Early Christianity in Asia Minor and Cyprus

Stephen Mitchell FBA, DPhil (Oxford, 1975) is meritus Professor of Hellenistic Culture, Exeter University and Dr Theol h.c. at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. He has published extensively on the epigraphy, archaeology and history of Asia Minor, including The Greek and Latin Inscriptions of Ankara (Ancyra), 2 vols. (Munich, 2012 and 2019).Philipp Pilhofer, Dr.theol. (2017), is a research assistant at the chair of Ancient Christianity at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. His dissertation Das frühe Christentum im kilikisch-isaurischen Bergland (Berlin, 2018) focuses on Christianity in Cilicia and Isauria up to the fifth century.

A series of nine illuminating papers treat areas that range from Armenia and Cappadocia in the east, as well as Cyprus, Pisidia and Caria, to Constantinople as the centre of a new ecclesiastical organization [...] It is clear this volume will be of great value for researchers interested in the history of early Christianity in Asia Minor.Ulrich Hüttner, BMCR, 2020This book is a significant contribution toward a more realistic and satisfying interpretation of the place of early Christianity in the society of Asia Minor. The chapters do not assume that from the beginning Christianity had represented the future. Instead, they respect the abiding importance of traditional cults for individuals and communities, acknowledge the different rhythms and formats of Christianization in different regions. The expansion of Christianity in Asia Minor is revealed as a long, slow, and indeterminate process.Raymond van Dam, RBL 2020Die Beiträge des Bandes zeigen auf beeindruckende Weise, wie ertragreich regional begrenzte Studien sind, da sie detaillierter das vorhandene Datenmaterial sichten können [...] Die historische Realität der Christenheit war von ihren Anfängen an und blieb divers, regional verschieden und nicht selten in Streit und Konflikt geschieden. Gerade deshalb sind die Regionalstudien dieses Bandes so wertvoll.Stefan Alkier, Theologische Revue 2021

• PrefaceList of FiguresAbbreviationsNotes on ContributorsIntroductionStephen Mitchell and Philipp Pilhofer1 Between Paganism and Judaism: Early Christianity in CappadociaMargherita Cassia2 Hagiography and the Great Persecution in Sebastea and Armenia MinorStephen Mitchell3 Martyrs, Monks, and Heretics in Rocky CappadociaGaetano Arena4 The Origins and Development of the Cults of Saint Gordius and Saint Mamas in CappadociaAude Busine5 Faith and Verse: Gregory of Nazianzus and Early Christian Village PoetryChristiane Zimmermann6 Constantinople and Asia Minor: Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in the Fourth CenturyTurhan Kaçar7 The Rise of Christianity at SagalassusPeter Talloen8 Inscribing Caria: the Perseverance of Epigraphic Traditions in Late AntiquityAnna M. Sitz9 The Christian Epigraphy of Cyprus: a Preliminary StudyDaniela SummaIndices