Jerome offered a 'Christian ascetic' nobilitas- model that embodies continuation which breathes Roman aristocratic status culture of the illustres.

Monograph on different levels of spatial agency at and around the councils of Ephesus 431, Ephesu... more Monograph on different levels of spatial agency at and around the councils of Ephesus 431, Ephesus 449, and Chalcedon 451 (forthcoming).