Armenia between Byzantium and the Orient. Celebrating the memory of Karen Yuzbashyan (1927–2009). Edited by Bernard Outtier, Cornelia B. Horn, Basil Lourié and Alexey Ostrovsky. (Texts and Studies in Eastern Christianity, 16.) Pp. xviii + 718 incl. frontispiece, 124 colour and black-and-white fig... (original) (raw)

2022, The Journal of Ecclesiastical History

Imperial piety and the writing of Christian history', moves away from the city to focus on the self-presentation of Theodosius II. Drawing particularly on the analysis of Judith Evans-Gruber, Falcasantos analyses how Theodosius and his councillors portrayed the imperial regime as a pious reforming monarchy in the best Roman tradition, highlighting how these policies correlated with times of potential stress and giving some discussion of Constantinople as the theatre of Theodosian self-presentation. This is, again, an interesting analysis. Yet like the discussion in chapter iv, it feels only partially relevant to the city and thus to the rest of the book. Although in Falcasantos's defence this is consistent with her desire to offer conclusions about the wider empire, it still flows somewhat awkwardly. The conclusion brings together previous themes and is a competent summary. Falcasantos is broadly successful in her main argument. The contention that Constantinople did not necessarily begin as a Christian city but became one through the efforts of episcopal and imperial figures is generally persuasive, although it would have been augmented by more use of the evidence in pagan writers like Julian, Himerius or Themistius. To a lesser extent, so is her contextualisation and de-familiarisation of Christianity, which fruitfully questions narratives of Christian exceptionalism and the categories they have inspired. This is only partially effective, however, because her alternatives do not always persuade. Sometimes the problem is stylistic-'those who engaged in practices directed at Christ' instead of 'Christians' (p. ) is a particularly egregious example. Sometimes it is analytical. Calling churches 'temples' (discussion at pp. -) from time to time is generally misleading in the majority of cases given the differences in ritual usage and architecture (Falcasantos makes a strong case, however, regarding Constantine's mausoleum, the Church of the Apostles [pp. -]). The methodology itself has a 'love it or hate it' quality. At some points it is a helpful and incisive theoretical framework which illuminates the city's religious life, while at others it a contestable and frustrating intellectual structure which distracts from her analysis. The prose style is often complex and jargon-laden, which can partially be attributed to these methodological choices. The editing and proofreading is by contrast near-perfect though there are some inconsistencies between the two maps (pp.  and ). Overall, this book makes an intelligent and informative argument about religious change in late antique Constantinople, though one whose focus could be tighter. It is only partially convincing, however, as a vindication of a general method and approach.