Amid the continuous waves of the Late Antiquity, a transitional period, there were also some more tumultuous moments. One such moment, which took on the dimensions of a crisis, unfolded in Antioch of the East during the years of Julian's governance.

The relic of a saint, the holy martyr Babylas, defiled the space of the ancient shrines in the beautiful suburb of Daphne; was this what prevented national worship? This is what the emperor believed, and he ordered its removal. In a procession that also had the characteristics of a protest march, the Christian community removed it.

However, a few days later, in 362 AD, a fire broke out that consumed the renovated sanctuary of Apollo. Were the Christians to blame? Had the wrath of Apollo reached its peak due to the prolonged abandonment of his sanctuary by the Antiochenes? The conflict and crisis escalated into a story that had blood and tears.

Nevertheless, if one carefully studies the works of three of the most important thinkers of the period, deeper and multifaceted thoughts emerge that illuminate the issue differently. Ultimately, did Emperor Julian, the famous rhetorician Libanius, and the Christian saint John Chrysostom drive the conflict or advocate for cohesion and persuasion? A multi-layered exploration beyond the obvious.

Author: VOULGARAKI-PISINA EVI

Language: GREEK

Pages: 270

Year of publication: 2022