This collection of essays examines Christian martyrdom by locating it in different historical
cultural and social contexts. Chronologically the book analyses traditions predating the
Christian martyr literature and ideology proper and studies an example of how this ideology
was transformed in the post-Constantinian era. Within this chronological span the following
contextual themes are discussed: the arena and the values represented by gladiatorial combat
and executions the reaction of 'others' to Christian martyrdom and martyr ideology how
Christians differentiated suicide from martyrdom the relationship between Christian apologetic
literature and martyr literature and the conceptions of gender and sexuality in Jewish and
Christian martyr literature in their Greco-Roman setting.
