Christianity, book-burning and censorship in late antiquity studies in text transmission

It is estimated that only a small fraction, less than 1 per cent, of ancient literature has survived to the present day. The role of Christian authorities in the active suppression and destruction of books in Late Antiquity has received surprisingly little sustained consideration by academics. In an...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor Corporativo: Knowledge Unlatched funder (funder)
Otros Autores: Rohmann, Dirk, author (author)
Formato: Libro electrónico
Idioma:Inglés
Publicado: Berlin, [Germany] ; Boston, [Massachusetts] : De Gruyter 2016
2016.
Colección:Arbeiten zur Kirchengeschichte ; Volume 135.
Materias:
Ver en Biblioteca Universitat Ramon Llull:https://discovery.url.edu/permalink/34CSUC_URL/1im36ta/alma991009437767806719
Descripción
Sumario:It is estimated that only a small fraction, less than 1 per cent, of ancient literature has survived to the present day. The role of Christian authorities in the active suppression and destruction of books in Late Antiquity has received surprisingly little sustained consideration by academics. In an approach that presents evidence for the role played by Christian institutions, writers and saints, this book analyses a broad range of literary and legal sources, some of which have hitherto been little studied. Paying special attention to the problem of which genres and book types were likely to be targeted, the author argues that in addition to heretical, magical, astrological and anti-Christian books, other less obviously subversive categories of literature were also vulnerable to destruction, censorship or suppression through prohibition of the copying of manuscripts. These include texts from materialistic philosophical traditions, texts which were to become the basis for modern philosophy and science. This book examines how Christian authorities, theologians and ideologues suppressed ancient texts and associated ideas at a time of fundamental transformation in the late classical world.
Notas:Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph
Descripción Física:1 online resource (370 pages)
Issued also in print
Bibliografía:Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:9783110485554
9783110486070