The archaeology of monasticism : landscape, politics and social organisation in Late Antique Syria
This thesis reassesses the role played by monasticism in the social, economic and political changes of Late Antiquity in the eastern Mediterranean. In particular, it takes the Roman province of Syria as its primary arena, and argues that monasteries were more active in effecting social change in this region from the fourth to the seventh .centuries than has been previously supposed. In arguing for such a role, a theoretical deco~struction of the nature of archaeological research in Syria is carried out, and the reasons why the material culture of that region has been consistently left out of wider intellectual debates are demonstrated. Instead of monastic institutions being regarded as essentially separate from broader changes affecting the :nay rural society was organised, a more varied, dynamic model is proposed. Running contrary to many general commentaries on the late empire, which assert that the eastern Mediterranean maintained a consistent and successful taxation base, it is argued instead that more complex, localised methods of socio-economic control can be recognised archaeologically. Instead of there being a lack of social transformation until the seventh or eighth centuries in the eastern Mediterranean,
Hull, Daniel
The archaeology of monasticism : landscape, politics and social organisation in Late Antique Syria. This thesis reassesses the role played by monasticism in the social, economic and political changes of Late Antiquity in the eastern Mediterranean. In particular, it takes the Roman province of Syria as its primary arena, and argues that monasteries were more active in effecting social change in this region from the fourth to the seventh .centuries than has been previously supposed. In arguing for such a role, a theoretical deco~struction of the nature of archaeological research in Syria is carried out, and the reasons why the material culture of that region has been consistently left out of wider intellectual debates are demonstrated. Instead of monastic institutions being regarded as essentially separate from broader changes affecting the :nay rural society was organised, a more varied, dynamic model is proposed. Running contrary to many general commentaries on the late empire, which assert that the eastern Mediterranean maintained a consistent and successful taxation base, it is argued instead that more complex, localised methods of socio-economic control can be recognised archaeologically. Instead of there being a lack of social transformation until the seventh or eighth centuries in the eastern Mediterranean,
archaeology monasticism landscape politics social_organisation late_antique syria reassesses role_play monasticism social_economic political_change late_antiquity eastern_mediterranean particular take roman_province syria primary arena argue monastery active effect social_change region fourth seventh_century previously suppose argue role theoretical nature archaeological syria carry reason material_culture region consistently leave wide intellectual debate demonstrate instead monastic institution regard essentially separate broad change_affect rural_society organise vary dynamic model_propose running contrary many general commentary late empire assert eastern_mediterranean maintain consistent successful taxation base argue instead complex localised method socio_economic control recognise archaeologically instead lack social_transformation seventh eastern_mediterranean