Martyrdom and Noble Death : Selected Texts from Graeco-Roman, Jewish and Christian Antiquity

Today's society is uncomfortable with death, and willingly submitting to a violent and ostentatious death in public is seen as particularly shocking and unusual.

Yet classical sources give a different view, with public self-sacrifice often being applauded -- the Romans admired a heroic end in the battlefield or the arena, suicide in the tradition of Socrates was something laudable, and Christians and Jews alike faithfully commemorated their heroes who died during religious persecutions.

This volume explores the fascinating phenomenon of noble death through pagan, Jewish and Christian sources.

The authors look at Jewish and Christian articulations of noble death as martyrdom, asking how we construct the figure of a martyr, and what makes a passage a 'martyr text'.

The main body of the book combines accessible introductions with a wide range of relevant translated texts, dating from the eighth century BCE to the rabbinic period (up to the fifth century CE) The cross cultural approach and wide chronological range of this study make it valuable for students and scholars of ancient history, religion and literature.