Saint Perpetua across the Middle Ages: Mother, Gladiator, Saint (The New Middle Ages)

This study traces the genealogy of Saint Perpetua’s story with a straightforward yet previously overlooked question at its center: How was Perpetua remembered and to what uses was that memory put? One of the most popular and venerated saints from 200 CE to the thirteenth century, the story of Saint Perpetua was retold in dramatically different forms across the European Middle Ages. Her story begins in the arena at Carthage: a 22-year-old nursing mother named Vibia Perpetua was executed for being a Christian, leaving behind a self-authored account of her time in prison leading up to her martyrdom. By turns loving mother, militant gladiator, empathic young woman, or unattainable ideal, Saint Perpetua’s story ultimately helps to trace the circulation of texts and the transformations of ideals of Christian womanhood between the third and thirteenth centuries. Front Matter....Pages i-x Introduction: Remembering Perpetua....Pages 1-13 The Passio Perpetuae ....Pages 15-42 The Acta Perpetuae ....Pages 43-61 Saint Augustine’s Sermons on Perpetua....Pages 63-86 Perpetua in the Early Middle Ages....Pages 87-111 Perpetua in Medieval England....Pages 113-135 Dominican Legendaries and the Legenda Aurea ....Pages 137-153 Conclusion: Perpetua Remembered....Pages 155-156 Back Matter....Pages 163-176 Acknowledgments 8 Contents 10 Introduction: Remembering Perpetua 12 Notes 23 The Passio Perpetuae 25 Notes 47 The Acta Perpetuae 53 Notes 67 Saint Augustine’s Sermons on Perpetua 72 Notes 92 Perpetua in the Early Middle Ages 96 Notes 115 Perpetua in Medieval England 121 Notes 138 Dominican Legendaries and the Legenda Aurea 144 Notes 158 Conclusion: Perpetua Remembered 161 Notes 162 Bibliography 163 Index 171 Introduction: Remembering Perpetua -- The Passio Perpetuae -- The Acta Perpetuae -- Saint Augustine's Sermons On Perpetua -- Perpetua In The Early Middle Ages -- Perpetua In Medieval England -- Dominican Legendaries And The Legenda Aurea -- Conclusion: Perpetua Remembered. Margaret Cotter-lynch. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 157-164) And Index.