The fate of pagan material culture in Late Antiquity is a topic of heated debate in ancient and modern discourse alike. This book is a welcome addition to the expanding body of scholarship offering greater nuance and depth to the discourses of tolerance and violence, decline and prosperity, and break and continuity in the period.
This book is a revised and expanded version of Anna Sitz’s doctoral dissertation (2017), focusing on Christian responses to earlier, pagan inscriptions at sanctuaries in late antique Asia Minor and Greece. The scope of the book encompasses the whole eastern Mediterranean between the reign of Constantine and the Arab incursions but it is heavily — though not exclusively — focused on Asia Minor due to the rich material record there. The epigraphic evidence remains at the heart of the analysis, but literary, archaeological and visual sources are integrated throughout, resulting in an interdisciplinary and cohesive study of the afterlife of the sanctuaries.
The volume comprises four thematic chapters bookended by an introduction and a conclusion. The introduction situates the study in the epigraphic and archaeological fields it straddles, focusing on the discrepancy between the violent temple destructions depicted in hagiographical texts and the archaeological record (13–14), the nature of the epigraphic record in sanctuaries (15–16) and the issue of literacy in Late Antiquity (18–20). Ch. 2 discusses the reception of real and fictional ancient inscriptions in late antique literature and lays the groundwork for chs 3–5 by establishing that ancient inscriptions were read and used in late antique Christian world-building. Chs 3–5 consider responses to inscriptions from sanctuaries through case studies of individual sites. Ch. 3 focuses on in situ preservation of inscribed texts, showing that numerous inscribed temples and texts, even some mentioning pagan gods, were preserved. S. argues that toleration was contextual and must be considered on a local level, and that inscriptions mentioning past rulers were favoured to stress the connections of local cities and leaders (143–5). Ch. 4 addresses practical versus ideological spoliation of inscribed blocks. Not adopting either approach, S. argues that the content of the inscriptions was important in reuse, against attributing motivations solely to Christian triumphalism (22). Rather, S. sees spoliation as a product of local decisions, not a by-product of practical necessity (196). Ch. 5 addresses targeted erasure of inscriptions, complete or partial. The names of god(esse)s and their priests were most frequently targeted in erasures. To S. this is part of a rhetorical strategy of ‘unnaming’, transforming the gods into nameless demons (260–1). Ch. 6 summarises the results and implications of the previous chapters, advocating a contextual and integrated approach to inscribed texts taking the sum of responses into account at each individual site, and that the entire life of inscriptions, from creation to the present, must be considered (274–6).
The thematic approach is overall successful, offering in-depth analyses of preservation, spoliation and erasure of ancient inscriptions and situating the epigraphic evidence in its archaeological context. Unavoidably, some sites, such as the epigraphic mastodon Aphrodisias, are returned to in multiple chapters, which requires repetition of information from previous chapters. The book is well edited and organised, with accessible language(s).
S. frequently touches upon the dual civic and religious status of Roman emperors and emphasises the former in the conclusions. Considering the popularity of the Imperial cult in Asia Minor, I expected a more comprehensive discussion of Christian responses to the presence of these ruler-gods in the sanctuaries’ afterlives. Several case studies and sections provided ample opportunity to do so, including Aphrodisias, Sardis and Ephesus. Nonetheless, S. effectively demonstrates how the civic importance of past rulers contributed to their epigraphic preservation (ch. 3).
S.’s interpretations are generally built on solid foundations, but conclusions are in some cases based on little or incomplete evidence. For example, the argument that the preservation of Aphrodite in epigraphy in the temple-church at Aphrodisias was a shield against multi-religious angel cult is alluring yet remains speculative with few comparanda or much supportive evidence (181–3). In ch. 4, S. argues that spoliation in the sanctuary of Apollo at Klaros was mainly economically motivated, but that inscribed spolia were seen as desirable for a local ecclesiastical building project (186–8). In the chapter’s conclusion, she argues that these spolia were more likely to be reused in their local contexts compared to statues (200). Challenging these conclusions are two inscribed blocks from Klaros with choir lists exported to Ephesus to be embedded in the churches of Mary (JÖAI 16 (1912), 67 = PH 295142) and St John (F.Eph IV:3, 62 a & b = PH 295175 & PH 295176). These exports are not mentioned by S., but confirm that inscriptions travelled, and challenge the economic motivation. It can hardly be only economic factors motivating the transport of blocks from Klaros to marble-rich Ephesus. Ironically, it may be that the very epigraphic conventions S. criticises in her conclusion — the obsession with ‘the original text and meaning’ over context and materiality (276) — may have caused this oversight: their findspots are omitted in epigraphic databases and corpora, and context is barely present in the available publications.
Overall, this is an important contribution to the study of late antique textual and material culture and the religious transformation in the Eastern Mediterranean. It provides valuable insights into the afterlives of pagan inscriptions in context and their complex interactions with Christian viewers. Despite some limitations, its comprehensive analysis, detailed case studies and engagement with current scholarship make it an essential read for scholars and students of Late Antiquity.
