Religions of late antiquity in practice / Richard Valantasis, editor.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction / Richard Valantasis 3 -- Part I. Inventing the Individual : Biography -- The First Sahidic Life of Pachomius / James E. Goehring 19 -- Philostratus of Athens, Life of Apollonius of Tyana / Megan H. Williams 34 -- Porphyry, On the Life of Plotinus and the Order of His Books / Richard Valantasis 50 -- Part II. Refashioning the Person : Asceticism -- Evagrius Ponticus on Prayer and Anger / Columba Stewart 65 -- Pseudo-Athanasius, Discourse on Salvation to a Virgin / Teresa M. Shaw 82 -- Basil of Caesarea, The "Prooemium" of the Regulaefusius tractatae / Lawrence J. Altepeter 100 -- Sermons of Columbanus / Arthur G. Holder 109 -- Manichaean Asceticism / Jason David BeDuhn 122 -- Part III. Founding Religious Movements : Organizations -- Talmudic Texts and Jewish Social Life / Daniel Boyarin 133 -- Julian "the Apostate," Against the Galileans / Elizabeth Geraldine Burr 143 -- A Thriving Native Cult in the Fifth Century and Its Demise under Coptic Monks / David Frankfurter 156 -- The Cologne Mani Codex / Ellen Bradshaw Aitken 161 -- Tales of Holy Fools / Derek Krueger 177 -- Part IV. Locating Religion in Society : Community -- Vision for the City : Nisibis in Ephrem's Hymns on Nicomedia / David Bundy 189 -- Acts of Thomas : Scene One / David G. Hunter 207 -- An Anonymous Letter to a Woman Named Susanna / Maureen A. Tilley 218 -- A Plea to a Local God for a Husband's Attentions / David Frankfurter 230 -- Bishop Avitus of Vienne to His Excellency Ansmundus / Maureen A. Tilley 232 -- Chrysostom's Catecheses : A Hermeneutic of Social Institutions / Arthur B. Shippee 235 -- John Chrysostom, Sermons on City Life / Blake Leyerle 247 -- Part V. Regulating Religious Expression : Law -- Laws on Religion from the Theodosian and Justinianic Codes / Matthew C. Mirow and Kathleen A. Kelley 263 -- The Acts of the Council of Aquileia (381 C.E.) / Kenneth B. Steinhauser 275 -- Canons of the Council in Trullo (692 C.E.) / James C. Skedros 289 -- Part VI. Creating Religious Ceremonial : Ritual -- The Mithras Liturgy and Sepher Ha/Razim / Kimberly B. Stratton 303 -- Manichaean Ritual / Jason David BeDuhn 316 -- The Seal of the Merkavah / Michael D. Swartz 322 -- Anonymous Spanish Correspondence or the Letter of the "She/ass" / Virginia Burrus and Tracy Keefer 330 -- Amuletic Invocations of Christ for Health and Fortune / David Frankfurter 340 -- Part VII. Singing Divine Praises : Hymnody -- The Hymns of Ambrose / Carl P.E. Springer 347 -- Hymns to Mary, the Mother of God, the Theotokos / Vasiliki Limberis 357 -- Manichaean Hymnody / Jason David BeDuhn 364 -- An Isis Aretalogy from Kyme in Asia Minor, First Century B.C.E. / Gail Corrington Streete 369 -- Part VIII. Sacrificing Self to God : Martyrology -- The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity / Maureen A. Tilley 387 -- The Martyrs of Lyons / Frederick W. Weidmann 398 -- The Martyrdom of Habbib the Deacon / Robert Doran 413 -- 4 Maccabees / Clayton N. Jefford 424 -- Part IX. Enlivening Thought : Philosophy and Theology -- Gregory Nazianzen, Homily on the Nativity of Christ / Nonna Verna Harrison 443 -- Texts on Iconoclasm : John of Damascus and the Council of Hiereia / David Vila 454 -- Asterius of Amasea Ekphrasis on the Holy Martyr Euphernia / Elizabeth A. Castelli 464 -- Christian Oracle Shrines / David Frankfurter 469 -- Popular Religious Practices in Fifth-Century Egypt / David Frankfurter 473 -- The Zenith and Destruction of a Native Egyptian Oracle in 359 C.E. / David Frankfurter 476 -- Manichaean Theology / Jason David BeDuhn 481 -- lamblichus, de Mysteriis, Book 1, The de Mysteriis / Peter T. Struck 489.

This is an unprecedented collection of nearly seventy Late Antique primary religious texts. These texts, all in new English translation and many appearing in English for the first time, represent every major religious current from the late first century until the rise of Islam. Produced through the efforts of thirty-six leading scholars in the field, they constitute a comprehensive view of religious practice in Late Antiquity. Religious life and performance during this period comprised diverse, often unusual practices. Philosophical ascent, magic, legal pronouncement, hymnography, dietary and sexual restriction, and rhetoric were all part of this deeply fascinating world. Religious and political identity often intertwined, as reflected in the Roman persecution of Christians. And a fluid boundary between religion and superstition was contested in daily life. Many practices, including ascetic training, crossed religious boundaries. Others, such as "incubation" at specific temples and certain divination rites, were distinctive practices of individual groups and orders. Intrinsically interesting, the practice of religion in the Late Antique also edifies modern-day religious life. As this volume shows, the origins of the contemporary Western religious terrain can be gleaned in this period. Rabbinic Judaism flourished and spread. Christianity developed still-important theological categories and structures. And even movements that did not survive intact, such as Neoplatonism and the once-powerful Manichaean churches, continue to influence religion today.