Соматические рефлексии и репрезентации ранневизантийской женщины

Abstract

The authors investigate the phenomenon of female body in the aspect of history and culture of Early Byzantium. Classical traditions of state, urban life and culture were the reason for more civil self-identification of women at that time. At the beginning of the article the authors give an essay of role of classical traditions in medical gynecology of Early Byzantium on the basis at works of Hippocrates, Galenus etc. concerning female body. The next circle of problems deals with research of Christian conception of Body, especially a female body. The main idea of this part is idea of women’s influence on men. The phenomenon of public female nudity took place in exclusive situations and wasn’t a common rule. The refusal from nudity and public presentation of female body had been gradually closing women in the female half of the house. Ideals of Christian asceticism paradoxically coexisted with debauch of sexual passions. Another matter under investigation is question about Taumaturgia – a miracle sanation from female illness. It was a specifically Christian and Early Byzantium phenomenon. Looking for a miracle was a main motive of women’s mentality in IV–VI century AD. This article is one of first articles devoted to gender in history of Byzantium in Russian historiography.