Philipp Pilhofer's Das frühe Christentum im kilikisch-isaurischen Bergland [Early Christianity in the Cilician-Isaurian Highlands] focuses on the history, geography and archaeology of the regions of Cilicia and Isauria (both encompassed by modern Turkey), which are among the earliest heartlands of Christianity. This area has attracted historians of religion, travellers and Byzantinists since the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The studies that arose from these interested visitors are important as the first works on the Christianity and monuments of the region, but naturally they have become out of date. In his new volume, Pilhofer makes extensive use of these early studies, but builds on the epigraphic, literary and archaeological evidence to consider the region in light of the results of new excavations. In so doing, he makes a significant contribution to the study of Christianity in this part of the ancient world.
The volume begins with an introduction, in which the author presents the study, outlines his aims and objectives, and describes his methodology. Pilhofer uses this section to raise the questions that his study will attempt to answer. Chapter 2, ‘History and geography of the region’, focuses especially on the geographical and topographic features of the region, these include: the location of ancient cities; the trade routes; and water resources and management. The chapter includes a section in which the reign of Emperor Zeno (a native of Isauria) during the fifth century AD is evaluated through historical sources and archaeological data; the increasing importance of the regions of Cilicia and Isauria during Zeno's reign, particularly in terms of the Christianisation of the urban topography, is explored in this chapter.
Chapter 3 considers Judaism in the region of Calycadnus. Pilhofer aims to understand the emergence of Christianity in a region dominated by Jewish communities. The chapter therefore considers the history of Judaism and analyses the Judaic material culture and literary sources from the region. The relationship between the Jewish and pagan communities is discussed through a study of archaeological finds; the author considers the similarities and differences between the two belief systems. The chapter goes on to consider the introduction of Christianity to the region, its acceptance there and how this is manifested in the archaeological material. This is considered alongside analysis of the political, theological and military events of the fourth century AD during the reign of Emperor Constantine, to understand the socio-political climate of the time. Church-building activity increased significantly here during the reign of Zeno. Monasticism in the region is analysed in detail in this section alongside the monastic buildings in the region's cities, which are considered in light of recent excavation and research. While most of the sources cited in the section on monastic buildings are current, there is a notable exception. The sources used to consider the Olba Monastery (in Mersin-Turkey) are somewhat out of date. As one of the only Late Antique monasteries to have been excavated in the region (and still undergoing excavation), the most recent Olba Monastery excavation results (Özyıldırım & Yeğın Reference Özyıldırım and Yeğin2018) would have helped to develop a greater understanding of the Christianity of Calycadnus and its surroundings.
The development of cults of saints is investigated using the case studies of Saint Thecla and Saint Konon. These two saints both played a crucial role in the spread of Christianity in the region. Early written sources provide information about Saint Thecla, detailing the miracles attributed to her and their impact on Christianity; these are thoroughly examined by the author. Following religious persecutions, Thecla left her hometown, Iconium, and settled in a cave in Seleucia ad Calycadnum, living there until her apparently miraculous disappearance. Today, this area is referred as Meryemlik. The second case study is of Saint Konon, who is a relatively little-known saint, often overlooked in publications about the Christianisation of the region. In this study, however, Konon receives detailed treatment. Epigraphy portrays him as a highly respected saint in Cilicia and Isauria during the fourth century AD. His renown is evident in the number of civic building projects erected in his name; these include churches, aqueducts, sanctuaries and alms houses, which are scattered across the region's cities.
The final chapters bring together all the evidence from the early Christian period to present a coherent narrative of the Christianisation of Cilicia and Isauria. Pilhofer concludes that this region, which had its first encounter with Christianity in the first century AD, went on to achieve and maintain considerable importance to the Christian faith, ultimately becoming a place of central importance in the history of Christianity.
Many books and articles have been written on the early Christian period of Cilicia and Isauria. For a long time, one of the key publications on the subject has been Stephen Hill's (Reference Hill1996) volume, The early Byzantine churches of Cilicia and Isauria. While Hill dealt with churches and monasteries in the cities of the region, Philipp Pilhofer's book perhaps offers a fuller reconstruction of the region that incorporates a more diverse range of sources and evidence. Das frühe Christentum im kilikisch-isaurischen Bergland is an important reference book and guide for all those interested in early Christianity, archaeology, the history of religions, art history and ancient history in these regions. I would very much like to see it translated into Turkish to widen its accessibility.
