The Christians and the games: The relationship between Christianity and the Roman games from the first through the fifth centuries, A.D.

Date

1987-08

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Journal ISSN

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Publisher

Texas Tech University

Abstract

"The Christians and the Games: The Relationship Between Christianity and the Roman Games from the First Through the Fifth Centuries, A.D.," deals with the interaction of the two great social forces of the Roman Empire.

The games refer to the spectacles in the arena, circus and theatre, offered at governmental expense for the entertainment of the public. Each part of the games developed during the Roman Republic. The spectacles, however, as an institution, were the product of the Empire. The games were an integral part of Roman politics They were necessary to attain certain offices. They were a means by which the emperors secured and maintained control over the populace. The emperors of the first century set the standard for modification of the games. By the fourth century the games had grown to the extent that they were offered on half of the days of the year.

An early characteristic of Christians was their refusal to go to the games. Various church Fathers, from the late second through the fifth centuries, fulminated against the games. Traditional scholarship has combined the practice of the early Christians and the writings of the Fathers to conclude that Christians had nothing to do with the games. Yet, when Rome became Christian, the games were at their height. Christian Rome absorbed and perpetuated the games.

This investigation faces the issue of Christian attendance and support of the games. First, the perspective of the public entertainments in Roman society is set. The growth of the spectacles as an institution and respective compositions of the circus, arena and theatre are analyzed. Christians, contrary to some observations, are then shown to have absorbed pagan practice with regard to education, the military and imperial cult. The writings of the Fathers are analyzed with respect to their audience they were written to Christians, because Christians were going to the shows 1 Finally, the superficial changes that Christianity made on the institution are determined.

"The Christians and the Games" is a corrective to errors in traditional scholarship which stem from the assumption that Christianity changed Rome. This present work demonstrates that with regard to the games, Christianity was definitely Romanized.

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Keywords

Church and state -- Rome, Rome -- Social life and customs, Christianity, Games -- Greece, Games -- Rome

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