Manichaean women in a Pseudo-Augustinian testimony : an analysis of the North African Testimonium de Manichaeis sectatoribus

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Authors

Van Oort, Johannes (Hans)

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Brill Academic Publishers

Abstract

The article analyses the rather unknown and understudied Testimonium de Manichaeis sectatoribus. This Pseudo-Augustinian text has come down to us in two Latin manuscripts (one from Saint Gervais, Paris; the other from a Vatican codex) and interestingly elucidates the place and role of women among the Manichaeans of Roman Africa. Differences between the MSS lead to the conclusion that, in all likelihood, the text underwent some ‘masculinisation’ in the course of its tradition. In its (in all probability) most original form, i.e., in the MS from Saint Gervais, Manichaean women appear to have played a major role. On the basis of the Testimonium, furthermore, it may be suggested that—at least in Roman Africa—female Manichaeans were (re)named with names that were highly symbolic to the ‘Religion of Light’.

Description

Keywords

Testimonium de Manichaeis sectatoribus, Women, Manichaeism, Augustine of Hippo, Persecution, Early Christianity, Roman North Africa, Religious (re)naming

Sustainable Development Goals

Citation

Van Oort, J 2017, 'Manichaean women in a Pseudo-Augustinian testimony : an analysis of the North African Testimonium de Manichaeis sectatoribus', Vigiliae Christianae , vol. 71, no. 1, pp. 85-94.