CHRISTIANIZATION AND ITS CHALLENGESfollowing the pattern laid down in the narrative of the temptations of Antony,
directing more of their attention to the avoidance of sexual lust and adopting
exotic forms of self-mortifi cation.^74
Monasticism has been seen as a kind of ‘protest’ movement against the
institutionalized church, but this ignores the fact that the ascetic ideal in gen-
eral (renunciation of bodily comfort, including warm clothes, adequate diet,
cleanliness and especially sexual relations) had become prominent in early
Christianity from an extremely very early date. For our understanding of the
particular ways in which it was taken up in late antiquity the late-fourth cen-
tury Life of Antony, attributed to Athanasius, is extremely important. It set the
pattern for the classic ascetic life, with its opposition between the world and
true spirituality, its lurid scenario of temptation overcome and its desert set-
ting, where lions are tamed by the spiritual power of the holy man. In addi-
tion, it became required reading for educated Christians. Augustine heard of
the powerful effect it could exert shortly before his own conversion to the
ascetic Christian life in Milan in 387: he and his friend Alypius were visited by
a Christian called Ponticianus, who
told the story of Antony, the Egyptian monk, a name held in high honour
among your servants [Augustine is addressing God], though up to that
time Alypius and I had never heard of him. When he [Ponticianus] dis-
covered this, he dwelt on the story, instilling in us who were ignorant an
awareness of the man’s greatness, and expressing astonishment that we
did not know of him. ... From there his conversation moved on to speak
of the fl ocks in the monasteries and their manner of life well pleasing to
you and the fertile deserts of the wilderness.
(Conf. VIII.6.14, trans. Chadwick, 192)Monks occasionally engaged in highly political activity, and there could be
sharp tensions at times between them and the civil authorities. But it is a
mistake to separate ‘monasticism’, still extremely fluid at this period, from
the ascetic movement in general, and there is no doubt that ascetic ideas and
practice percolated through society as a whole. By the fifth century, some
ascetics, especially in Syria, were practising spectacular forms of renunciation,
such as the stylites, who lived for many years at a time on platforms on the top
of specially erected pillars. We have already encountered Symeon the Elder,
who died in 459, having lived for decades on a pillar at Qalaat Semaan in Syria.
Daniel (died 493), a disciple of Symeon, lived on a pillar near Constantinople
for thirty-three years, and Symeon the Younger (d. 592) had his pillar near
Antioch.
All became famous in their lifetimes and their infl uence, prayers and advice
were ought by people of all levels of society. Then there were the ‘grazers’
who lived only off grass and shoots, and some who chained themselves up
and lived in cowsheds. Others so vehemently renounced worldly pretensions
that they pretended to be insane. These included both men and women; one