Sunday 9 June 2019 – Friday 14 June 2019
This course argues for the foundational role of the women leaders and martyrs of the Church in Rome. It will examine classical conceptions of gender and the rights of women in the Roman Empire, before situating early Christianity within Its social and cultural context. We will explore the particular role played by the women martyrs of Rome, reflecting on their legacy to the first centuries of the church’s experience. We will examine how the conversion of Constantine Indirectly changed women’s roles within the church, and we will explore how the actions of women and conceptions of gender and sexuality colour the complex early history of monasticism. Over the duration of the course, we will visit many of the churches in Rome dedicated to these early Christian women martyrs, saints, and mystics.