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Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Classics
'Cherchez la femme!' Heresy and Law in Late Antiquity
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Overview
Paper Summary
Conflicts of Interest
Identified Weaknesses
Rating Explanation
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Topic Hierarchy
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Paper Summary
Paperzilla title
Look for the Woman? Gender, Heresy, and Roman Law Shenanigans!
This paper argues that the construction of "the heretic" as a legal category in Late Roman law was influenced by gendered rhetoric and evolving Christian ecclesial power. It examines how accusations of sexual deviance were used to identify and prosecute heretics, particularly focusing on the trials of Manichaeans in Rome during the mid-5th century CE under Pope Leo I.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
None identified
Identified Weaknesses
The paper focuses heavily on rhetoric and discourse analysis.
It could affect the interpretation of the legal texts.
The study primarily focuses on a specific time period and geographic location (Late Roman Empire).
It limits the generalizability of the findings.
The paper relies on interpretations of historical texts and lacks empirical evidence.
It makes it difficult to verify the claims made in the paper.
Rating Explanation
This is a well-researched and thought-provoking paper that offers a nuanced perspective on the intersection of gender, heresy, and law in Late Antiquity. While the heavy reliance on discourse analysis and the limited scope are weaknesses, the paper's insightful arguments and contribution to the field justify a rating of 4.
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Topic Hierarchy
File Information
Original Title:
'Cherchez la femme!' Heresy and Law in Late Antiquity
File Name:
Humfress_2019_SCH_Cherchezlafemme_AAM.pdf
[download]
File Size:
0.32 MB
Uploaded:
July 14, 2025 at 10:32 AM
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