The Afterlife in Early Christian Carthage explores how the visionary experiences of early Christian martyrs shaped and informed early Christian ancestor cult and the construction of the cemetery as paradise. Taking the early Christian cemeteries in Carthage as a case study, the volume broadens our understanding of the historical and cultural origins of the early Christian cult of the saints, and highlights the often divergent views about the dead and post-mortem realms expressed by the church fathers, and in graveside ritual and the material culture of the cemetery. This fascinating study is a key resource for students of late antique and early Christian culture.

About the Author
Stephen E. Potthoff is Associate Professor of Peace Studies, Religion, and Philosophy at Wilmington College, Ohio, USA. His research focuses on early Christianity and other ancient religions, as well as Native American spirituality and culture, dreams, and near-death visionary experience.

Reviews

A rich, interdisciplinary study, The Afterlife in Early Christian Carthage is an important read for anyone interested in the development of Christianity in the late Roman Empire. As Stephen Pothoff shows us, paradoxically, it is through the examination of death - its ubiquity and attendant rituals, the need to mourn and bury the dead, the creation of cemeteries and cemeterial churches - that third-century North African Christianity comes alive. The author walks us into the thought-worlds of these Christians - their dreams, aspirations, and sure knowledge of what awaited them after death - through his careful study of their literature, epitaphs, material culture, and the archaeology they left behind, unlocking new worlds for us to explore.

-Professor Nicola Denzey Lewis, Brown University, USA

• Professor Allen Brent, Professor of Early Christian History and Iconography, King's College, London

"I find what is proposed highly relevant and potentially cutting edge. The study of the 'paradisical imagery in Carthage in particular would be a timely and important contribution by a scholar whose CV shows him to be competent to pursue this topic... You should certainly publish what promises to be a timely and original contribution to a developing area of research."

• Nicola Denzey Lewis, Brown University, USA

"The book is wide-ranging and integrative, pulling together many different strands to consider death, burial, and the afterlife in late antique Carthage. It is nicely written and a good fit for Routledge."

Book Information
ISBN 9780367139643
Author Stephen E. Potthoff
Format Paperback
Page Count 240
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 453g