Abstract

Peter Brown describes Late Antiquity as ‘a world characterized by a chilling absence of legal restraints on violence in the exercise of power’. Among numerous studies investigating structural and institutional violence in the ancient world, this article, however, investigates one-on-one violence in private and public spaces in Chrysostom’s community. Chrysostom advises his congregation, for example that should they hear: ’any one in the public thoroughfare,or in the midst of the forum, blaspheming God, they should go up to him, rebuke him, and should it be necessary to inflict blows, they should not spare not to do so (De stat 1.32)’. He also considers instances of spousal violence. In one specific case the neighbours came running to the house in response to the cries and wailing of a wife who was beaten by her husband (Hom.1 Cor 26.7). Pauline Allen, Wendy Mayer and others have shown how Chrysostom’s writings act as a window affording us a glimpse of social life in the fourth and the 5th century. Although scholars know that Chrysostom would sometimes make very radical comments merely for rhetorical effect, his writings nevertheless shed light upon the role of violence in his community.

Highlights

  • Having both grown up in the Eastern Cape province, Jan van der Watt and I have known each other since our school days

  • Jan became an accomplished scholar of the New Testament, and I would like to honour him for his friendship, collegiality and scholarship with this article

  • We can interpret some of these instances metaphorically, but the reality is that violence was quite common in the ancient world

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Summary

Introduction

Having both grown up in the Eastern Cape province, Jan van der Watt and I have known each other since our school days. He advised women who were beaten by their husbands ‘not to take it ill’, since they should rather consider the reward that would be waiting for them if they endure the beatings, and know that people will praise them (Hom. 26 on 1 Cor., MPG 61.222.15–20). Chrysostom advised husbands whose wives were a talker (λάλος), for example to bear with her (Hom. 15 on Act., MPG 60.126.22). Beating children was not limited to fathers; mothers (Hom. 62 on Matt., MPG 58.601.7–8) and grandfathers (Saller 1991:161) did so too.

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