Method and madness in dating the “Passion of Perpetua”
https://doi.org/10.28995/2658-4158-2024-1-67-92
Abstract
The paper discusses the most recent datings of the “Passion of Perpetua and Felicity” made by Eric Rebillard and by Ellen Muehlberger. The author states that Rebillard’s hypothesis of dating the composition of the “Passion” to the period following the persecution of Valerian and Gallienus is not plausible because it renounces any support from internal arguments (e. g. the closeness of Perpetua’s language and that of the editor of the “Passion” to Tertullian’s style). The attempt of Muehlberger to locate the “Passion” in the fifth century and prove its inauthentic nature is based on extreme scepticism regarding the available material and is no proof at all. According to Muehlberger the male writer of the late fourth century or early fifth century created the first-person account of Perpetua, he or another writer composed the account of Saturus and another person, the redactor, pulled these together with some framing material to produce the “Passion”. The author shows that Muehlberger has rejected all previous research on chronology, authorship and influence of the “Passion” without a thorough analysis to prove her claim. The author’s conclusion is that the discussion about the date of the “Passion” should be based on the internal evidence of the text and a thorough weighing of arguments produced by previous scholarship.
About the Author
Jan N. Bremmer
University of Groningen
Netherlands
Netherlands
Jan N. Bremmer, Emeritus Professor,
5, Broerstraat, Groningen, Netherlands, 9712 CP.
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For citations:
Bremmer J.N. Method and madness in dating the “Passion of Perpetua”. Studia Religiosa Rossica: Russian Journal of Religion. 2024;(1):67-92. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.28995/2658-4158-2024-1-67-92
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