Day 6

Day 6 began with the presentation of Dr. Mariana Bodnaruk (Al-Quds Bard College), "Memoria damnata: Disgraced Memory of High Civil and Military Officials in the Later Roman Empire (AD 330–526)", which explored how the memory of disgraced high-ranking officials, accused of plotting against the emperor and declared enemies of the state (hostis publicus), was erased by imperial legislation and inscriptions attesting the erasure of the incriminated persons names. Although they did not attempt to take over the throne, consuls, generals, city prefects, or members of the imperial family who were disgraced were treated as usurpers in a time when rebellions were increasing in the provinces of the Empire. The speaker illustrated the cases of characters such as Gildo, Flavius Titianus, Flavius Stilicho, Flavius Ardabur Aspar or the vestal Clodia.

Then followed the lecture of Dr. Andra Jugănaru ("Aristotle" University of Thessaloniki), "Human Life between Memory (mneme) and Hope (Elpis) at Gregory of Nyssa", which highlighted the interdependence of virtues and the memory of the lost paradise, which brings the hope of man's salvation. Thus, according to the reflections of Saint Gregory of Nyssa at the death of his sister Macrina, life unfolds between the memory of the past and the hope of eternal life and resurrection; memory being connected with the metaphysics of the soul, which desires to unite with God, as well as with the commemoration of the saints, taken as a model for the Christians.