Humour in Late Antiquity

Laughter, humour and early Christianity are not often mentioned together. Indeed, several famous authors from the early Christian period, such as Ambrose and John Chrysostom, fiercely attacked jokes and laughter, and even denied that Christ had ever laughed. At the same time, Christianity was part of the broader culture of Late Antiquity, which was heavily indebted to customs and traditions from the classical period, including humorous elements. The comical author Terence, e.g., was read in schools and the theater (mostly comic) was extremely popular (also among Christians). Unsurprisingly, therefore, but too often neglected in scholarship and rather unknown to a broader public, humour abounded in late antique society. In this project, the role of humour in late antiquity is investigated with a keen eye on the difference between dogmatic objections and everyday practice.