The course addresses a pivotal period of cultural and religious change in Mediterranean history and takes the form of an interdisciplinary journey among several religious communities living in the Roman Empire from the time of Augustus to the rise of Christianity. We will make use of the artistic, archeological and documentary record to learn about pagan sanctuaries, ancient synagogues and the earliest house churches used by Christians; and we will read ancient texts in order to understand the lives of the most influential historical players in the religious field, including the prophet Mani, Emperor Constantine and Julian ‘the Apostate’.
