The pagan and Christian collections of miracles in antiquity and early middle ages

What is it about?

The article explores the use of lists and catalogues in ancient and early Christian writings. Lists, often seen in works like Homer's Iliad or later Christian miracle tales, serve as a way to organize and present vast, sometimes unquantifiable, information. They reflect different cultural and intellectual approaches to understanding the world, from ancient Greek paradoxographies (collections of natural curiosities) to Christian miracle accounts, which adapted this form to highlight saints' divine powers. Both types of collections used lists to emphasize the extraordinary, offering readers a sense of endless wonder or divine activity. The article also explains how these works use literary techniques like repetition, metaphors for incalculable quantities, and the motif of a pretended modesty of the author to enhance their impact. Ultimately, the study shows that lists aren't just practical tools—they're powerful narrative devices that shape how we view the extraordinary and the divine.

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Photo by Susan Q Yin on Unsplash

Photo by Susan Q Yin on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This article is important and timely because it sheds light on humanity's enduring fascination with collecting and cataloging extraordinary phenomena, whether in ancient paradoxographies or early Christian miracle stories. By exploring why people have long used lists to make sense of the vast and the wondrous, the article connects past practices to our modern impulse to gather, organize, and celebrate knowledge, experiences, or objects. It offers a fresh perspective on how collecting serves both as a way to grapple with the infinite and as a means of storytelling, making it relevant in an age of information overload and curated digital collections.