To study the position of holy man in Late Roman society is to risk telling one's own words a story that has often been excellently told before. In vivid essays, Norman Baynes brought lives saints attention social and religious historian Antiquity. The patient work Bollandists increased clarified substantial dossier authentic narratives. These have provided with most what he knows life average Eastern Empire. They illuminate variety interaction local cultures Near East. men themselves carefully studied, both as figures great Christological controversies fifth sixth centuries, arbiters distinctive traditions Byzantine piety ascetic theology. intention this paper follow well known paths scholarship on all these topics, while asking two basic questions: why did come play such an important rôle society, centuries ? What light do his activities throw values functioning was prepared concede him importance? It ask elementary questions. For there danger may be taken for granted part scene. Most explanations are deceptively easy.

The Rise and Function of the Holy Man in Late Antiquity