Perpetua's journey
Subtitle: faith, gender, & power in the Roman Empire
By: Jennifer A. Rea, Liz Clarke
Contributors: Clarke, Liz, 1982- illustrator
Series: Graphic history series
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2018
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 208
ISBN-13: 9780190238711; 9780190238728
Copyright date: 2018
Subjects: Christian women saints; 11.51 early Christianity; Christian women martyrs; Sex role; Biography; Passio SS. Perpetuae et Felicitatis; History; Pictorial works; Power (Social sciences)
Other titles: Passio SS. Perpetuae et Felicitatis. English.
Description: Examining issues of power, gender, and religion in the ancient world, Perpetua's Journey: Faith, Gender, and Power in the Roman Empire is a graphic history set in Roman Africa in 203 CE that tells the story of the Christian martyr Perpetua. The Passio Sanctarum Perpetuae et Felicitatis, also known as The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity, is the first extant diary authored by a Christian woman. Vibia Perpetua was a young mother who lived in Roman Africa and, at the age of twenty-two, chose to publicly proclaim her Christian faith. She died as a result of her actions, though she did not die alone; she was part of a group of Christian martyrs, including several slaves, who were placed in prison and then executed in Carthage during the birthday celebrations of Emperor Septimius Severus's son in 203 CE. Perpetua's diary contains her account of the days leading up to her martyrdom. Perpetua's Journey occupies a space between the many works designed primarily for specialists and advanced scholars, who already know a great deal about Perpetua and the history of the Roman Empire, and lives of saints that are intended for general readers. Perpetua's Journey is unique because it combines both sequential art and historical and social commentary, and it places Perpetua's diary in the context of life in Roman North Africa in 203 CE.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 202-206) and index.
Table of contents: title: Part I. The graphic history; title: Carcer et praetorium = "The prison and the palace"; title: Christiana sum = "I am a Christian"; title: In viridiario = "In the garden"; title: Damnatio ad bestias = "Condemned to the beasts"; title: Part II. Historical and social context; title: The Roman Empire; title: Carthage before Rome; title: Roman Africa; title: The Emperor Septimius Severus; title: Tertullian; title: Roman religion and early Christianity; title: The Roman Senate; title: Religion in the empire; title: Emperor worship; title: The cults of Ceres and Saturn; title: Christians in imperial Rome; title: Magic and religion; title: Montanism; title: Christian persecution; title: Severus and Christian persecutions; title: Christianity after 203 CE; title: Martyrs in Antiquity; title: The Spread of Christianity within the Roman Empire; title: Baptism; title: Roman education; title: Slaves and Christianity; title: Felicity : portrait of a slave in Roman Africa; title: Prison life; title: Gladiatorial combat; title: The amphitheater; title: Constructing status in antiquity; title: Gender and power in the Passio; title: The visions of Perpetua and Saturus; title: Perpetua's death; title: Part III. Perpetua's prison diary; title: About the translation of the Passio; title: A brief history of the text; title: The passion of Perpetua and Felicity; title: Part IV. Conclusion; title: Further interpretations of the text; title: The Passio after 203 CE; title: Further reading; title: The making of the graphic portion of this text; title: Questions; title: Timeline for Rome and Carthage; title: Timeline of Christian persecutions; title: Bibliography; title: Glossary.