Egyptian and Syrian Asceticism in Late Antiquity – Jeffrey Conrad
A Comparative Study of the Ascetic Idea in the Late Roman Empire during the Fourth and Fifth Centuries The Roman Empire between the fourth and fifth centuries A.D. experienced the development of a new form of Christian piety–the rise of asceticism. Two models or disciplines of the ascetic life arose during this time period, coenobitic and anchoritic asceticism. While both were manifestations of withdrawing from society, these two disciplines differed in the way in which the ascetics lived: coenobites lived communally whereas anchorites lived in solitude.1 Anchorites practiced the...
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