The religious transformation of Late Antiquity is one of the most influential phenomena of its
time. While there is no doubt regarding the importance of religious change its precise impact
on Late Antique life is far from obvious. This is illustrated by the development in Late
Antique celebration culture investigated in this book. The transformation from a pagan
celebration culture to one shaped by Christianity was in no way smooth. In particular the
lasting success of individual pagan festivities remains to be explained. Dealing with this
problem is a central focus of the present volume. Based on the investigation of local
celebration practices in important metropoles of the Late Antique Roman Empire this study
raises central questions concerning the development of pagan traditions in the context of the
increasing influence of Christianity: which mechanisms and factors determined the fate of pagan
celebrations? In how far did local peculiarities influence the persistence of traditional feast
days? How can we explain the sometimes heterogeneous development of some pagan feasts - from
rapid disappearance to continued persistence - and where were the limits of religious change?
Tackling these questions promises not only a better understanding of pagan celebration culture
in Late Antiquity but also of the religious transformations of this period more generally.
